MONTHLY MEETING: Learnings from My First Year of Illustration Work

Join us on July 12, 2025, at 10 A.M. at BookPeople

Whether you’re an illustrator, writer, or creative enthusiast, this presentation is a wonderful opportunity to hear firsthand from an experienced, professional working illustrator. There will also be time for audience Q&A, so come ready to engage, learn, and be inspired.

Don't miss this chance to connect with fellow creatives and celebrate the vibrant talent in our SCBWI Austin community. We can’t wait to see you there!

After signing with an agent and completing her first two picture books, Alyssa has much to share about her first year as a professional illustrator. She'll discuss the most valuable skills she's discovered for succeeding in picture book illustration — from how she quickly began receiving book offers to the daily challenges and lessons that have shaped her journey into her second year. Alyssa offers an honest and upfront look at what it’s really like to break into the world of children's book illustration.

Alyssa Russell (she/her) is an illustrator living in Austin, TX, and a graduate of Ringling College of Art and Design. She is passionate about the use of fantasy as a medium for emotional expression through heartfelt characters and meaningful narratives. Alyssa is aesthetically drawn to light, gesture, and expressive use of texture stemming from her love of vintage illustrators such as Hilary Knight, Garth Williams, and Maurice Sendak. When she is not illustrating, she can be found bouldering, reading philosophy, or strumming some tunes on her guitar.

Event Breakdown

WHEN

Saturday July 12th, 2025 at 10:00am CST.

WHERE

In-person at Book People on North Lamar. Third floor!

COST

Free!

RECORDING

None

The meeting starts at 10am. However, if you can not make it in person due to distance or health, we will do our best to stream it live on Zoom. Please register to get the zoom link in your My Events section of your SCBWI account. This meeting is open (and free!) to both paid Members and Registered Users. If you have questions during the presentation, please put them in the Zoom chat. By registering and/or attending our event, you agree to abide by the SCBWI Anti-harassment policy.