Have you joined the SCBWI yet?
August 15th, 2007The Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators website describes this fun and informative platform as ‘A network for the exchange of knowledge between writers, illustrators, editors, publishers, agents, librarians, educators, booksellers and others involved with literature for young people. A professional organization for writer and illustrators of children’s books.’ If you are writing a children’s book, or looking for a place to exchange ideas about writing and illustrating children’s books jump over to the Art Fairy SCBWI ‘Related Links’ link and meet thousands of writers and artists.
Let’s talk about kids and drawing. Art is fun, non-critical and accessible to all children regardless of culture or socio-economic status. Art doesn’t require 4-color glossy printing, complicated instructions, expensive supplies or company. Turn off the T.V. and give a child a blank sheet of paper and a pencil and they will fire up their own imagination and draw something. Add a box of crayons and a vivid vision emerges as unique and individual as the child. It may not be anything we, as adults recognize, but the image, and sometimes elaborate story it depicts, are always clear to the young artist. Ask any child old enough to speak “What are you making a picture of?” And they will tell you! It’s not just lines and blobs of color to its maker. It’s personal, sometimes impossible and always sparkles with imagination. In the immortal words of Julian Lennon who told his dad John, when asked what he was drawing, “It’s Lucy in the sky with diamonds!” Well, duh! Yes of course it is! We, as adults, forget how to see beyond basic molecular structure. All the wonders of childhood are still out there if you can just remember how to see them.
