Adriana Dominguez represents award-winning illustrators including John Parra, a New York Times Best Illustrator and recipient of three Pura Belpré Honors, Caldecott Honor recipient Janelle Washington, Kirkus Prize finalist Jacqueline Alcántara, and Orbis Pictus Honor recipient Juliet Menéndez. Her author list includes NAACP Image Award winner Katheryn Russell Brown, Pura Belpré Honor recipient Angela Cervantes and Pulitzer and Emmy Award-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa.
She is interested in illustrators and author-illustrators with fresh, unmistakable styles, and authors of fiction and narrative nonfiction from picture books to middle grade. Adriana has a long trajectory of supporting authors and illustrators from underrepresented backgrounds. She is based in NY.
www.acmkidsandillustration.com
Lately, she has mainly works with author-illustrators, especially debuts.
On trends
There's been an increase in diversity, representation, and art forms. The industry is more open to different styles. She says that sometimes digital art tends to all look the same.
How do you find artists?
Adriana has found many artists through the SCBWI, through Instagram, referrals from colleagues and clients.
What makes a portfolio stand out for you?
Narrative images. Character consistency, movement.
Highlight your skills. If you're great with light, for example, make sure you show that in your portfolio.
Turn-offs: weird eyes. Eyes are the windows to the soul.
How do you accept your submissions?
"I miss postcards."
Adriana mainly gets digital submissions through QueryTracker.
She highly recommends bringing a stack of postcards with you to in-person events.
What business skills do you wish author-illustrators have, beyond their art?
Curiosity. Willingness to try new things.
Ability to collaborate. Keep an open mind.
Good communication skills.
How does ACM promote illustrators?
They do monthly newsletters, highlight illustrators on their website, put together a "Look Book." Adriana also reaches out directly to editors to let them know about illustrators.
How much are agents involved in book marketing?
Adriana says that she does get involved quite a bit. She encourages illustrators who are not always the authors to contribute visual elements to the publisher to help with marketing. She says that it varies, depending on the individual. Some of her illustrator clients have a fan base already because of their online socials, shops, etc.
No comments:
Post a Comment