Looking for an external deadline and cool assignment to get your creative juices flowing? I give you the Tomie dePaola Awards! Tomie, the renowned author and illustrator of Strega Nona, gives you a passage from a book to illustrate and if he picks you as the winner you get a free ride to the SCBWI Winter Conference in New York. The competition is open to all SCBWI members. (You might want to consider joining anyway and checking out their conferences. I have been twice and I’ve learned a lot both times. Lots of inspiring, informative speakers.)

I entered this contest in 2011, when the assignment was to illustrate a scene from  the opening passage of Heidi. I remember learning a lot through the process of creating the piece and I remember completely changing my illustration the night before it was due! I also remember kind of hating what I did. I hate it less now.  Here’s my final piece:

My final submission for the 2011 Tomie DePaola Awards. I didn’t love the piece and I didn’t win but I definitely stretched my creative muscles.

An earlier sketch.

I wish I’d kept the curly hair in the final.

This year’s contest looks very interesting. He wants to see black and white illustrations only!

You can choose a passage, line or description from one of the following books:
“Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott
“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” by Mark Twain
“The Yearling” by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

Here are some more details about the award and here are the guidelines.

You must submit your entries by Friday, December 14th, 2012. Are you gonna do it?