ARE YOU READY?!?!? How many illustrators can you fit on a podium?

FRIENDS! We are so thrilled that the Book Maker's Dozen will be here tomorrow. Some of them spoke to us on Friday at the Marketing Intensive for Illustrators. We didn't want to give too much of it away on the blog, but we do want you to see Dan Yaccarino's fantastic trailers for one of his impeccable-as-always books, ALL THE WAY TO AMERICA!

Catch Dan Yaccarino, John Rocco, Sophie Blackall, Selina Alko, Sean Qualls, Peter Brown, John Bemelmans Marciano, Sergio Ruzzier, Brian Floca, David Gordon, Aileen Leijten and Brett Helquist on Sunday at 9:15 in the AM!

Ooo, and more of Yaccarino's awesome trailers:

All About The New Full Day Illustrator's Marketing Intensive on January 27, 2012

I got to sit down with Lin Oliver, SCBWI's Executive Director, and learn why the new Illustrator's Marketing Intensive coming up on the Friday before the full 2012 SCBWI Winter Conference isn't just going to be great - it's going to be essential.




You can register now for the Illustrator's Marketing Intensive and the whole Lucky 13th Annual SCBWI Winter Conference!

Hope to see you there.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Illustrators Intensive: Keynote with The Yaccarinster

We all love Dan Yaccarino's work. His books, his cartoons, his puzzles, his pajamas, his new line of hams available at Costco.

Dan shares examples of how he's taken his book art beyond books and gives hints on how illustrators can make that happen in their own careers.

For most things—plush toys, games, stationery—those beyond-the-book items are really only an option after a book has come out, sold well, and art licenses are picked up by different manufacturers or the publisher.

 Dan says consider making your own promotional items, like at cafe press, to get the ball rolling.

We know Dan has awesome cartoons, but how do you get started in that? You attend the animation equivalent of an SCBWI conference, KidScreen Summit.

from Good Night, Mr. Night

Dan talked briefly about good self-promotion for illustrators, he thinks post cards are still a great way to get your art in front of the people that matter, cards often having a longer shelf life than an image in an email. A website and/or blog that conveys your personality is also key for illustrators. For those with books out, he recommended making your own book trailers using iMovie and royalty free assets. Simple is always best, though, let the work shine through.

from Every Friday

 His number one piece of promotion advice: PROMOTE THE WORK YOU WANT TO GET.

from the forthcoming All the Way to America

What's Dan working on now? He's got a chapter book in the works, one that he's both written and illustrated. And in addition to new picture books and new TV show ideas he's got a great a new line of Yaccarino Snuggies and Slankets (those don't have Dan's artwork on them, just pictures of Dan!)

Dan Yaccarino - continued 2

Here is the equation for the morning:

Dan Yaccarino + Lies = awesome new stories in new formats

We saw what happened when he lied to TV ad people: (sorry, I can't find any links to the great Gardenburger commercials he made, but you probably remember them)

And what happened when he lied to children's television people:

Dan's talk should maybe be retitled to: Say Yes to Lies

POSTED BY JAIME TEMAIRIK

Dan Yaccarino - continued

Where do Dan's book ideas come from?

From the things he loves: ROBOTS, TOYS, MASHED POTATOES.

Dan doesn't try to second guess the market and he knows that kids can smell a rat story that does not come from your heart. He makes stories that HE wants and he wants you to do the same. Send out art and manuscripts that you want to do, things that come from the heart.

Dan tells another story about seeing an editor and LYING! When Dan meets with a picture book editor to show his portfolio, the editor notices a painting in his bag that Dan had done for an editorial illustration assignment. She asks about the painting and if it has a story and he says YES (even though it didn't just yet.) He says the story is at home. She asks if he can fax it to her when he gets home. He says YES. And then on the way home he stops at Starbucks and writes the story. The kicker is only TWO words were changed from that original Starbucks story to the final published text. Maybe Dan is a robot?

Oh jeez, he's LYING to tv producers in his next story...

POSTED BY JAIME TEMAIRIK

Dan Yaccarino - Say YES!

Dan Yaccarino and David Wiesner having a chat right before Dan's keynote

Dan's our first kenynote speaker this Sunday morning.

A few tidbits from Dan's background - he was a spit ball thrower in elementary school. No picture books in his home growing up, but he went to the library and took stacks of books home. Preferred Fleischer Bros. cartoons over Disney. Went to Parsons and upon graduating did tons of editorial illustration, his favorite client being CAT FANCY (just kidding, he loved all his ed. illo. clients equally.)

His first meeting with a children's book editor Dan LIED! When asked if he had any ideas for a picture book Dan said, Yes.

Dan shows us some of his early picture book work which you may see more of at his website.

POSTED BY JAIME TEMAIRIK

Dan Yaccarino - From Book to Screen

Dan gave the Pro Track group a private showing of his new show, Willa's Wild Life, which will appear on tv later this fall. The show is based on Dan's book AN OCTOPUS FOLLOWED ME HOME.)

A few screenshots of what a tv show pitch looks like which is much much more colorful and well designed than I imagined.

Posted by Jaime Temairik

Exclusive SCBWI TEAM BLOG Video Interview: Zombie Sock Puppet Dan Yaccarino

Visit CocoaStomp for Jaime Temairik's exclusive TEAM BLOG video interview with illustrator and Summer Conference keynote speaker Dan Yaccarino who takes the form of a zombie sock puppet (who knew!)

It's just the latest teaser for our upcoming Blog-splosion which starts on Friday when the Summer Conference kicks off.