stephenstanley

http://io9.com/5238329/sf-writers-who-make-art-are-seeing-the-future-anew

wherein i keep good company and don't embarrass myself.

The wonderful and ever charming Mary Robinette Kowal has made it official: she is passing on the duties of art director for Shimmer Magazine to me.

I'm honored. My big feet would never fit into Mary's stylish slippers, but I'll do my best to maintain a high quality of design and art direction. Since I've been a professional graphic designer for over 35 years, the actual production will be nothing new. Art directing illustrators will be the fun part (I've done that my whole career as well, just never for a speculative fiction magazine).

I'll continue to illustrate a story myself when the mood strikes, so I can keep that fun job, too. I just won't be able to submit fiction... Oh well.

For any illustrators out there who read my blog (any of my fellow Illustrators of the Future winners) here are the guidelines:

http://www.shimmerzine.com/guidelines/art-guidelines/

Contact me if you're interested. Anyone else feel free to pass the word.

Oh, and you writers: Shimmer is open for fiction submission again.

The link to the latest WotF newsletter was in my inbox this morning. http://www.galaxypress.com/pub/news/octobernl.php The WotF homepage has also been updated. http://www.writersofthefuture.com/index.htm There is a 21 minute video of the awards ceremonies. Fleeting fame and fortune is still fame and fortune no matter how fleet. Tell your family and friends!

Unbeknownst to me, I was in the local paper today. Thursdays the R-G (pronounced "rag") prints their Arts Section. Just a wee bit at the bottom of "Art Notes."

http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=128343&sid=37&fid=1

I already received one email of congrats so far. That's how I found out about it. I read the rag erratically.

Last time (after WotF in 2005) I sent the rag a press release myself after waiting a few weeks (or months -- can't remember). Galaxy Press is more on the ball nowadays.

Probably means the book signings will start being booked soon. I've talked to Tsunami Books about a show/signing (with the other Wordos of the Future), but not any specific dates. Probably close enough to Christmas to tout the books as stocking stuffers. It's a good gift for that aspiring young writer/artist. I've shilled it that way in the past.

An exciting and well produced event. Algis Budrys had a fitting tribute. Spirits were high. A wonderful young illustrator from Detroit, Brittany Jackson, won the IotF Gold Award. Well deserved and well appreciated because she needs the funds for university tuition. She's such a sweet kid.

I now have the added distinction of being the first person in the history of the contests to NOT be a Gold Award winner TWICE. Ha, no one will aspire to beat that!

Ian McHugh from Canberra, Australia won the WotF Gold Award. The only story I've read so far is the one I illustrated...

We are being interviewed for some sort of podcast today. Then off to Malibu for something. Home tomorrow. Cheers.

Every illustration is strong. There is not a one in the 13 that couldn't be awarded the Grand Prize (well, maybe mine, but when have I ever been modest about my work? Mine included!). However, I won't be preparing a second acceptance speech. There are just too many good (excellent, outstanding) illustrations. I will be happy for whomever wins. And, like I've said, none one can ever take away the fact that I was the first to win both contests.

As one of the illustrators commented as we reviewed the art before the writers showed up: "They should just distribute the prize money equally to all of us."

Or they should just give us each $5k....

Ha...

All of the writers were overjoyed. I suspect the level of the stories may be on par with the illustrations. The contest has gotten better and better entries over the years. I can't wait to read the stories, but that will have to wait until I get back to Eugene.

The BBQ starts inh a few minutes, so I'm off...

Too much information to blog about. Very good stuff, especially for the younger folks (read: everyone else other than me). I've worked in a creative field (graphic design) for over 35 years. During that time I've worked with illustrators (and photographers) from the art director side. I've run my own graphic design biz for the last 28 years (I still take freelance jobs, and consider the biz I work for now as a "client" not just an employer). I have experience. The other winners are getting the benefit of stuff I had to learn over the years.

I'm enjoying every minute. All of these illustrators have remarkable talent. This is a great group of people. We exchanged email addresses this morning.

This afternoon we present the writers with their illustrations. I've already told Erin that I'm "her illustrator" for her story. Scroll down to the post where I describe a missed detail that I had to go back and correct, essentially making me start the drawing over again. That detail had to do with the main characters of the story, the aliens (the POV character, the AI, is "female" but really has no physical shape). The aliens are jellyfish/squid aquatic lifeforms. When I did the first sketches, and the first pencil art, I went crazy with the tentacles. Lots of squiggliness. Erin has them communicating with images that appear on their skin surface. When I went back to the manuscript to check that detail, I saw that she very clearly describes them as having ten tentacles, not only an important visual detail but important to the species' mathematical base, mindset communication, as well. So, I had to fix it to match the story.

End of mystery.

By the way, we haven't seen each others' anthology illustrations. I hope we get to spend some time (like an hour) before the writers show up so we can ooh and ahhh at each other without the distraction of the writers oohing and aahhing. I'll probably ask Val and Ron if this will happen, as a way of making the suggestion if it isn't planned.

enuff for now

Next week. We fly down to LAX Monday August 11. Accommodations/workshops are in Agourra Hills "just over the mountains from Malibu." Ceremonies were originally slated for the Malibu Performing Arts Center, but a few weeks ago were moved to the newly refurbished Author Services Theater in Hollywood. No word about where the Thursday BBQ or the Friday Dinner will be held. This weekend I'll be getting my portfolio together and practice tying my tuxedo bowtie. In Seattle (2005, WotF XXI) I missed most of the Friday Dinner in the Space Needle because it took me over 40 minutes to remember how to tie it. Cat Sparks (she was the last through make-up) and I were the last two shuttled across Seattle to the Space Needle. By then I was too nervous to eat anyway (I was eligible for the Gold Award), but I missed hobnobbing with judges and the other winners. This time Leslie will be with me, so I'll stay organized. I'll probably be as nervous, but face it: One out of Four is better odds than One out of Twelve. There were some excellent illustrator entries this year, competition is high.

It'll be fun. Especially the look on _________'s face when she sees my illustration of her story (there are eight female WotF winners this year, so go ahead and guess -- but I won't tell).

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The Eugene Wordos (of which I'm a member and current moderator) has a finalist for 2Q08.

I'll say no more than that for now until it is official.

If this Wordo gets into the anthology either by winning or as a published finalist, that will give the Wordos nine anthologies in a row (counting my IotF win in 2007). Also, there are two more quarters to go in the current contest. This will kick a lot of ass in our workshop and inspire folks to enter stories.

Rob? Are you still eligible?

I emailed the finished art to the contest yesterday. I got confirmation of acceptable receipt from both Joni and the art director. So, it's all over for me except the waiting, the long silent waiting.

All the illustrators are eligible for the illustration grand prize of $5,000. The blind judging is based on the illustrations we do for the anthology. We won't know the results until the night of the awards ceremonies.

I had the normal hope in Seattle to win the writer grand prize (I was a first place winner for the third quarter that year). I also had the hope of winning so I could be the first person to not only win both contests (yeah, egotistic -- I stated my intent/confidence publicly in my bio in Volume XXI and in Shimmer for the following year -- but as it turns out, I was right), but to win the grand prize in both contests. So now I'll have to settle for winning both contests and the illustrator grand prize. There are some excellent artists this year, so most likely, after the evening of August 15, I'll settle for being the first to win both contests...

However, one can, should, and must dream...

I'm very pleased with my illustration. Both the artwork and how it depicts the story, which should strengthen its chances. I also sneaked in some surprises, which will only be revealed when the framed print is presented to the writer during the week of the workshops.

So in reviewing the manuscript for a detail I needed, I realized I'd overlooked a very important detail in a main character. (I'm being cryptic on purpose.) I can't leave it the way it is and claim ignorance or an oversight -- that's not professional. Anyone reading the story and comparing the illustration will see it immediately (especially the author). I can't fix the existing drawing. I'll have to start over tonight. Fortunately I'd only just started inking. Unfortunately the part I need to fix is what I inked.

I don't like to cut and paste a drawing (in the real sense, not the electronic). I like my finished art to have integrity (if I want to retouch something minor I scan it into Photoshop and finish it there). When I show original art I don't want to have globs of white Liquitex or pasted pieces of paper showing evidence of mistakes or revisions. I suppose there will come a time when I'll have to do that, but since this drawing isn't finished, I'll just transfer/trace the pencil composition to a new piece of bristol board and start inking fresh. Still, it'll take most of tonight to catch up to where I was.

Looks like I'm in for a couple of late nights. I need to get the finished art to LA by Saturday.

Clock started ticking on Friday, when the anthology art director approved MY choice of the three sketches I submitted.

Weekend was full, so I'll start tonight. Even though I work in a lot of detail in my drawings, I should have no problem getting them the final art by May 17.

If I hadn't had to go through that bit of bad luck, I'd have the art finished by now.

Such is life.

The art director just emailed me. She never got my sketches (sent to the contest administrator on April 2). I have the impression they WERE forwarded to her, but it seems Author Services has no confirmation system in place... I just re-emailed them directly to her.

sigh...

I have avoided "publicly" airing my trials with these contests, but this is the last straw that broke the camel's back. (heh, two cliches for the price of one.)

It started with the telephone call to inform me I won WOTF (I've spoken of how long it took to do the "two-week" final judging of that quarter -- Oct 10 - Nov 30 -- but as it turns out that's not a long time in WOTF World). I got the call, then before anything was said, I was put on hold because "[name of the primary administrator at the time] had just stepped out." Okay, fine, I'm on hold, not knowing if they call all the finalists, winners or not (which they should), to tell them of the results (which they don't -- I'll get to that). I'm at work (oh yeah, this was AFTER they tried calling me at home, which I clearly told them wouldn't be possible since like the majority of the world I work during the day -- I'd given them my work number -- which now reminds me that, after receiving an email from Eric Witchey [they called him when they couldn't reach me at home] telling me to call the contest administrator, I called them and that was when I was put on hold), so being at work, I had to remain calm. Then, "Hello" (I'm not on hold anymore), but the very important person is still not back, so I spend five or more minutes chit chatting about stuff like my trying to win both contests and small talk. I'm put on hold again. Okay, this is important to me, fine. I email Eric while I'm on hold. Finally I'm on a conference call with both administrators, but we're chit chatting again. (I think, okay, maybe this is how they let people down, they come from the "being friendly" angle so they can let you down more easily.) After another five or more minutes of small talk about the Wordos and my graphic design career and my entering both contests the VIP says, "Did she tell you want you won?" Okay, I'm well mannered, I politely respond, "No." She laughs while the other woman says, "I was waiting for you." Fine and dandy, I'm finally told I won first place for the third quarter. I respond as well as I could since I'm at work (probably not as excitedly as they like). More chit chat. Then I asked if Blake Hutchins (who was also a finalist the same quarter that year -- the next year he won) had placed. Sorry, no, but he'll be eligible to be a published finalist once the book goes into production.

Whew -- I won. And first place, too!

That was a Tuesday, so that evening I proudly went to Wordos (keeping quiet for the rest of the afternoon). For the duration of this waiting period, every Tuesday night Blake and I had exchanged looks of "did you hear anything yet?" so when he arrived I expressed my disappointment that we weren't both winners in the same quarter. That's when I found out they only call the three winners, NOT all the finalists. Blake found out he didn't win from me. I was bummed. Only his win the next year alleviated that gaff.

Okay, then the waiting began.

Everyone knows about the last minute switch of the workshop/ceremonies from LA to Seattle.

I was late to the ceremonial dinner because I insisted on wearing a real bowtie and forgot how to tie it for an hour (I should start practicing soon, like this weekend). My fault, so that doesn't count. The ceremony went fine. (whew)

A couple of months later Author Services announced that Dragon Bones had interviewed winners of the contest. Great fun. I surfed to the website, and there found the three other first place winners with interviews. No one ever tried to contact me. Okay, I'm well mannered, so I didn't say anything, figuring maybe there were time restraints or something. (Let me interject here that EVERYTHING I'm writing about was NOT intentional -- there were no "evil plans" against Stephen -- these events are either indicative of my bad luck, or an unfortunate lack of follow-through.) Then, a year later, the same announcement was posted: winners interviewed on Dragon Bones. Only this time all four first place winners were interviewed (including Blake, coolness for him). So, I then emailed WOTF and asked why. Of course, no one knew why I was left out. The person who did promotion was no longer with the company. And, hey, didn't they have a nice post about me winning both contests on their blog? Sure, okay, thanks, sorry I felt left out on such a nice way to promote myself as a writer, no problem.

The winning artwork for the quarter had started to be posted on the blog. Cool. We all like seeing what won (especially those of us competing, which I still was when this practice began). Then, my quarter was skipped. Again, it wasn't just me, but the all three quarterly winners who weren't posted -- but those two others weren't aware of my contest jinx. I politely inquired. I was told that it was inadvertent ("Are you sure? They're not online?"), which I believe. You can go back and check this one: the second quarter winners for 2007 were posted before the first quarter winners.

Now this mix up with my sketches (and again, I don't know if this happened to only mine, or others as well).

So, there, I'm done with my whining. I'd hoped I'd be done with this WOTF/IOTF jinx, but apparently not. And there are still at least four months to go. Perhaps the other winners of both contests would do well to avoid me. Yeah, it's probably my fault we don't yet know when/where the workshop/ceremony will be. Why not...

enuff from me

I sent in my three sketches (via email, which was allowed) on April 2.

It has been four weeks and I haven't heard anything.

I emailed a query to the contest administrator on Monday (28th).

Silence.

I really wanted to get this one done and shoot for the chance to also illustrate the one published finalist this volume.

Oh well.

The contract stated that all art was due by May 31. Once I get the go-ahead on one of my sketches, I'll have 15 days. That means as of today IotF has 17 more days to make me wait.

That is what these contests are all about, it seems sometimes -- waiting.

I got my manuscript to illustrate yesterday. I have 15 days to do three thumbnail sketches, then another 15 days to finish the sketch the art director chooses.

I sent Joni my bio this morning. It was easy to write since I had the bio in Volume XXI to cannibalize.

I'll finish reading the ms tonight. I already have a few ideas. I'll probably get sketches to the art director in a few days, faster than 15. Don't ask me to be specific. We're bound to secrecy. That's part of the fun for the writers, not knowing until they get their framed print during the workshop week.

Illustrating for Shimmer has been a great experience. I'm more than use to deadlines for my graphic design stuff, but getting into a deadline rhythm for my illustration is crucial. Also illustrating stories, instead of just my imagination, was invaluable. My winning entries were: a alternative illustration to a Cat Rambo story in Shimmer, an illustration of Leon West's and Jay Lake's "fisheater" world, and an illustration of one of my own (unpublished) stories. I think that made a big difference in my work -- characters, setting, plots and stories.

Shimmer gave me quarterly assignments during the same year (2006) I was unemployed and working hard on my IotF entries. It turned out I drew four a quarter (along with the usual false-starts), one for Shimmer and three for IotF. Fortunately I had the time. The time and experience paid off.

I just finished a new illustration for Shimmer, so again I can thank Mary and Beth for giving me a running start at the IotF illustration (this one will compete for the grand prize of $5,000).

I'm in the process of designing an illustration portfolio website. It'll probably be attached to my sff.net account and include my writing side as well (and perhaps my book design stuff). Many publishers request links to websites now, instead of physical samples. I'm also working in color again. I'm glad I stuck to pen and ink for the duration of the contest (for reproduction reasons in the anthology), but if I want to be serious about illustration as a career, I have to work in color. Just as a serious writing career eventually migrates to novels.

Jeez, thatz more than enuff from me

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