Friday, August 07, 2009

My Picture Book Dummy


(Click image to see it larger)

The penguins were too impatient to wait for food - they found their own.

I'm working on my picture book dummy right now, and it's so much fun! I plan on painting this sketch soon, so check back for the color version. If you write a picture book manuscript, you submit just the manuscript without illustrations to publishers to see if they will acquire it. But since I want to do both the writing and illustrating, I draw sketches for my whole picture book manuscript that I've written and submit those sketches along with the text as a small mock-up of my picture book called a dummy or sketch dummy.

16 comments:

Lins Artyblobs said...

great picture

Connie said...

Love the sketch and was very interested in the description of how you work.

Amy C said...

oh its so sweet, what a cute little scene. I love the pencil but I can't wait to see the color version too!

claudine hellmuth said...

so interesting to learn of the submission process for a children's book! I love your sketch!

ABrushWithHumor said...

delightful! I agree with the penguins - fresh fish beats canned tuna any day!

lil kim said...

great sketch Kristi! Do you submit one final quality illustration with your dummy too?

AdamFF said...

I love the penguins, can't help but fear that the one who'se just dived in for fish is going to go straight through the side of the tank any second now! I'll be checking back to see the painted version ;)

Sara Burrier said...

Oh how fun! Love it!

Kristi Valiant said...

Thanks for the comments!

Yes, lil kim, I'll submit at least one final quality illustration with my dummy too. I'll probably send two. That's why I'll be painting this sketch this week.

NANCY LEFKO said...

wonderful sketch !!

serline said...

I love both your sketches and those with the colours. Very very nice. I wish I can paint like you.

Anthony VanArsdale said...

Ha ha! wonderful! Can't wait to see it painted!

Z-Kids said...

Love it!

Vanessa Brantley Newton said...

I just saw your good, good, GOOD news on Sweet Pea's blog! I bet Ernest is coming to stay with you! I'm almost sure of it hee he hee!!!! Oh Sweetie, I'm so very happy for you and your family!!!! HOW EXCITING! I wish you the very best of health and great and happy pregnancy! I love the book dummy for the penguins. This is super cute and fun! You are just giving birth to all kinds of wonderful and beautiful things hee he hee! This is your time an season Kristi! I rejoice with you and yours. Get your rest and enjoy!!!
V

Anonymous said...

New to the publishing world. I have a picture book manuscript I'd like to submit and I'm a little confused about dummies. Do I need to submit illustrations, or not? Oh, and I am not an illustrator.

Kristi Valiant said...

Anonymous 9:42 - You only send a dummy or illustrations if you are a professional illustrator yourself. If you've written a manuscript, you just send the manuscript itself in to submit. Submission guidelines are on publishers websites or in Children's Writers and Illustrators Market (a book that comes out each year). I would suggest for you to join the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (www.scbwi.org). When you join, they'll send you info on the children's book industry and answer a lot of your questions. Also read the articles on Harold Underdown's website: www.underdown.org