Katie McDee was raised in the sun-filled, salty-fresh air of Southern California and is lucky enough to still live and work there. Katie’s interests include movies that don’t stink, delicious eateries, and discovering new places. Her free time is spent playing ultimate frisbee and capturing her friends’ most embarrassing moments in her sketchbook.
Katie’s artistic talent and creativity has always been a part of her life. Whether it was hand-made cards or Super Market art contests, as a child she was always drawing. In high school she not only starred in musicals but also designed the Tshirts and posters. Although she excelled in many areas of school, art and music were always her favorite.
Today she works as a traditional and digital illustrator for the children’s market. Past projects have included books, magazines, video games, board games, T-shirts, greeting cards and packaging. With a BFA in Illustration from CSU Long Beach, and years of freelance experience, Katie has the knowledge and experience of working with art directors, designers, and other creative professionals.
Her clients have included: Oxford University Press, Capstone Publishing, Highlights High Five, Pearson Education, Lakeshore Learning Materials, Friend Magazine, Pockets Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, Bionic Games, Appy Entertainment, The Topps Company, and San Diego Gas & Electric (Sempra Energy).
Here is Katie explaining her process:
Thumbnail: When I start figuring out the composition of a piece I always draw small. Really small. I scratch out a bunch of little thumbnails and once I have one I like I scan it and enlarge it in Photoshop.
Sketch: Sometimes I’ll draw over the blown-up thumbnail in Photoshop or move pieces around, But usually I just print it out and trace over it with tracing paper and a BiC mechanical pencil.
Color rough: I like to do a quick color rough in Photoshop.
Blocking in: Once I’ve scanned in the final sketch and received approval, I place the sketch in Illustrator with opacity scaled back to 50%. I lock that layer and start blocking the shapes in layers. I usually have background and foreground layers with others as needed.
Blocked in: After everything is blocked in with Illustrator, I export each layer as PSDs and put it all back together in Photoshop.
Final: In Photoshop I use even more layers to shade and highlight and bring in texture overlays. And voila!
How did you end up going to CSU Long Beach to get your BFA in illustration?
I actually started out at CSULB as a music major. I thought I was going to be a choral director. It wasn’t more than a couple months before I realized that my talents were better suited for visual art. So I switched majors and focused on illustration. Lucky for me I married a high school choral director so now I’ve got the best of both worlds.
What types of classes did you take that really helped you to develop as an illustrator?
All of the illustration, composition and design classes were my favorites but every art class I’ve taken was invaluable, from watercolor to screen printing. But my illustration skills have developed most through freelancing. There’s nothing like learning on the job.
Did they help connect you to companies that could give you work?
No, I don’t think I’ve had any work come from classes, though keeping in contact with some classmates through social media sites and email has.
Did you start out using watercolors for your illustrations?
Yes, in college I painted everything in watercolor (unless I had to use some other media). And my very first paid jobs were created in watercolor. I still love traditionally painting illustrations for clients and my own personal work.
What was the first thing you did that you got paid to do?
I can’t remember exactly. It was either a caricatured family portrait or a gigantic mural depicting castles, gnomes and fairies. But those were private commissions. My first freelance gig was a series of paperback reader books for Lakeshore Learning Materials.
How long have you been illustrating?
7 years professionally. 31 years doodling 
What types of things do you do to get your work seen by publishing professionals?
My work is showcased online on my website/blog and a couple illustrator sites like childrensillustrators.com. I’ve contacted art directors directly and sent mailers in the past but usually contract work comes through my online presence and word of mouth.
Have you ever tried to write and illustrate a children’s book?
Yes, there have been a few attempts. I’ve learned a lot since and plan to dust some of them off and give ‘em a complete overhaul one of these days.
Do you have an agent? If so, who and how long have the represented you? If not, would you like one?
I do not have an agent or art rep. I’ve considered it many times and I’d like to have a good working relationship with one. But I’m waiting for the right fit.
Do you want to concentrate on being a children’s picture book illustrator?
That would be so great. Ultimately I’d love to just spend my time working on picture books exclusively. Though I’d probably miss the diversity and fun of illustrating for games and magazines.
Have you made a picture book dummy to show art directors, editors, and reps.?
No, not yet.
Do you ever use two different materials in one illustration?
Yes. Pencil sketches, painted textures and photoshop. Ink and watercolor. Sometimes even cut paper.
How did you find the companies where you have done commercial illustration, games, etc.?
I have friends in high places, haha. No but really, most of the time they find me online or through word of mouth.
Do you attend the SCBWI Conference in LA?
If so, how do you prepare for attending something like that? I attended one year, I think it was in 2009. I participated in the portfolio showcase so there was months of drawing, designing, and printing a portfolio and postcards to show off. It was a lot of fun and I met some amazing people that I’m now blessed to call my friends.
Have you seen your style change since you first started illustrating?
Oh, definitely. Though I was looking through old sketches the other day and noticed I still draw umbrellas and shoes the same way.
Have you gotten any work through networking?
Yes! Thank you blogging and Facebook.
I see you have had your illustration published in quite a few magazines. How many magazines have published your work?
Six, so far. I hope to double that in the next year. I love illustrating for magazines.
How did the LA Times find you to illustrate a story for the ‘Kids’ Reading Room’ section of the newspaper?
I think I called the Art Director. Never underestimate the power of the ‘cold call’.
Are you open to doing illustrations for self-published picture book authors?
I have in the past. Unfortunately, I don’t take on self-publishing authors now because they don’t have a budget I can pay bills with. It’s a sad reality, especially when their book ideas sound so fun.
What made you go digital? Is Photoshop your software of choice?
When I started freelancing for companies, it was all digital, all the time. There were many late nights figuring out Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop as deadlines sped towards me. Now I can’t live without my computer. I enjoy the crisp look and edit ability of Illustrator and the fun challenge of rendering an illustration to look painted with Photoshop. While I still love painting with watercolor and gouache, the computer affords me and my clients much-needed versatility. And there’s nothing better than ‘command Z’, am I right?!
Do you have any tips that would help other digital artists?
Get a bigger scanner and printer. The biggest you can afford. And a Wacom tablet. It’ll save your arm.
Do you own a graphic tablet? If so, how do you use it?
Me and my Wacom Intuos 3 are best buddies. I don’t even use a mouse. My mouse is dead to me.
How much time do you spend illustrating?
Depending on the circumstances (deadlines or family commitments) I can spend as little as 5 hours to as much as 12 hours a day working.
Do you have a studio set up in your house?
My family insisted I take one of the bedrooms as my studio instead of a guest room. Sorry visitors but it’s mine and I love it!
Is there anything in your studio, other than paint and brushes, and your computer that you couldn’t live without?
My drafting table is 7 feet wide. I am spoiled.
Any picture books on the horizon?
I’m about to start working on an early reader book with Oxford Univ Press.
What are your career goals?
My goals include more book, magazine and licensing work. I think pairing up with an agent or rep may be my next step. I’d also like to set up an online shop to sell some of my random paintings and creations. My ultimate goal is to spend my days writing and illustrating my own books and board games.
What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on some spot illustrations, early reader book(s), some educational activities/games and 2 magazine illustrations.
Are there any watercolor painting tips (materials, paper, etc.) you can share that work well for you? Technique tips?
Why stretch watercolor paper when you can use illustration board? I like Crescent. Sometimes I print out a copy of my sketch and paint a color rough right on it. Hmm, what else? I used to ink with a croquil pen but now I use Microns. They’re waterproof and come in multiple sizes and colors.
Any words of wisdom you can share with the illustrators who are trying to develop their career?
Here’s my 2 cents. And that may be all it’s worth to you, but… Try something new. Get out of your comfort zone. I see many people who are only willing to work in one way or for one type of publishing. You will grow as an artist and more doors may open for you if you say yes to something different. Tackle that App, comic book, or board game design rather than sitting around waiting for your big break in picture book publishing (or whatever it is you so desperately desire).
Katie, it was pleasure getting to know you through your illustrations and this interview. I am sure we will be seeing a lot more from you. Please let me know when you have new successes and send in new illustration that I can use during the month. That way we can stay connected.
You can see more of Katie at the following sites: www.katiemcdee.com www.katiemcdee.blogspot.com www.childrensillustrators.com/illustrator.cgi/katiemcdee
Please take a minute to leave Katie a comment about her work. It is much appreciated.
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
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In the meantime and in an altogether different vein, here are some more of the small regular monthly cuts I do for Japanese airline ANA's inflight magazine Wingspan.
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| The Calcio Storico festival in Florence, Italy |
Every issue the magazine runs a short nugget feature covering the weird and unusual things that happen around the world. Often they're very amusing subjects and a lot of fun to draw. However the drawings themselves are always gentle observations, not outright humour.
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| Hong Kong - A ship-shaped department store |
Unlike my more detailed children's books, which are created on watercolour paper, for this kind of work I draw on a coated paper which results in a strong expressive pen line, a style I first developed for posters and other graphic work in Japan.
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| A Hotel in France where guests can live like hamsters |
The drawings are scanned in, often assembled from several elements, cleaned up and then coloured digitally, sometimes using textures. I love the flexibility that this offers.
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| A restaurant in an Italian prison, where inmates serve the customers |
I particularly enjoy this kind of work because it allows me to play around on the computer and explore graphic simplicity, though I don't regard myself as a "digital artist", everything still rests on a hand-crafted pen and ink drawing.
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| A restaurant in China run entirely by robots |
My children's books are created almost entirely by traditional non-digital means which gives a natural resonance, but in these illustrations the stronger line and digital colouring provides a more dynamic graphic edge. This style of work appears to be unconnected to my pen and watercolour children's books, but in fact they both come from exactly the same pen, it's just the paper and colouring that's different. Just varied facets of the same realm.
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| The latest issue talks about a Ski Festival of Witches in Switzerland |
© copyright Alicia Padron
Hello There!
This is an illustration I worked on at the end of last year. I usually do book work but this project was a little different. They contacted me asking if I wanted to create a logo for a non-profit organization. It was for such a beautiful cause.. I just couldn't say no. :o)
I can't say which organization just yet but I'll post about it once I have green light.
It was important for me to convey warmth, coziness, love and security in this illustration and I wanted it to be appealing to kids at the same time. I love drawing bunnies and they seemed appropriate for this.So bunnies it is!
I've also been working on several different magazine projects which is new to me and I have to say a lot of fun! I love how fast paced they are compared to a book for example. I will share some of that as we get closer to publishing dates.
Also I recently finished a new board book for babies, one of my favorite types of books to illustrate. :o)
For this year I hope to have time to work on one of my dummies and to create new work for my portfolio. Published illustrations work for the portfolio too but I think is important to create new artwork specifically for the portfolio. Sometimes what a particular house wants in a book is great for the book but not enough for a portfolio. You know what I mean? Portfolio images have to have tons of story telling and have to grab you immediately.
Working on dummies is time consuming and hard work. I don't know why but I am always so insecure with my dummies. Maybe is because I have so many alternatives that can change that is hard to make up my mind? I am the writer, illustrator and art director in a sense.. too many people in my head! Haha.. Sometimes I think I have to go ahead with the best idea I can and just go for it.. even though I'm such a scary cat.
How about you? It is hard to work on dummies too or just a breeze? If it's the second one, please share your secret.. I need help. ;o)
This December illustration was sent in by Marcela Staudenmaier. It should help you get ready for the weather facing us soon. Marcela was featured on March 31st 2012. Click Here to View.
Writer’s Digest is looking for short stories! Think you can write a winning story in less than 1,500 words? The enter the 13th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition for your chance to win $3,000 in cash, get published in Writer’s Digest magazine, and a paid trip to our ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference in New York City! The winning entries will be on display in the 13th Annual Writer’s Digest Competition Collection.
Wondering what’s in it for you?
•A chance to win $3,000 in cash
•Get national exposure for your work
•A paid trip to the ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference in New York City!
Entry Fee: $20 per manuscript
How to enter: register and pay online or download a printable entry form. (Entry fees are $20 per manuscript.)
Entry Deadline: December 17, 2012
One First Place Winner will receive:
•$3,000 in cash
•Their short story title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s July/August issue
•A paid trip to the ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference in New York City!
•A copy of the 13th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition Collection
•A copy of the 2013 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market
•A copy of the 2013 Guide to Literary Agents
The Second Place Winner will receive:
•$1,500 in cash
•Their short story title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s July/August issue
•A copy of the 13th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition Collection
•A copy of the 2013 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market
•A copy of the 2013 Guide to Literary Agents
The Third Place Winner will receive: •$500 in cash
•Their short story title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s July/August issue
•A copy of the 13th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition Collection
•A copy of the 2013 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market
•A copy of the 2013 Guide to Literary Agents
Fourth through Tenth Place Winners will receive:
•$100 in cash
•Their short story titles published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s July/August issue
•A copy of the 13th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition Collection
•A copy of the 2013 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market
•A copy of the 2013 Guide to Literary Agents
Eleventh through Twenty-Fifth Place Winners will receive:
•A $50 gift certificate for writersdigestshop.com
•A copy of the 13th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition Collection
Deadline: December 17, 2012 CLICK HERE TO ENTER
IT IS TIME TO NOMINATE WRITING AND ILLUSTRATING www.kathytemean.wordpress.com for the WRITER’S DIGEST’S 101 BEST WEBSITES FOR WRITERS!
If you have enjoyed the articles and information you received everyday this year, please help by dominating my blog. Submit an email to writersdigest@fwmedia.com to nominate my blog www.kathytemean.wordpress.com
I would greatly appreciate your help.
Thanks!
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
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Catherine Onder, Senior Editor at Disney Hyperion answered some questions from writers last year that appeared in Sprouts Magazine. They are still relevant today, so I thought I would share Catherine’s answer with you.
1. It seems fantasy stories are seldom seen in the picture book market. I know it is successful in middle grade, but couldn’t it work in picture books as well?
This is a great question and could probably be discussed endlessly. There are some reasons that immediately leap to mind as to why fantasy is more common in middle grade novels than picture books. First off, fantasy requires significant world-building. Aspects such as how the book’s fantasy world is different than ours; how the characters’ culture might be different, and how the magic works all must be carefully worked out and clearly communicated in fantasy. The elements are just the tip of the iceberg.
In a middle grade book, you have an entire novel’s worth of words to create your world and make it believable. With a picture book’s limited word count, there isn’t the same opportunity to establish a sophisticated fantasy foundation.
Another approach to this question may be to ask, what are the subjects in really good picture books—the ones that stand the test of time? When I look around, I find that perennially popular picture books are often based on the real life preoccupations of young children, including bedtime, sharing school, the surrounding world, fears, and the imagination, to name a few. These topics resonate strongly with young children, and it may be that fantasy doesn’t tie into their needs and concerns deeply enough at such an early age.
2. When you submit a manuscript and an editor writes back that “hardcover children’s literature is difficult to sell in this economy and therefore not the right market for our house at this time,” does that mean it would be okay to try again to resubmit at a later date, or is that a permanent “no?”
When I want to review a manuscript a second time, I will say so explicitly. This happens when there’s a lot that I appreciate about a project, but it’s not ready for acquisition. In these cases, I have revision suggestions and editorial thoughts for the author that I hope are helpful, and I invite him or her to share the manuscript with me again after revising. If I do not specifically request to see a revised manuscript, I would not expect the same project to be submitted to me again.
3. If I sent something to an editor and I haven’t heard back in over a year, can I submit it to another editor at the same house who wants to see it?
Every house has a different policy on submissions, and so I know this can be challenging to navigate! Speaking for myself, if I’ve had a manuscript for a very long time, I certainly understand when an author checks in about it. While I can’t speak to what would be acceptable to everyone, the best advice I can give is to communicate the situation with the editor. I can give is to communicate the situation with the editor. Let the editor who originally received the manuscript know that another editor has expressed interest and that you’d like to share it with him or her. Many houses have policies that two editors cannot consider a manuscript simultaneously, so it’s always a good idea to let the editors know exactly what the situation is.
4. In the current environment, do you think a writer has a chance of getting published if he or she doesn’t have an agent?
Yes, I do. Since many houses have closed submission policies, attending conferences is a great way to open the door for submissions. Editors will often accept submissions from attendees of the conferences where they participate. These conferences are also a
This July Illustration, titled Blue Moon was sent in by freelance illustrator and painter Elissa Parente. She is based in Hamilton, On. Canada and just graduated in April 2011 from the BAA Illustration program at Sheridan Institute. See more:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.195911863788092.47590.195242160521729&type=1
HIGHLIGHTS 2013 FICTION CONTEST
CATEGORY:
Stories for beginning readers in 500 words or fewer. We welcome stories of any genre (mystery, historical fiction, sports, humor, holiday, friendship, etc.) as long as the stories are intended for kids ages 6–8.
PRIZES:
Three prizes of $1,000 or tuition for any Highlights Foundation Founders Workshop. (For a complete list of workshops, visit http://www.highlightsfoundation.org.)
ENTRY DATES:
All entries must be postmarked between January 1 and January 31, 2013.
RULES:
No entry form or fee is required.
Entrants must be at least 16 years old at the time of submission.
We welcome work from both published and unpublished authors. All submissions must be previously unpublished.
Stories may be any length up to 500 words. Indicate the word count in the upper right-hand corner of the first page of your manuscript.
Include your name and the title of your story on your manuscript.
No crime, violence, or derogatory humor.
Entries not accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope will not be returned.
Manuscripts or envelopes should be clearly marked FICTION CONTEST. Those not marked in this way will be considered as regular submissions to Highlights.
SEND ENTRIES TO:
FICTION CONTEST
Highlights for Children
803 Church Street
Honesdale, PA 18431
WINNERS:
The three winning entries will be purchased by Highlights and announced on Highlights.com in June 2013. All other submissions will be considered for purchase by Highlights.
You have lots of time to work on this one, so put your thinking caps on and write, revise and polish. Good Luck!
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
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New Millennium Writings is now accepting submissions for there Thirty-fourth Consecutive Awards for Fiction, Poetry, and Nonfiction. 
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12 Comments on The End of SPROUTS MAGAZINE, last added: 11/10/2011
Love love love these!
Love you Katie Mc Dee! What a wonderful interview! Love and hugs and blessings in all your new adventures.
Very colorful and fun illustrations! Thank you for sharing!
I leave a leave a response when I like a post on a site or I have something to valuable to contribute to the
if you
conversation. It is triggered by the sincerness communicated in the post
I read. And on this post Illustrator Saturday – Katie
McDee | Writing and Illustrating. I was moved enough to post a thought
are posting on additional online sites, I would like to
keep up with you. Would you make a list the complete urls of your public pages like your Facebook page, twitter feed, or linkedin profile?