Austin SCBWI

Austin SCBWI regional advisor Debbie Gonzales, assistant RA Carmen Oliver and chapter  illustrator coordinator Mark Mitchell decided at a recent lunch meeting that a logo was needed for an upcoming symposium,  Storytelling in the Digital Age: Embrace the change.

Dallion McGregor's logo

That’s the October 7-8th symposium featuring SCBWI National Executive Director (and co-founder) Lin Oliver, via SKYPE, on the society’s stance on the digital publishing marketplace, along with a passel of emerging stars in the digital children’s book and app space.

The logo would have to convey a hopeful idea about the fusion of many elements:  technology, books, children and their parents, readers,  creators.

It would have to say lots about a subject most of us are still a little fuzzy on — and also  ”sell” the symposium for the ground-breaking but accessible event its planners envisioned it to be.

But who to tap to design such a logo?  Debbie, Carmen and Mark decided to hold a contest for the Austin SCBWI illustrators’ community.  The talent pool net was extended to include students of Mark’s online children’s book illustration course and his roster of students, past and present, of his classes at the Art School of the Austin Museum of Art.

Everyone was asked to submit a rough pencil sketch with an idea for the logo.  The winner would be hired to bring his or her thumbnail rough to a “fine art” finish.

Entries came in from around the country and as far away as Italy and Capetown, South Africa! In the end the conference committee selected the rough sketch of Austin SCBWI illustrator Dallion McGregor.

Dallion's rough pencil thumbnail

There were a few tweaks and suggestions from the committee and Dallion set to work on a final black and white line drawing.

We asked Dallion to tell us a little about his process coming up with the finished logo.

Austin SCBWI: What were the challenges you saw in creating a logo for a conference on digital publishing. What ideas did you want to communicate in your logo?

Dallion: I think the biggest challenge when designing a logo is communicating an idea clearly and quickly. A logo doesn’t exist for its own sake, like a painting. It’s there to essentially advertise, or point to something larger, like a business or event. So the best logos relate their message effectively. Bonus points if it elicits an emotion.  I saw the announcement for the logo contest, considered entering, but did nothing about it for a few days.

During this time, I suppose my subconscious mulled it over, because by the time the deadline approached the image was there in my head.

That said, it does seem the logo communicates some relevant ideas:

1.) That digital publishing is the next evolutionary step in children’s books and

2.) It doesn’t have to be scary.  In fact it can be exciting and fun.

The night seems to represent the end of an age, while the sun represents a new day dawning.
It almost looks like the children can step into a new world, which is a powerful and magical motif, and how we authors and illustrators feel facing this transition to digital publishing!

Can you discuss your process in creating the first rough pencil sketch?

The initial drawing was very crude. Details were not important, nor were proving my drawing skills (I referred you to my website for that). The only important thing was getting across the concept. Since there was no guarantee I would be chosen for the job, I only spent 15 minutes on the initial thumbnail sketch.

What about  the process of turning your rough sketch for the logo into a more finished pencil sketch?

I’m leery of using pencil under-drawings because I feel it undercuts the spontaneous energy of the finished image. Using a ruler to make lines is a big No-No for the same reason. I usually draw directly on the blank page using a Micron mechanical pen. When drawing I’ve learned not to fear mistakes, since it’s easy to erase stray lines later in Photoshop.

I draw each element separately because it removes the stress of creating a single flawless image.

With this project I drew the books and e-reader on their own, then drew the children, the dog, the stars – all separately – then scanned them into the computer and pasted the pieces together in Photoshop.

What about turning your finished  sketch into a colored rough and then final art?

When I’m happy with the finished line work, I print multiple copies on 90lb Strathmore Aquarius II watercolor paper.

With multiple copies I can try different color schemes and not be tense about making mistakes. After getting a watercolored version I’m happy with, it’s re-scanned into Photoshop and further adjustments are made.

In this case I added tone, shadows, and a glowing effect around the edge of the e-reader’s screen. With this method I’ve found a happy compromise between traditional and digital techniques.

Dallion's final line art for logo

Thank you, Dallion! We’d also like to thank illustrators H.T. Yao, Ressa McCray,  Sylvia Liu, Pascale Mackey, Jenni Davies and Paola Tavoletti for graciously letting us include their contest entries here.

The Austin SCBWI special symposium:   Storytelling in the Digital Age: Embrace the Change ! — October 7 and 8 will feature a number of our talented  illustrators and authors including website and blog pro designer and Monkey and Me web comic creator  Erik Kuntz, Clint Young (recently tapped to illustrate the Wind in the Willows sequel penned by our own Jacqueline Kelly), Amanda Williams, who illustrated and art designed the smash hit Apple iTunes game app “Spider: the Secret of Bryce Manner” ,  Joel Hickerson, picture book author and playwright Lindsey Lane and author P.J. Hoover.  The highlight will be the keynote presentation via SKYPE by the SCBWI National Executive Director (and co-founder) Lin Oliver, about the SCBWI’s stance on digital publishing and how to evaluate those publishers and opportunities in the new marketplace.  You won’t want to miss this weekend of cutting-edge learning about the new electronic children’s publishing market.