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Articles by "debbie ohi"
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6:04 AM , , ,


In the past few months, I've given my Social Media Master Class to writers and illustrators at SCBWI events in New York, Miami and Los Angeles. I still feel odd when people refer to me as a social media expert, mainly because I believe:

1. There is no ONE right way to use social media. What works for me may not work for you. 

Also, it drives me a wee bit crazy when some come up to me and say stuff like, "You're so lucky to be so good at this! It comes so naturally to you."

I feel like yelling at them, "It wasn't luck! I started from scratch, made MANY MISTAKES, learned how to use social media gradually through observation and practice." But of course I don't yell because I've made the same sort of assumptions about others who work very hard to learn something over a long period of time; we only tend to see the end results. I try not to make this mistaken assumption anymore, to give people more credit.

When it comes to promotion, part of my "strategy" in social media comes from my introvert tendencies as well as my aversion to asking people for money. It's one of the reasons I very rarely help promote crowd-funding campaigns and will likely never use Kickstarter or similar venues to fund a project.



2. Respect your followers' time.

It's worth taking the time to craft a post that shows that you respect your followers' time. I assume that many others are like me, often feeling overwhelmed with the barrage of information and tweets and "click THIS link" and "look at THIS" posts on social media.

I never post on Twitter with a bare link, or a "Check this out! xxxlinkxxxx" because I rarely click through that kind of post. When I use auto-share tools, I try to customize the descriptive text whenever I can.

I try to make my posts as entertaining or informative or as visually enticing as possible. I try to include an image whenever I can; I have found that my posts with images almost always get more attention that those without.



3. As fun or useful as social media can be, your work needs to come first.

I strongly recommend figuring out what you want to get out of social media; I wish I had done this from the beginning. It will help keep you focused and time-efficient, plus save you frustration. Be realistic. "I'm going to find an editor who will publish my book" is not realistic. "I want to get to know what editor xxx is like" or "I want to find out if agent xxx is someone I'd like to work with" is more realistic.



These are just a few general tips, but they are three of the most important. I could write a book about social media advice (general and specific) for writers and illustrators, but why bother? Social media platforms change all the time; so much has already changed in Twitter since I wrote my Twitter Guide For Authors and Illustrators.

And a last tip: Try to have fun!

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Debbie Ridpath Ohi wrote and illustrated WHERE ARE MY BOOKS? (Simon & Schuster Children's). Coming out in 2016: RUBY ROSE, BIG BRAVOS (author: Rob Sanders, HarperCollins) and MITZI TULANE, PRESCHOOL DETECTIVE: WHAT'S THAT SMELL? (author: Lauren McLaughlin, Random House). Twitter: @inkyelbows.
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6:00 AM , , , ,

I used to make New Year's Resolutions all the time but then stopped because of the inevitable fizzling away of my initial resolve. In 2016, I'm breaking my resolution to not make resolutions and am GOING TO MAKE A RESOLUTION! I believe that the key is to be specific and realistic."I'm going to get a book contract" is not a realistic goal because so much in that process is out of your control, for example. Also, I do think that focusing on how you're going to change your current habits to achieve a longterm goal can also help.

Here are some great KidLitArtists posts about goal-setting:

Measuring Your Goals - by Maple Lam

The Difficulty Of Defining Goals - by Lisa Anchin

Goal-Setting - by Eliza Wheeler

So while I do have a goal of finishing my middle grade novel and also a picture book dummy in 2016, here are my own "how I'm going to change" goals:

1. Instead of jumping on social media first thing in the morning, I am going to get in the habit of working on my middle grade novel for 15-30 minutes first. I've also been experimenting with wordcount goals, so others who are short on writing time are free to join me in my 250, 500 or 1000 words a day challenge.

2. Do at least an hour's worth of sketching from life every week, whether it's on paper or via my new (Christmas gift from my husband!) iPad Pro.


If you feel brave enough to share YOUR goals for the coming here, feel free to post in the comments below.

I asked children's book illustrators what changes they plan in their craft or business next year, and here's what some of them said:

Patricia Storms (@stormsy on Twitter) said: "I would like to explore new styles of art that are more illustrative and focus more on writing stories that have more depth, heart & empathy. I would also like to put more elements of music in my stories, too."

Stephanie Olivieri (@stepholivieri on Twitter) said: "I would like to get more educational books, or series, so I can have more steady work in children's books this year. As well, get more jobs right from publishers."

Aram Kim (@StudioAram on Twitter) said: "I've been working pretty small, comfortably fitting in no larger than 11x17 tabloid size. I started doing that after years of working pretty big. As much as it's been convenient to work small, being able to scan with no trouble, being able to print without having to reduce the size, etc., I realize it's been somewhat restricting my freedom. I feel like I think small. In 2016, I will just bite the bullet and work big and see how it suits me. Hopefully it will free my style more."

Dani Duck (@DaniDuck on Twitter) said: "I'd like to think I'll be working harder to get clients next year. It's hard to tell, because I'll have a new baby! I'd like to send out a few rounds of post cards and pump up my portfolio. It would be fun to do some portraits as well. I'd also like to increase my activity on social media in ways that will help me learn and grow my business."

An anonymous respondent said: "I need to carve out time from what seems like 24 hours a day of other stuff I have to do first, and get this career going!"

Monica Baum (@_monbaum on Twitter) says she's going to create more sequential artwork and build a portfolio.

Ellie Arscott (@elliearscott on Twitter) said: "I'm planning on choosing a smaller number of art directors/editors to send a larger package of work to from my mailing list. I've been mailing single postcards to many thus far and with postcards there's no response or feedback so I feel it's time to pick some key targets and see how that goes in 2016. And of course I plan to keep making beautiful art from the heart. I've been trying some new ideas and techniques so I want to keep pushing myself and exploring."

Marsha Riti (@Marshariti on Twitter) says she will be pursuing writing and illustrating her own picture book / board book.

An anonymous respondent said: "Focus, try harder and be more confident."

Kerry Dwyer (@kdwyerillo on Twitter) plans to illustrate a picture book and is going to focus on creating dummies.


Good luck with your own goal-setting for 2016!
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Debbie Ridpath Ohi's first solo picture book, WHERE ARE MY BOOKS? (Simon & Schuster) debuted in 2015, and her illustrations appear in books by Judy Blume, Michael Ian Black, Lauren McLaughlin and Rob Sanders. For info about her 2016 books coming out from Random House Children's and HarperCollins Children's, see DebbieOhi.com/books. Twitter: @inkyelbows.
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4:10 AM , , , , ,

Only a month and a half until the SCBWI Summer Conference in Los Angeles! I can't wait. Not only is it the conference that kickstarted my book illustration career, but I always come away super-inspired by the talks, sessions and chatting with other writers and illustrators.

For those of you entering the Illustrator Portfolio Showcase, here are a few tips from past SCBWI Illustration Mentees who have since gone on to win top prize in the overall Portfolio Showcase:

BEFORE THE CONFERENCE:

A Few Thoughts On Editing Your Portfolio - by Andrea Offermann (2013 SCBWI Portfolio Showcase winner)

Mentee Portfolio vs Grand Prize Winner Portfolio - by Juana Martinez-Neal (2012 SCBWI Portfolio Showcase winner)

Portfolio Comparison: What Made An SCBWI Winner - by Eliza Wheeler (2011 SCBWI Portfolio Showcase winner). Eliza is also doing a portfolio workshop on the Friday 4-5 pm in the Pacific Room; check your schedule for details!

Mentees Roundup: SCBWI Portfolio Showcase Tips - compiled by Eliza Wheeler

For more great advice, do browse other portfolio-related posts on KidLitArtists.com and find out what Mentees have been learning about improving their portfolios.

And here are some of my own tips about what to do AT the conference...

AT THE CONFERENCE:

Once you've handed in your portfolio, stop obsessing about it. Don't start making excuses for it, how you weren't quite sure about some of the pieces but put them in anyway, how you wish you had more time to work on it.

Learn how to take compliments gracefully. If someone says something nice about your work, learn how to say "thank you" instead of immediately lobbing back a "I wish I was as good as xxx" or "I totally suck at xxx." See above.

Do make the time to look at other illustrators' work. Not only is this a sign of professional courtesy, but you can also turn it into a learning opportunity. Some portfolios and postcards will immediately stand out for you; ask yourself why.

Try very, very hard to be inspired and NOT discouraged as you browse other illustrators' portfolios. As illustrator Heather Powers says, don't forget that everyone is at a different place in their creative journey. "Get excited - you are just starting out and have a fun path ahead of you! Learn from the best, they will be all around you during the conference!"

Don't be discouraged if you don't win an award. While winning awards is nice, of course, there are so many other benefits to being in the Showcase. Industry people are looking at your work. I have heard of illustrators getting work many months after an event because an art director or editor liked their work enough to pick up a postcard.

Remember the quote that "80 percent of success is showing up". Persistence is essential in this industry. I have heard art directors comment on how they could tell a particular illustrator was working on his or her craft because of the changes in their portfolio from a previous Showcase. The fact that you're at the conference and entering the Showcase already puts you far ahead of many others.

Come to the Illustrator Social on the Friday from 7:30-9 pm in Olympic I. It's a great place to meet other illustrators as well as some of the faculty. Bring your postcards! Plus do find me and say hello...I'd love to meet you. :-)

Good luck, and don't forget to have fun! And if you're nervous about attending the SCBWI conference for the first-time, these comics might help.

- Debbie

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Debbie Ridpath Ohi is the author/illustrator of WHERE ARE MY BOOKS? (Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, 2015). Her illustrations also appear in books by Judy Blume and Michael Ian Black. She blogs about reading, writing and illustrating children's books at Inkygirl.com. You can find her on Twitter at @inkyelbows and Instagram at @inkygirl.





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4:58 AM , , , ,


So much has happened since 2010, when I was chosen for the SCBWI Illustration Mentorship Program and offered my picture book illustration contract.

Here are ten things that I've learned since that year:

1. Getting a book contract doesn't mean the end of self-doubt. At least twice during each book project, I go through major "omigosh, I totally suck" angst.

2. The author and illustrator tend to get most of the public limelight but wow, there are so many behind-the-scenes people who help to get a picture book out into the world. Find out more about them. Be grateful.

3. Social media can be fun and rewarding, but it can also be a time vampire with energy-sapping Drama. Keep track of how much time and how you spend your time in social media, and be aware of how much emotional energy you invest. Also see #6 on this list.

4. When you're working on a picture book story, read everything out loud. You want your story to be FUN to read out loud, both for the adult and the young reader. Take the time to polish your manuscript before sending it off. As my editor Justin Chanda said, don't assume that short = easy.

5. Find a good backup system for your files, and be disciplined about doing it regularly. Save multiple versions. That way you won't freak out when you accidentally flatten and then save a Photoshop file with a zillion layers and realize you don't have a backup. Not that, um, I've ever done this. Set up an automatic backup system (I use Time Machine), a manual backup at the end of intense workdays (I use SuperDuper) and I also make version copies of illustration files.

6. Think twice before throwing rocks. Before jumping on a popular bandwagon of condemning someone in the industry because of something he or she said, think of the times when you've said something that could upset people if you were quoted out of context. Yes, there are worthy reasons for getting upset and a call for action...but before you go down that road (including retweeting/sharing someone else's inflammatory opinion), do your research and think hard about your motivation.

7. For every person who loves your book, there will be another who hates it. It's so hard not to take bad reviews personally, but try not to dwell. If you get a bad review,  commiserate in private with someone you trust but do NOT -I repeat do NOT- publicly post a response. Here's why. If you get a good review, celebrate the moment but don't let it go to your head.

8. If you're an introvert who is terrified of public speaking, don't wait until just before your book comes out to start practising. The sooner you start, the less terrified you'll be when you start being invited to do public speaking. Don't give in to the mindset "I just want to focus on getting published first, I'll worry about my fear of public speaking later, when I have to" like I did. Practice with smaller and informal groups first. Practice with kids as well as grown-ups. Practice in front of the mirror. Just practice.

9. Guard your time. Learn how to say no, even if it means disappointing people. This was the toughest for me. There are so many good causes, fun projects, small favors. Instead of saying yes to them all and then regretting it, choose just a few and embrace them.

10. Always make time to play. This can be difficult, especially when you have multiple projects on the go and upcoming deadlines, have a day job or school during the day, or other obligations that take priority. But if you don't make time to play (experiment, have fun with your art, etc.), then you and your work are going to stagnate.

I still feel like such a newbie and am learning so much about the craft and business every day. Did anything above help you? Do you have anything to add that might help others? Feel free to post below.

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Debbie Ridpath Ohi has illustrated books by Michael Ian Black and Judy Blume for Simon & Schuster, and her first solo picture book, WHERE ARE MY BOOKS?, comes out from S&S in May 2015. She blogs about reading, writing and illustrating children's books at Inkygirl.com. On Twitter: @inkyelbows.
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6:31 AM , ,

I had so much fun working with Lauren Rille, who designed the new covers for the Judy Blume middle grade and chapter books. The middle grade just came out from Atheneum/Simon & Schuster Children's, and you can read about how I became illustrator for that project.

Lauren has a blog about her design and art direction work at http://laurenrille.blogspot.com, and you can also follow her on Twitter at @ElBoogieSparks.

Lauren designed these new Judy Blume middle grade covers!
Cover illustrator: Yours truly. :-)

Q. What is the biggest mistake or misconception that aspiring children's book illustrators tend to make/have, in your experience?

Lauren Rille's answer:

I think people new to the process have the misconception that being asked to revise means they are doing it "wrong"—that they've somehow missed the mark, when in fact that couldn't be further from the truth!

Several rounds of revision are standard; I consider that part of the expected process, and I think it's actually the fun part, too! At that point, you've got the job—we KNOW you can kill it in a final piece, so it's time to stretch, grow, play, experiment, push.

Sometimes, even if something is working, we'll ask for a revision to see if we can get it working BETTER; the first solution isn't always the best, so we'll push to see what lies beyond.

It's in those revisions that some very pleasant surprises come about, new sparks of ideas that will turn into really amazing pieces.

Chapter books coming out from Atheneum/S&S on
May 27 (paperback) and June 3rd (hardcover).

Q. What upcoming book project or projects are you especially excited about? 

Lauren Rille's answer:

There are so many!



Off the top of my head (and to-do list ;) I can think of "Blue on Blue", by Dianne White, illustrated by Caldecott Winner Beth Krommes—a really beautiful, simple text paired with really stunning art—it feels like a modern classic!


There's also REX FINDS AN EGG by Stephen Weinberg—it's his first book, and its funny, and wry, and fresh and a touch snarky, which is always a great combination.


And then for novels, MOUSEHEART is a middle grade by Lisa Fielder and it's just a great read; dynamic, adventurous, and with absolutely amazing art by Vivienne To.


And finally, THE SECRETS OF EASTCLIFF-BY-THE-SEA by Eileen Beha seems like another sorta modern classic to me—it's got intrigue, precious (and magical?) family heirlooms, some mystery, and tons of sock monkeys, so how can that go wrong? It's illustrated by Sarah Jane Wright and her work on it is wonderful.

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Debbie Ridpath Ohi worked with Lauren Rille while creating illustrations for Judy Blume classics being reissued by Atheneum/Simon & Schuster Children's as middle grade and chapter books. Twitter: @inkyelbows.
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Gustave Doré: illustration for "London", 1876
I shared my experience with working on a papercut cover for „The Kairos Mechanism“ recently on my website, and talked about my process at the wonderful lost weekend at David Diaz’ house that Jen and  Debbie already posted about. I have been fascinated with black and white art for a long time, and in view of the Tomie dePaola competition deadline coming up and the fact that the illustration has to be black and white, I would like to share some black and white art that I have come across and been very inspired by:

Arthur Rackham: illustration for "Sleeping Beauty", 1920
Arthur Rackham: I have been a great admirer of his work for a long time, but only recently found out that he illustrated two fairytales, „Sleeping Beauty“ and „Cinderella“, in black and white silhouettes. His artwork is intricately layered, I especially loved this illustration from Sleeping beauty, where he manages to show different layers of depth only with black and white. The image is elegant, beautiful and holds loads of storytelling and action while managing to appear clear and simple at the same time, incredible!

A still from Lotte Reininger's "The Adventures of Prince Achmed", 1926

Lotte Reininger: She was a German papercut artist and animator in the first half of the 20th century and completed the first full length animated film, „The Adventures of Achmed“, in 1926. Inspired by traditional eastern shadow theater, she invented a technique to adapt silhouette for animated film. Her figures, backgrounds and compositions are beautiful, and it’s amazing how she can convey emotion and acting with her silhouette figures. Here is an excerpt from „The Adventures of Achmed“:


and her version of „Cinderella“:



Karel Zeman: he was a czech artist, animator and director who experimented with stop motion animation, artwork, mix of painted backgrounds and real backgrounds, stilization and very creative special effects. For many of his feature films he drew inspiration from artists who had illustrated the books he was turning into movies, such as Gustave Doré’sillustrations for „Baron Munchhausen“, or Zdenek Burian’s illustrations for „Journey to the Center of the Earh“, thus creating a unique artistic vision.

Gustave Doré: illustration for "Baron Munchhausen", 1866
Especially „Die Erfindung des Verderbens“ based on a Jules Verne book is unique, filmed in black and white and using stilized line work background and overlays, patterned costumes and stop motion animation to convey the surreal world of the film and create a unique artistic style. Here is the trailer:


I hope you will enjoy these examples!

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Andrea Offermann recently illustrated  Kate Milford’s „The Broken Lands“, Cornelia Funke’s „Ghost Knight“ and Sonya Hartnett’s „The Midnight Zoo“. You can see her work at www.andreaoffermann.com .

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