HOW DID I GET THIS JOB?

How I got this job as an illustrator for the author of the children book "LJ and the Dreammaker was a blessing from the Lord! I had just graduated with my BFA and I was browsing through the university art career opportunity website and found an ad that someone was looking for an illustrator for their new book. It was a competition to find out who was best for the job. I prayed about it and I decided to go for the competition. The author provided a sample from her manuscript and we had to illustrate from that.


She didn't describe the boy as a Caucasion or an African American so I decided to draw him as a mixed kid from the inner city. I decided to do various drawings describing the manuscript and put in a sample page layout, and I colored the drawings using different grays. This drawing of various LJ's helped me to also find the right look for Carlos (LJ's Latino friend), I was intending on drawing LJ, but the middle character came close to LJs look and the character to the right came close to Carlos. A friend of mine from Canada also went for the competition! After praying about it, I decided to turn it in. Weeks had gone buy and I then heard from the author by email saying that she decided to choose me. I started to praise God with leaping and shouting with my roommates. I then met up with her in January 09 and she said that I was the only one that came close to the vision she had of LJ. But I then had to work on the Dreammaker because she had pictured him somewhat different so I had to try to capture her vision of him! The book is just about done, and we are both excited! I love the characters. This is my first real illustration job and I pray that there are more out there waiting on me!