Guidelines and Application—SCBWI Australian Picture Book Illustrator Awards
If you wish to apply for this award, please read the Guidelines below and the FAQs before preparing your application. CLICK HERE to return to the Awards Overview page.
IMPORTANT: Only one application will be considered from each eligible illustrator. Please do not submit multiple times or attempt to update your submission.
Key dates
Applications open: 1 May 2024
Applications close: 1 July 2024
Notification of results: by email 1 September 2024
Guidelines
Who can apply?
To be eligible to apply under one of three sub-categories, you must:
be a current financial member of SCBWI Australia East or SCBWI Australia West. To check membership status: Main SCBWI website >Member Home>My Profile>Membership Details
be a PAL illustrator or author/illustrator – published by a trade publisher. To find the SCBWI guidelines and list of PAL Publishers CLICK HERE.
be aged 18 or over on 1 May 2024
be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
must not have received a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place financial award from the SCBWI Picture Book Illustrator Awards that immediately preceded this one
satisfy one of the following publication requirements (see FAQs for definitions):
Established illustrators may apply if they have four or more children’s picture books or graphic novels published by a PAL Publisher by one week after the close of the application date 1 July 2024.
Emerging illustrators may apply if they have between one and three children’s picture books or graphic novels published by PAL Publishers by one week after the close of the application date 1 July 2024.
What types of projects can be applied for?
1. This award is designed to support illustrators in the creation of new picture books. For the purposes of this award, the definition of a picture book is a sequential visual narrative which is told through either illustrations and words, or through illustrations alone. This definition includes graphic novels. In terms of this definition, educational readers, chapter books or any other narratives for younger or older readers which are primarily text with some accompanying illustrations are not considered to be picture books.
2. Illustrators may apply for assistance to work on:
a specific phase or phases of the creation of a new picture book
a work of fiction or non-fiction
a wordless picture book.
3. In cases where projects contain written and illustrative material, the illustrator applicant may also be the writer or may be illustrating the work of a separate writer.
4. The book project you want to propose for the award should be an idea that you want to develop to submit to publishers. The project should not be contracted with a publisher at the time of the closing date for submissions, but it is acceptable if the book is contracted during the time that judges are deliberating and before the announcement of winners.
5. Illustrators may submit only one application. Please choose what you consider to be your best or most promising project when you apply. Multiple submissions from illustrators will not be accepted. Please do not submit the same application multiple times or attempt to update your submission.
What types of projects cannot be applied for?
Applications to illustrate the translation of a literary work are not eligible.
Applications to illustrate works solely written in languages other than English are not eligible.
What should I submit?
1. A completed application
Complete the online application for the suitable sub-category (see FAQs for definitions). Ensure that you have answered all questions and uploaded all supporting material before submitting the application. Illustrators may submit only one application and to only one category. Please do not attempt to update your application by submitting it again. Multiple submissions will not be accepted.
Established Illustrators—CLICK HERE for online application — Applications open 1 May 2024
Emerging Illustrators—CLICK HERE for online application — Applications open 1 May 2024
2. Your publication history
Upload an attachment of one A4 page pdf that demonstrates your eligibility to apply for a particular sub-category by listing your previously published works, including the following details:
Titles of works published
Authors of works published, i.e. whether you are both the illustrator and the writer of the work. [Co-created works where an applicant has contributed at least 50 per cent of the work and where that work can be precisely identified will be accepted as evidence of eligibility.]
Publisher, date and place of publication.The publisher must be included on the SCBWI list of PAL Publishers. To find the SCBWI guidelines and list of PAL Publishers CLICK HERE.
Extent (length) of book(s), i.e. the number of pages each book has.
Document should be a maximum of one A4 page using 12-point Times or similar font, single line spacing. Please note there will be a maximum file size as indicated on the application form. The PDF should be titled with your name and “Publication History” eg YourName_PublicationHistory.pdf
3. Description of your project
Upload an attachment of no more than two A4 pages in a pdf format, including the following details:
a synopsis or draft storyline of your project. This may be submitted in the form of a storyboard if you wish. Storylines/storyboards do not need to be complete, however they do need to sufficiently explain your project.
an explanation of why you are applying for this grant and how you would use the funding, e.g. to support exploring new directions, for particular research, to develop new skills and techniques etc. You do not need to submit a budget but you do need to state what you want to do, how you propose to do it and why a grant would help you.
Please refer to the FAQ ‘What costs can the grant be used for?’ for more information.any other information you feel would assist us in understanding your project. This may include a description of ideas, themes, feelings or concepts, as we recognise that visual stories don’t necessarily begin with a finished manuscript.
For more information, see the selection criteria listed under the heading ‘How will my application be assessed?’
Document should be a maximum of two A4 pages using 12-point Times or similar font, single line spacing. Please note there will be a maximum file size as indicated on the application form. The PDF should be titled with your name and “Project Description” eg YourName_ProjectDescription.pdf
4. Portfolio
A portfolio of up to ten different examples of your illustrations. Where possible, colour examples should be submitted. These examples do not need to relate to your project directly, but should demonstrate your skills as an illustrator.
Images should be compiled into one pdf document consisting of 10 pages plus one cover page with your name and contact details. Please note there will be a maximum file size as indicated on the application form. The PDF file should be titled with your name and “Portfolio” eg YourName_Portfolio.pdf
5. Previously published book
You must submit one PAL published work on which you wish to be assessed. This must be submitted as a PDF as we cannot accept hard copies of books. Your previously published work will be used to determine how well you can create a visual narrative, therefore you should submit a complete picture book (need not include the cover or endpapers) or at least 20 pages of graphic novel. The PDF should be titled with your name and some part of the name of the book eg YourName_BookName.pdf
6. Support Material
You should submit a range of support material which best demonstrates your project and illustrative style. Support material may include:
visual or written text related to the project
character and setting sketches
images as samples of content, medium and style
reference/inspirational material
storyboard and/or dummy
Supporting material should be a compiled into a pdf document consisting of up to10 A4 or A3 pages. Please note there will be a maximum file size as indicated on the application form. Title with your name and appropriate descriptive title(s). eg YourName_DescriptiveTitle.pdf
Notes:
You must be a current financial member of SCBWI Australia East or SCBWI Australia West but there is no additional application fee.
Please ensure that all supporting materials include your name within the material and include your surname as part of your file name.
Please note that each pdf will have a maximum file size that is indicated on the application form.
Please be mindful that all applications, portfolios and supporting material will be viewed digitally.
All care will be taken but SCBWI Australia East cannot take any responsibility for loss, damage or non-arrival of applications.
The Judges and SCBWI Australia East reserve the right not to issue an award in any given year.
How will my application be assessed?
Applications will be assessed against the following selection criteria:
originality of the intended project
creativity of the intended project
artistic and literary merit of the applicant’s body of work (assessed on grounds of stylistic and thematic achievement as demonstrated by portfolio and support material)
ability of applicant to create an excellent narrative with a significant visual component (as demonstrated by portfolio and support material) which may be textual and visual, or visual alone (wordless)
Assessors will not be available to provide comments or feedback on individual applications. A report will be prepared by the assessment panel and made available on the SCBWI website once successful applicants have been notified.
Application checklist
Before you prepare your application:
Read the guidelines carefully
Check your eligibility
Before you submit your application, check that you’ve included:
A document listing your publication history in pdf format
A document with a description of your project in pdf format
Support material, including a previously published work in pdf format
Portfolio of images in pdf format
Ensure that you have answered all questions and uploaded all supporting material before submitting the application.
IMPORTANT: Only one application will be considered from each eligible illustrator. Please do not submit multiple times or attempt to update your submission. Multiple submissions will not be accepted.
Thank you to Liz Anelli for creating the gorgeous artwork for the Awards!
