Why Aren't Narrative Illustrators Paid?
There are rates of pay for illustrators. But it's not happening.
Rates of Pay - Australian Society of Authors (asauthors.org.au)
It takes about 6 months to create a picture book and much more time for many. Illustrators face a below subsistence income.
Narrative illustrators light up the pages of picture books. They make you embrace a pig and query a chook, just smile or cry or giggle or learn more about life.
Australian content is protected by the Copyright Agency in Australia and most other countries. SCBWI has partnered with Copyright Agency Cultural Fund to provide narrative illustrators with awards and assistance in portfolio development. Enthusiastic responses from creators who submit to the awards include:-
hi Susanne
my work takes so long on these sort of books that all financial assistance such as this is so great as it allows me to focus rather than keep getting jobs on the side.
for that reason I am so glad that myself and others are receiving this to help us keep going.
soooo fantastic.
The talent of narrative illustrators is inspiring, joyous, breathtaking and so much more. The awards bring the attention of publishers to them. So many award winners and participants are offered publishing contracts.
Renowned judges are Ann James—Author and Illustrator; Angus Yuen-Killick—US and international Publisher, Red Comet Press Tiffany Malins—Publisher, Scholastic Press
Established Illustrator Category
FIRST PRIZE: Heidi McKinnon with her humour and warmth at the heart of storytelling.
SECOND PRIZE: Mick Elliott for a deeply personal, auto-biographical graphic novel inspired by the author’s diabetes diagnosis as a young teenager.
THIRD PLACE: Maxine Hamilton whose fascinating and unusual child-centred biography, driven such deep research, thought and planning. .
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Mandy Foot with her an adorably sweet baby African elephant, gorgeously executed in pencil-line sketches and soft watercolour.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Sofya Karmazina her lyrical directions in picture book storytelling.
Emerging Illustrator Category
WINNER: Nisaluk Chantanakom is a stand-out proposal. Keeping My Stripes is a poignant picture-book story told through the eyes of a young girl, who leaves behind the land and language of her homeland to arrive in a new place. Once there, she endeavours to hide her family ‘stripes’ in an effort to look and act more like the people of her new home. The story explores themes of migration, acceptance and the complexities of cultural adaptation.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Kristen Willis focusing specifically on the Italian immigrant community, the story touches courage, compassion, identity and cultural acceptance.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Rosalie Street's inspiration has grown from her real experience of running ‘a boutique rabbit boarding hotel’ for 3 years. aterial are thorough, very visual and promise a strong picture story in a fabulous setting with a cast of characters inspired by actual rabbits.
SCBWI wants a better deal for narrative picture book illustrators to promote this amazing industry.
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MEDIA for interviews. Contact:- Susanne Gervay OAM co-Regional Advisor SCBWI, awarding children's and YA author - ph 61 413 050922; [email protected]
About us:
Australia East – SCBWI is a region of SCBWI which is the largest children's and young adult literary association in the world with nearly 30,000 members from USA, India, UK to Australia and most countries.
Contact details:
Susanne Gervay OAM 0413 050 922; [email protected]
For interview with Susanne and illustrators.
