Illustrator Day in NJ

I have signed up to attend NJ SCBWI's 1st Annual Illustrator Day on November 9th. You can read more about it here, click on events. Twenty-two illustrators will spend the day at Princeton's Theological Society with art directors Laurent Linn (Simon and Schuster) and Patrick Collins (Henry Holt). We have been splint into two groups. Each group was given six manuscripts. Each illustrator could then select a text to work with, and from that illustrate a two page spread. Once we completed a sketch for selected text, we email them off and waited for art director feedback. Above is the spread I sent and below is the feedback:

I love the creative way Brenda is depicted here and especially how the
bed's headboard morphs into the fence, blending
reality with Jessica's dream state. Also, the characters are very
sweet and distinct.

I think, though, that the sketch feels too stiff too posed. Both
Jessica and the Brendas would feel younger and more
caught in a moment if they had more energy and looseness. For
having a nightmare about Brenda, Jessica seems too
content. How would a kid really look when sleeping? Also, the bed
sheets, etc., are too composed looking I think.

I would also recommend flopping the image so that the action goes from
left to right, which is how we want the energy of a
book to flow, to take the reader to the next page.

But a very creative solution overall!

Now that we have received feedback we are to make corrections and arrive that day with both sketches and mounted final art. I participated in a similar format at a workshop hosted by Central New York SCBWI, with work being critiqued by Tim Gillner (AD~Boyd's Mills Press) and loved it. The benefit was not only having your work seen and critiqued, but being present as others go through the process taking all that feedback and also being able to apply it to your work.

It's back to the drawing board. I'm excited about this trip and that I will traveling with two of my illustrator pals. Karen has posted her composition sketch here, go and check it out :)

I hope to post the revised sketch sometime this week.