Illustrators will work with Art Director Aram Kim on either the specific Character Assignment or a work-in-progress of their own in the weeks before and between the two zooms with her to discuss their work (sketches and then final art). During the intensive, completed assignments will be given final critique and next steps. Basic Track ($40 for Premium Members; $55 for Registered Users) reserves your spot to observe but not show work, and illustrators are encouraged to upgrade to either the Assignment Track (adds $45, limit of 7 spots) or the Work-in-Progress Track (adds $45, limit of 7 spots) in order to take full advantage of art director access. Additionally, Spring Portfolio Critiques will open to upgraded attendees first. > UPDATE: Assignment and Work-in-Progress spots are no longer available, but you can still register for the Basic Track and observe the zooms without showing work of your own.
UPDATE: Assignment and Work-in-Progress spots are no longer available.
Winter Three Track Illustrator Intensive
Basic Track – $40 for Premium Members; $55 for Registered Users
Attendees of this track will not be able to submit a WIP piece or an assignment but will be able to attend both the November and January Zooms and get an inside look on what an art director looks for in an illustration. Attendees will also be able to ask questions as time allows as Kim gives feedback to others. This track is perfect those new to SCBWI and/or illustrating for books and who want to get an idea of what it’s all about.
Assignment Track – adds $45 for a total of $85 for Premium Members; $100 for Registered Users
Art Director Aram Kim’s character assignment will be available to those registered starting Oct 1st. Attendees will have until Oct 27th to do sketches and submit to Mary Uhles midsouth-ic@scbwi.org. On November 4, we’ll gather via zoom from 9-11am CT where Aram Kim will discuss these sketches and next steps. Artists will continue to final and submit the final to Mary by January 14th. Then we will meet on Zoom January 20th from 9-11am CT where Kim will give her thoughts on the execution of the final. Artists are encouraged to take notes, written feedback will NOT be sent after the Zooms.
Submission guidelines for Assignment track sketches:
- PDF not more than 10MB
- email to Mary Uhles midsouth-ic@scbwi.org with subject line and file named: FirstName-LastName-Assignment Sketches
Submission guidelines for Assignment track finals:
- PDF not more than 10MB
- email to Mary Uhles midsouth-ic@scbwi.org with subject line and file named: FirstName-LastName-Assignment Final
Work in Progress (WIP) Track – adds $45 for a total of $85 for Premium Members; $100 for Registered Users
Attendees in this track will NOT do the assignment. Instead on October 27th they will submit a single illustration in any stage of completion for critique feedback. This can be a portfolio piece or a piece for a book dummy. Only the piece NOT the dummy may be submitted. On November 4, we’ll gather via zoom from 9-11am CT where Aram Kim will discuss her thoughts on the piece and next steps for it. WIP track attendees may choose to adjust the original piece and resubmit for the January critique or submit an entirely new WIP single illustration. We will meet on Zoom January 20th from 9-11am CT where Kim will give her thoughts on the second WIP illustration. Artists are encouraged to take notes as written feedback will not be sent after the Zooms.
Submission guidelines for WIP track First Piece
- PDF not more than 10MB
- email to Mary Uhles midsouth-ic@scbwi.org with subject line and file named: FirstName-LastName-WIP First
Submission guidelines for WIP Track Second Piece
- PDF not more than 10MB
- email to Mary Uhles midsouth-ic@scbwi.org with subject line and file named: FirstName-LastName-WIP Second
You may not do both tracks unless one does not sell out. Seating will be limited.
Bio: About Aram Kim
Aram Kim is a writer, illustrator, and designer of children’s picture books. She was born in Ohio, raised in South Korea, and now lives in Queens, NY, happily surrounded by diverse food and culture. By day, she is an Art Director at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group where she designed and oversaw many award-winning picture books including 2021 Caldecott Medal Winner We Are Water Protectors and 2021 Caldecott Honor Winner A Place Inside of Me. She has worked with both debut illustrators and established illustrators on a wide range of children’s books. As an author/illustrator herself of acclaimed picture books, she is closely connected with illustrators and enjoys learning from them and working with them.
When she is not working as an art director, Aram writes and illustrates her own stories. Her published books include Cat on the Bus (Children’s Choice Reading List 2017, New York Public Library Summer Reading List 2018), No Kimchi for Me! (JLG Gold Selection 2017, Bank Street College’s Best Children’s Book of the Year 2018, A Baker’s Dozen Award 2018), Let’s Go to Taekwondo! ( JLG Gold Selection 2020), and Sunday Funday in Koreatown ( JLG Gold Selection 2021). Her most recent book is Tomorrow Is New Year's Day (JLG Gold Selection 2022), which is about Seollal, a Korean celebration of Lunar New Year.
To find out more about Aram’s work: www.AramKim.com
Dates and Deadlines
Dates and Deadlines:
10/1/23: Registration opens, Assignment given
10/27/23: Assignment sketches and WIP first piece sent to Mary Uhles
11/4/23: 9-11am CT Zoom sketch critique
1/14/24: finished assignments and WIP second piece sent to Mary Uhles
1/20/24: 9-11am CT Zoom final critique.
2/9/24: Portfolio critique submissions sent to Mary Uhles
3/24/24: Written critiques returned
Registration opens at 5:00 PM CT / 6:00 PM ET
Spring Critiques
Aram Kim will do written portfolio critiques in the month after the Winter Intensive has closed, with the idea being that artists will take what they learn in the intensives and improve their portfolios. Spots will be reserved for WIP or Assignment attendees first. Basic Attendees will be able to purchase a portfolio review after the Upgrade registration period has passed.
Artists should submit to Mary Uhles midsouth-ic@scbwi.org a PDF with up to 10 pieces, with file and subject line named FirstName-LastName-Portfolio. PDFs should not exceed 10MB. Submit by Feb 9th. Written feedback via the SCBWI gold form will be returned by 3/22/24. All tracks, including Basic, may submit a portfolio.
Additional art directors may also become available for critiques and artists are allowed to purchase as many as they would like! The dates for submission will remain the same for all art directors. Stay tuned for critique registration to open in January.