Welcome to the Style File, showcasing the work of some of Australia's most talented book illustrators. The Style File is a folio of pages, each showcasing the work of a different book illustrator, with an extensive range of illustration styles and expertise represented.

Since its launch in August 2003, the Style File has already proved successful and feedback is very positive from both clients and artists on site. It will continually grow and develop as more artists come on board at six monthly intervals.

New submissions are due by Monday 31st March 2008. If you would like to submit artwork, please follow these instructions.

What sort of artwork to submit
First, look at the web site – www.thestylefile.com. Here you will see what kind of artwork displays well. Each illustration is viewable in a thumbnail format as well as in a larger format.

• Any kind of art or design is acceptable as long as it is appropriate for use in books. (commercial art / editorial art is not considered appropriate.)
• Submissions which will broaden the range of styles represented are very welcome. Work we would like to see more of includes: non-fiction illustration; type design; book and book jacket design; diagrams; botanical/ fauna illustration; Indigenous illustration; calligraphy; photography and maps. And, of course, narrative art for picture books, comic art and art suitable for graphic novels.

Eligibility

• Any Australian citizen or permanent resident can submit work to be considered for inclusion on www.thestylefile.com.
• You don't need to be a member of the Australian Society of Authors/Society of Book Illustrators (ASA/SoBI) to submit work, but there will be a higher fee for non-members who are selected to exhibit on www.thestylefile.com.
• Submissions are welcome from both published and unpublished artists.
• Artists not selected at this round may submit new work later.
• Artists already on site can submit new work to be considered by the Selection Committee as replacements for their existing images - for a small fee.

The selection committee, made up of representatives from the publishing, illustration and book selling industries, will select submissions of the highest quality.

If you are currently on the site and wish to alter an image
Simply send copies of the new image or images you wish to display with a covering note stating that you are already on the site. Once your new image has been approved, the fee to have it uploaded onto the site will be $33 (inc GST) per image.

Costs
The Style File is an initiative of the ASA/SoBI, and is hosted by us. It is primarily a support and service to members. We’d like to encourage artists to join ASA/SoBI.

• There is no cost to submit artwork for consideration by the selection committee.


• Illustrators who are selected to be included on the site will each pay a fee of $214.50 (inc GST) for their first year.


• Non-ASA/SoBI members pay a fee of $334.50 (inc GST) for their first year.


• There will be a low annual administration fee to remain on the site.


• There is a fee of $33 (inc GST) per image to alter artwork already on the site.

Choosing your images
Making a selection is difficult. Your selection should reflect the sort of work you wish to attract and are confident about producing. Although we don't expect you to fulfil all of the below criteria, here are some suggestions as to what publishers may be looking for:
your strongest styles

• a recognisable personal style / pizzazz / charismatic images


• fresh, confident line drawing


• ability to interpret text (text taken directly from published book layouts cannot be shown on the image itself, but can be quoted below it.)


• ability to draw the human figure, in action and in a variety of settings


• characterisation and the ability to sustain a character – i.e. you may like to draw your character in up to 4 different poses or moods as one of your samples. Too many characters on the one sample however, will not view well on screen. Please check the web site to see what will be appropriate.


• book covers (with text if the cover is your own design, without text if you just supplied the illustration)


• illustration appropriate for both trade and educational books


• diagrammatic work, or technical illustrations


• ability to illustrate various nationalities or ethnic groups


• both colour and black and white illustrations

What to submit

• Send 6-8 images, numbered in order of your preference. (1 is most preferred, 8 is least preferred.) If you are accepted, the committee will select four of your images to be displayed on the site. Your preferences will be taken into consideration.


• Submissions are to be A4 sized only


• Submissions are to be single sided photocopies or printouts – no originals. Use colour printouts or copies for colour work, and black and white for monochrome work. (This will not be the artwork used on the web site. It is for selection purposes only.)


• Each page is to be clearly labelled on the reverse with your name, address, phone number and email address. (You can download anme labels at the bottom of this page.)


• Accompany each sample with a black and white photocopy (also labelled) for us to keep on file. This second copy can be a miniature version or all of your copies may even be on the one page if this is easier. These copies are for us to verify that the final artwork you send for the site matches the original selection made by the committee.


• Enclose an A4 self addressed stamped envelope for the return of your artwork and your notification of acceptance or rejection. If you do not send an SAE, your images will be stored for one month only, and then discarded.

A few don’ts

• Please don’t include sheets containing scores of tiny illustrations.


• Please don’t forget to include a stamped, self-addressed A4 sized envelope.


• Please don’t send more than 8 samples

Promotion of the site
We may approach you from time to time to ask if we can use your art on promotional material such as advertisements and postcards directed at publishers. Should you consent to the use of your image, no fee will be paid for using work in this context. Artwork will include your name and the publicity generated should prove beneficial for both you and the site.

A screen saver is downloadable from the site, which is updated every two months to include a new set of images. It states the name of the artist as each picture appears on screen. By exhibiting art work on www.thestylefile.com you agree to allow your images to be used in this way.

Send submissions by Monday, 31 March 2008 to:
Australian Society of Authors
PO Box 1566
Strawberry Hills
NSW 2012

Queries or comments, please contact:
jill@asauthors.org or call the ASA on (02) 9318 0877
Please read this information thoroughly before making your submission or ringing through with queries.

Please pass on this information to anyone you think may be interested in participating.

To join the ASA (Illustrators who join the ASA automatically become members of SoBI)
please click on Join Now.
Email: asa@asauthors.org
Phone: (02) 9318 0877
Address: The Australian Society of Authors, PO Box 1566, Strawberry Hills NSW 2012

To join SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators)
Web address for membership: http://www.scbwi.org/
Email (Jen McVeity): jen@jenmcveity.com

Disclaimer
While every care will be taken, no responsibility will be taken for lost or damaged submissions sent in for initial selection. www.thestylefile.com will try to protect your artwork from copyright infringement on the internet, but in the interests of making the illustrations readily available to the publishing houses who are our target, we do not want to obscure the images too badly with watermarks. Participants who supply work for exhibition on the web site do so at their own risk.

This project has been assisted by the Commonwealth Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

Download name labels.