"Create an illustration based on the word, light," says illustrator Marsha Riti.

"While creating this illustration please find and think about your source(s) of inspiration: a good book, a trip recently taken, a museum visit, a walk in nature, etc..."

It's your prompt for the June 28 workshop and group critique with The Girllustrators – a group of smart, talented women artists who years ago "united for sharing, support, and shop talk in the field of children’s illustration."

Based in Austin, Texas, they push each other like professionals while simultaneously teaching and encouraging the KidLit community through their Tumblr blog that has attracted the notice of agents, art directors and editors around the U.S.

For the next few months we have them to ourselves. Starting in June, through October they'll teach  on topics of critical interest to anyone striving to create and sell artwork in children's publishing. What to leave in vs. what to leave out. How do you know when to stop, or push harder? How do you know when it's working? What's your checklist for evaluating your own (and others') pictures? What about for agencies, assignments and projects and publishing houses? 

In other words, workshops you've been looking for on deep process and craft, serious promotional strategies and career building for illustrators.

This Thursday's (June 28) session wades into the wellspring for any artist, inspiration – where to find it, how to keep it, how to foster ideas for bold concepts and new techniques to try. Girllustrators will introduce themselves and show how they've brought some of their own ideas to effective realization and life. And they'll talk about the pieces you've submitted inspired by Marsha's prompt, light.

Come and join us around the table this Thursday! You'll receive details on how to upload your work and participate in the live workshop and remaining sessions when you register.

Patrice Barton is the illustrator of the award-winning picture books MINE! by Shutta Crum (Knopf, 2011) and The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig (Knopf, 2013). Her chapter books include the Junior Library Guild selections The Year of the Three Sisters, an Anna Wang novel by Andrea Cheng (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015) and The Naming of Tishkin Silk by Glenda Millard (FSG, 2009). She's represented by Christina Tugeau of The CAT Agency.

Marsha Riti has illustrated 12 books and all of the covers for The Critter Club series of picture books for Simon and Schuster Publishing.

Lalena Fisher has designed characters and backgrounds for TV’s Blue’s Clues and The Wonder Pets, and created graphics for The New York Times. Her educational press clients have included Oxford University Press, McGraw-Hill, and Benchmark. Her first picture book, Pursuit of the Magic Piece was published in 2015. She's represented in children's books by Lara Perkins at Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

Luz Marie Iturbe, fine artist, graphic designer a native of Mexico is writing and illustrating a series of apps that helps children learn Spanish as well as picture books teaching children about craft and traditions.

Vanessa Roeder, aka Nessa Dee, has illustrated six picture books, including The Angel Guardian, Varla’s Gift, and Useless and for Highlights Magazine. A muralist, too, she creates art for children's magazines, picture books, and homes. She's represented by Rebecca Sherman of Writers House Agency.

Emma J. Virján is a graphic designer the author-illustrator of the popular Pig in a Wig picture book series, published by HarperCollins. She's represented by Edite Kroll of the Edite Kroll Literary Agency.