We had a fantastic workshop with Yvette de Beer. The pictures tell the story. The workshop was held in Yvette's lovely home on Witbank Dam where she has a beautiful work room flooded with natural light. We began by painting backing board. Then we were asked to draw characters based on random pieces of driftwood and other natural items. We were asked to juxtapose two characters. We placed these

See an interesting article about Marleen Visser and colouring in. Reverting back to childhood through colouring-in. What’s the deal with adult colouring-in Books? http://bigcitylife.co.za/the-world-has-gone-colur-cray-cray/

Venue:  Sandton Public Library Date: 27 July 2016 Time: 10:00 Cost: R25 SCBWI members, R50 non-members RSVP: To Jenny at [email protected] Programme 10:00 Tea 10:15 Edyth Bulbring 11:15 Susie Dineen 12:30 Lunch in the square at own cost About the presenters  Edyth Bulbring has published the following books: Cornelia Button and the Globe of Gamagion. Jacana. 2008. 

Venue: Johannesburg (address to be sent to respondents) Date: 7 June 2016 Time: 10:00 - 15:00 Cost: R100 SCBWI members, R200 non-members RSVP: To Jenny at [email protected] About the workshop Joan Rankin will share ideas on learning from artists and then Jenny Hatton will discuss techniques used by well-known writers of picture books. This will be followed by a practical

Valuable article with link from Colleen Higgs about the difference between self-publishing and being published by a publisher - by Arthur Attwell The problem with self-publishing medium.com What self-publishers lack is not skill, but the relationship between an author and a publisher

Adelle van Zyl, illustrator and graphic designer, showed participants techniques and steps she used to create illustrations for Rympies vir Pikkies & Peuters. The demonstration covered the following: Scanning line drawings, ensuring correct quality and colour settings Removing background, enhancing colour and touching up of line drawing using Photoshop - working with a stylus and tablet

Joan Rankin,  well-known and award-winning illustrator and writer of children's books  presented a workshop on using puppets to develop characters. Participants were given a set of questions to ask of their characters.  The answers were discussed. Great fun was had by all.  Photos by Teresa Truda

See the wonderful film on the Hans Christian Andersen Award for 2016 at:  https://youtu.be/d2L6mrEc6eM

Fiona Moodie’s Noko and the Kool Kats (Tafelberg) has been announced as the winner of the 5th Exclusive Books IBBY SA award -  for the best picture book of the past two years (2013 and 2014).   In the words of the jury, “It’s a witty and engaging tale, seamlessly accompanied by illustrations that are deceptively simple, their spontaneity underpinned by a keen eye and fine sensibility. The

  The Katrine Harries Award for Children’s Book Illustrations: 2008-2014                                             The award winners are: Joan Rankin for Just Sisi (Human & Rousseau) for the period 2008 – 2009; Maja Sereda for Haasmoles (LAPA) for the period 2010 – 2011; and Johan Strauss for In die Land van Pamperlang (Human & Rousseau) for the period 2012 – 2013. The Katrine Harries

IBBY SA, the South African national section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), an international body with 74 national sections around the world, selected the following books to be presented at the IBBY World Congress in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2016 as having made a special contribution to recent South African literature for children and young people: Author:

If you are thinking about joining SCBWI or have allowed your membership to lapse, go to www.scbwi.org to sign up or activate your membership right away. This retreat is one of the wonderful benefits that membership of SCBWI offers. Dates for retreat in the Gauteng: 6 - 8 Nov; the Retreat starts at 17:00 on Friday and goes through to 14:00 on Sunday (Option to stay over on Sunday night at

The Jozi Book Fair will be held from 11 – 13 September on Wits Campus with the theme Children’s Literature and Childhood. SCBWI will have a stand and some of our members will be hosting events. See www.jozibookfair.org.za Authors and illustrators of children’s books who are members of SCBWI are invited to exhibit their books, promotional material or artwork (space permitting). In exchange, they

The SABF is being held from 31 July to 2 August in Johannesburg this year. They are offering illustrators the opportunity to demonstrate at an illustration easel. Every hour on the hour, there will be a different illustrator at the easel for children to watch. There are 18 slots over the three days that can be filled on a roster basis. Please contact Jenny at [email protected] by 17

Venue: Johannesburg (address to be sent to respondents) Date: Wednesday 1 July 2015 Time: 10:30 Cost: Lunch at own cost in a nearby restaurant RSVP: By 26 June to Jenny at [email protected] Grace da Costa worked as a graphic designer for roughly 20 years. Frustrated by demands of clients, computers and commercialism, she started sculpting and painting. She uses the Lost wax process

April 2 is International Children’s Book Day – championed throughout the world by the International Board on Books for Young People. IBBY was founded in the years after WW2 in the belief that quality books can promote international understanding and peace. This belief resonates in our own diverse and divided society and underlies the work of IBBY in South Africa. Books, print or electronic, are

Venue: Rosebank (Address will be sent to respondents) Date: Thursday 16 April 2015 Time: 10:00 - 13:00 Cost: Lunch at own cost in nearby restaurant RSVP: By 10 April to Jenny at [email protected] Ever wondered how children’s television programmes are produced. This is a great opportunity to find out about multimedia spaces. Both writers and illustrators are welcome. Ochre Media is an

For an advertisement, see http://ssda.bookslive.co.za/blog/2015/03/26/announcing-the-theme-for-the-2015-short-story-day-africa-prize/

Venue: Johannesburg (address to be sent to respondents) Date: Tuesday 17 March 2015 Time: 10:00 - 14:30 Cost: R80 SCBWI members, R160 non-members RSVP: By 13 March to Jenny at [email protected] This workshop will explore the use of an envelope and a postcard to tell a story. This is a wonderful opportunity to explore your creativity. The workshop is for illustrators and writers. A

Venue: Randpark Ridge (address to be sent to respondents) Date: Wednesday 11 February 2015 Time: 10:00 Cost: R50 SCBWI members, R100 non-members RSVP: To Jenny at [email protected] Programme 10:00 Welcome 10:15 NLT Media - Kgosi Kgosi 12:00 Lunch and time to network with illustrators and writers of children’s books 13:00 Creatrix - Lynn Joffe NLT Media NLT Media is a digital

Date: 2 December 2014 Time: 10:30 Cost: None (Participants to bring a plate of eats to share for lunch) Venue: Pretoria (Address will be given to respondents) RSVP: By 28 November to Jenny at [email protected] Let’s get together for the end of the year and relax among friends and colleagues.

Janina Pechova will facilitate a two-day workshop. Venue: Johannesburg Date: 4-5 September 2014 Time: 10:00 - 15:00 Cost: R400 SCBWI members, R700 non-members RSVP: By 29 August to Jenny at [email protected] Booking is essential. Only a small number of participants can be accommodated. Participants will be doing monoprints and engravings (dry point etching) Monoprints are artworks

Venue: Emmarentia (Address will be sent to respondents) Date: 22 August 2014 Time: 12:00 - 15:00 Cost: None (Attendees to bring a plate of eats) RSVP: By 21 July to Jenny at [email protected] Please join us for an informal gathering / smooze / lekgotla / indaba to network and catch up. All are welcome, members and non-members. There won’t be a formal topic for discussion; we’ll just