Illustrator Resources

2025 ILLUSTRATOR MENTORSHIP

The time has finally arrived to apply for the 2025 SCBWI-MI Illustrator Mentorship!!! This exciting opportunity only comes around for illustrators every THREE YEARS, so please apply!

Our mentor, the super talented and all-around wonderful PENELOPE DULLAGHAN is offering the unique opportunity to either improve your portfolio for illustrators or your dummy book for author/illustrators - your choice!

Each applicant will receive THREE GOLD FORMS of critiques on their submission - a huge value with actionable feedback to take your work to the next level.

Please don't miss out on this opportunity! Kick off 2025 by applying for the Illustrator Mentorship at https://www.scbwi.org/.../scbwi-mi-mentorship-2025...

PORTFOLIO FIELD GUIDE

As an illustrator, one of the biggest benefits of a conference is the opportunity for your portfolio to be seen by industry professionals. The questions of how to best prepare for this can be very daunting - What should a KidLit portfolio look like?  What type of

criteria should we use to select images?  Do we include contact information?  What kind of book should they go in?  Check out the handy Portfolio Field Guide for guidance!

 PORTFOLIO FIELD GUIDE

Have you taken a look at The Book yet? If not, you must! (free for members to download)

The Book (https://www.scbwi.org/online-resources/the-book/the-book-member-download/) THE BOOK

contains new and essential articles and answers many of your burning questions in the Illustrator’s Guide (pg. 15) such as: * What should I put in my portfolio? Great article: Putting Together A Prize-Winning Portfolio by Molly Idle, pg. 25 * Should I be on social media as an artist? (Spoiler: YES) * How do I show my work to a publisher? * Must/Should I have an agent represent me? * What fees or royalties can I expect from illustrating a children’s book? …and so much more. Please go download your free copy (or you can buy a physical copy for $6.25 + shipping), it really does contain most if not all of the information you will need to know as a newbie. 

4 Easy Ways To Get Eyes On Your Artwork:

1. Put your portfolio in the SCBWI Illustrator Gallery

If you have not done so already, set up your portfolio in the Illustrator Gallery. It’s easy — just set it up on your SCBWI Member Profile page. Step-by-step instructions are found here: https://www.scbwi.org/our-new-website/illustrator-gallery-how-to/.

2. Submit to the Bulletin

Each issue of the Bulletin features many pieces of spot art submitted by members who receive $50 for each piece that is used. SCBWI retains only the first-time rights and the artist keeps all other rights to use the art. All SCBWI members are eligible to enter by submitting one or more spot illustrations following the guidelines below. In addition, each issue of the Bulletin features a winning “Art Spot” illustration, chosen from the pool of submissions. The art spot winner receives $100 for their winning piece. Submitting is easy!

Here are the guidelines:

• You must be a current SCBWI member to submit.

• Illustrations should be emailed to [email protected].

• All digital files should be titled with the first and last name of the illustrator, followed by a number for multiple submissions. (i.e. “John_Doe1.jpg”)

• Images should be 300 DPI, TIF, or JPG files; total file size 5MB or less.

• Grayscale or B&W files only.

• Art must be either line art or vignetted, not full-bleed art.

Submissions are accepted on an ongoing basis. You will be notified if your art was selected via email. Some art submissions that are not used immediately will be placed on a waiting list of a future Bulletin. You will be notified as soon as the art will be used and a check will be issued.

3. Start submitting to DRAW THIS! every month 

Draw This! is a monthly art prompt that is part of SCBWI INSIGHT (the email newsletter sent to all SCBWI members). Illustrators have the opportunity each month to show their artwork in a social media gallery and two winning pieces are featured in the INSIGHT email and the homepage of the website. The Twitter and Instagram galleries are open to public viewing, so agents, art directors, and editors have yet another way of finding our illustrators. You can find each month’s prompt at the very bottom of the INSIGHT email newsletter.

Submitting is easy. Here are the guidelines:

• You must be a current SCBWI member to submit.

• Post your work to Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #SCBWIDrawThis.

• Artwork must be inspired by the prompt word in some way.

• Art may be B&W, grayscale, or RGB color.

• Vignettes, line art, and full-bleed art are welcome.

4.  Submit your work to be a Featured Illustrator SCBWI features one illustrator member each month.

The Featured Illustrator’s art is highlighted prominently on the homepage and the Illustrator Gallery landing page, as well as all SCBWI social media. The site receives over 191K hits each month, the Instagram account has over 22K followers, the Twitter account has 44K followers, and the Facebook has 5K followers. That is a lot of eyes on your work! Fill out the form and see other image requirements here: https://www.scbwi.org/featured-illustrator/