Illustrator Mentorship with Martha Rago, V.P. Executive Creative Director, Penguin Random House
Nov 25, 2023 - Apr 25, 2024
Online event
The Illustrator Mentorship this season will run from November through April. The mentorship provides twenty illustrators or author/illustrators the opportunity to create a children’s book dummy.
Martha Rago from Random House Publishing
I began my career at G P Putnam as the assistant to the art director, with the extraordinary good fortune of working with greats like Tomie de Paola, Eric Carle, Marc Simont, Tasha Tudor, Mistumasa Anno, Bruce Degan, Elise Primavera, Ed Young, and many more incredible artists, some at the very start of their careers. I expanded my experience over the following 34+ years at Dutton, FSG, Henry Holt, Harper Collins, and then back to Random House 10 years ago, coming full circle to the Mother Ship, so to speak. I’m grateful to have learned from so much talent, been able to contribute as a designer and art director to some of the best books in the industry, and formed lasting relationships with my colleagues along with the artists behind every project. At Random House Children’s Books, I oversee a large team of art directors and designers for Licensed properties, Brands, and Trade books. The imprints under RHCB are Crown, RH Books for Young Readers, Little Tiger, Doubleday, Random House Studio, Ann Schwartz Books, Joy Revolution, Delacorte, Labyrinth Road and Make Me A World. I remain passionate about book-making and work hands-on as a designer and art director on select projects. And I keep my eye out for new talent to encourage and add their vision to the books we offer readers today.
Our Illustrator Mentorship this season is with the amazing Martha Rago, V.P. Executive Creative Director, Penguin Random House. The mentorship provides twenty illustrators or author/illustrators the opportunity to create a children’s book dummy and work directly with Martha Rago. The mentorship is appropriate for those interested in illustrating picture books, book covers, or art for chapter and middle-grade books. Participants submit a dummy for a first-round review, including a Gold Form with comments, one-on-one Zoom critiques, and a recorded presentation on common mistakes and successes she found in the first round. Based on the feedback received, mentees create a final dummy including 2 images finished in the style for the book. Then mentees will receive a second Gold Form and a fifteen-minute Zoom critique on the changes made and final art samples.
Illustrator mentorship registration opens on Monday, October 30 at 7 p.m. for San Diego SCBWI Premium Members
Thursday, November 2nd: Registration opens for all Premium Members
Prices are as follows:
Mentorship Season Ticket Holder is $170**
Mentorship without Season Ticket is $190
Important Registration Information:
**Season Ticket Holders: Our new website is still under construction. The new system does not allow us to have different prices for events. Nor does it allow coupon codes. Therefore, you will pay the $190 and we will refund you the $20.
Illustrator Mentorship Timeline: (Dates and times may adjust if needed from faculty.)
November 25, 2023: Members receive folders
December 1, 2023 by 7pm: Mentees submit work via Google Folders
Jan 20: Mentees will receive the sign up sheet for BOTH rounds of Zoom Critiques
by Jan 27, 2024: Gold forms filled out and delivered to folders
January 29, 2024-February 1, 2024: Round 1 Zoom critiques and recorded presentation.
March 22, 2024: Mentees submit 2nd round of work via Google Folders
April 20, 2024: Gold forms filled out and delivered to folders
April 22-25, 2023: Round 2 Zoom critiques.
Participants submit a dummy for a first-round review, including a Gold Form with comments, one-on-one Zoom critiques, and a recorded presentation on common mistakes and successes she found in the first round.
Based on the feedback received, mentees create a final dummy including 2 of the images finished in the style for the book. Then mentees will receive a second Gold Form and fifteen-minute Zoom critique on the changes made and final art samples.
You MUST have a GMAIL account to submit to the folders. No other email will be accepted. You can easily sign up for a free gmail account here.
https://support.google.com/mail/answer/56256?hl=en