Welcome to Wombat Books’ Illustration Challenge, 2020! This year, we are seeking original illustrations from Australian school-aged students (aged 5-18) to bring our book, Can I Sleep Tomorrow? to life. This is the fourth Illustration Challenge the team has coordinated because we love creating unique picture books by Aussie children for everyone to treasure and enjoy.
This challenge was created to provide aspiring young illustrators with the opportunity to be published in a professionally produced children’s book. We want to provide the opportunity for students to gain an introduction into the world of illustrating. Can I Sleep Tomorrow? is due to be released in 2021, and you can find the winning illustrations featured within.
The Prize:
Aside from being published within the book, illustrators will also receive two free hard copies of Can I Sleep Tomorrow? and be acknowledged on Wombat Books’ website and social media. Winners shall be decided by Wombat Books’ team of authors, editors, and illustrators.
About Can I Sleep Tomorrow?
Firstly, you can find the text for the book here: http://www.wombatbooks.com.au/images/illustrationchallenge/CanISleepTomorrow_IllustrationChallenge.pdf
Our vision for Can I Sleep Tomorrow? is an authentic compilation of Aussies kids and Aussie places. We want participants to include and choose from Australian animals, features, characters, or anything related to the illustration suggestions. You can illustrate your picture on an A3 or A4 sheet in landscape and don’t forget to leave room for the text! Feel free to fade one side of your picture or leave it blank.
Entry Instructions:
Beside is an example of our previous Illustration Challenge – can you see how Rebecca has left a nice patch of green grass down the bottom of the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour for the text and wombat to go!
Entries close on the 30 November 2020. Choose from the spreads of the picture book provided. You are free to illustrate one of the spreads or multiple. Each spread must have a separate illustration, but your page can be a single page or double page that matches and creatively enhances the text. You can follow the illustration suggestions here to complete your images and ensure that space is left for the text on the page. For a more detailed version of the entry instructions – please find them here.
Participating from Home:
Although schools and libraries have started reopening, the team at Wombat Books are aware that this is a gradual process and some children are still learning from home. We want to emphasise that children studying from home can still participate.
For parents turned teachers, we know that explaining this challenge to your children may be difficult, but we are here to help! This blog series has been made with parents in mind and wants to help you understand our Illustration Challenge, so you don’t have to worry about your children missing out on participating because they aren’t at school.
Benefits of Participating in this Challenge
We’ve already discussed the prizes that come with winning our Illustration Challenge, but we haven’t discussed the benefits that come along with participating. Drawing from a young age plays an essential role in cognitive development. Through drawing, kids develop their fine motor skills, improve their hand-eye coordination, concentration, and can learn how to think, write, and problem-solve creatively. Not only is it a fun activity and hobby for children to engage with, it’s also an extremely helpful, but underrated, learning tool that can be used throughout primary school, high school and life in general.
Drawing also comes along with a number of mental health benefits. In these uncertain times, children and adults alike are likely feeling more stressed and anxious. This is where drawing and colouring can help. As you concentrate on the rhythmic movement of drawing and colouring, it can help calm your mind and release stress. On top of this, research has shown that drawing can improve your memory. As kids use a combination of our illustration suggestions and their imagination, they’re strengthening the creative and problem-solving side of their brain.
As your child participates in this challenge, why not draw, doodle, scribble or colour beside them? You have an opportunity to bond with your kids and relax, forgetting about our current situation.
For more info about the benefits of drawing and colouring, click here:
https://kidscountryinc.com/2016/07/21/6-benefits-drawing-time-children/
https://www.prima.co.uk/diet-and-health/healthy-living/news/a35929/5-surprising-benefits-of-drawing/