Hello! from Australia 2018

My mentors, Books Illustrated (Ann James and Jess Haddon) has left for Bologna Children's Book Festival in Italy, leading our Australian team from 26 to 29 in March! The 2018 Hello! from Australia, a collective Australian picture book stand will promote our Australian picture books to the world, funded by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund. This fair is the largest international book fair specialising in children’s books and is most prestigious for its particular focus on book illustration. It is a highly regarded event, popular for showcasing products and services related to the field of publishing and licensing, along with discovering new market trends in children’s book industry. If you bump the Australian team, say, "Hello!" 
I hope Ann and Jess a safe and happy trip! Go, go, Australian team!!  

Australian Collective Stand Bologna 2018: Hall 25, Stand B66
Including a feature display of notable Australian Indigenous books
See Books Illustrated's calalogue, here. 

Hello! from Australia 2018

Good Paper is Vital for Washes

Quality papers are essential for good watercolour painting work, particularly, for washes. Arche, smooth, 300 gsm is my favourite. I carry a 185 gsm sketchbook and a 300 gsm A4 pad in a backpack. A tragicomedy is sometimes, I accidentally draw a good work on a thin paper, 185 gsm. (Usually, it is a daily sketch and preliminary research.) Oh, no! It happened on this work. I tried my best to make a smoke and a smooth dark background. I hope you can enjoy it. Btw, have you ever experienced the same pain? 

A Smoker's Coffee Break 
He was a good young man seeking for his own direction in life. 
We enjoyed a chat over life. It inspired me. Thank u! 

I tried a background twice or three times, phew! I'm not happy with the outcome of his smoke. As well as the smoke, I'm still thinking of the allocation of vanishing edges in this work. 

So, I'll try the work again on 300 gsm. Creating washes and playing with wet-in-wet is easy on thick papers. Thick papers will give us freedom of expression and joy in sophisticated techniques. 

Btw, my mentors, Books Illustrated (Ann James and Jess Haddon) has left for Bologna Children's Book Festival in Italy, leading our Australian team. I hope they will have a wonderful time there and a safe trip. 
Now, I will get back to the ongoing projects and research. 
Friends, Happy Painting! 

Good Paper is Vital for Washes

1) Wave Heads 2) A great response to Prof Hawking image on FB

Very strong winds bashed/blew up wave heads at Narrabeen. The splashes and yellow orcher sand amused me. Can you believe that Sydney, it was more than 40'? In this sketch, paints got very quickly in a hot air or too soon. I tried three sketches on spot and learned the importance of speed to create washes in an extremely warm weather. Not easy, but I've got some clues. I want to challenge the blown up waves' heads more. 

After the sketching, I enjoyed a long distant swimming. Come over, Sydney! Many blogger friends in a northern hemisphere have begun to feel the visit of spring. I hope you'll enjoy capturing waves by watercolour in an upcoming supper.  

Thank you very much for a great response and many "likes" on my Prof Hawking portrait both on my Facebook and the post shared by Accessible Arts NSW on Facebook. Accessible Arts NSW  and I are very happy. I hope the image will bring others hope.    
Now, I'm working on projects, research and roughs.  
Friends, you, too, enjoy life. Happy Painting!    

1) Wave Heads 2) A great response to Prof Hawking image on FB

Prof Stephen Hawking, This Ability

Prof Stephen Hawking has proven the unlimited potential of human ability. His life, positive attitude, great achievement in science, nurturing PhD candidates and humour has lifted me up and encouraged me, when I got the disability. 

Once, I wrote about Prof Hawking and WesleyMission Building Dream Project for people with disability. I believe in "This Ability," not focus on disability. 
Thank you very much, Prof Stephen Hawking.

Prof Stephen Hawking, This Ability

Anne Spudvilas, great Illustrator, portraitist

I saw my superhero, Anne Spudvilas, a nationally and internationally celebrated picture book illustrator and portraitist. She has her glorious 25 yrs career exhibition, "A Child World in Pictures" in Newcastle Region Library until 14th April in Lovett Gallery.

The students and I studied her illustration process and enjoyed a drawing workshop. After the cat drawing workshop, sweet Anne spent time for me to sign my brought books (quite many!). 

Anne kindly explained my technical questions all in a tightly scheduled time. I've learned a lot from Anne. The day has become the great encouragement and support in my artist life. Anne is my shining example. (*more photos in my facebook site. Friends in publishing industry celebrate my meet with Anne.)  

Sadami Cat! Anne enjoys to look at how different personality come up 

in each work by a same medium, charcoal.  

Brave Anne has always challenged new medium, overcome difficulty and mastered them all : oil, watercolour and printing. We enjoyed a chat over how she found solutions in each illustration project. Students and I studied an illustration process with Anne's slide show of Where's Jessie? written by Janeen Brian ; how Anne collected raw data/references/real models, developed them into roughs and finalised them by print making. 

Slideshow, Where's Jessie? the handcoloured monoprint, (more photos of the slideshow in Sadami Konchi facebook. That shows the process and methods of development of illustration.)

Whilst working on difficult picture book projects, Anne has become a finalist in all the big portraits entitlements such as Archibald, Moran, Portia Geach etc (*how could u do them all?!). Yes, Anne is a grand slam winner of portraits. Kind Anne has been encouraging me and supporting me for ages even in her extremely busy days. I've admired her so much, loved her personality and had studied her work.  

Colour rough

Furthermore, Anne gave me TWO hugs, when we left for each direction. 
When I suddenly got a whole left leg paralysed and at the bottom of life, her work gave me dream, hope and direction to go in art. The huge rehab has paid off and I walk again. Since a start of my career, Anne Spudvilas has been my role model. Anne and I have kept in touch by emails for years though, it was the first time to see her in person. Me, too, hope myself to bring others dream, love and hope by art and in art. 
Friends, Happy Painting! 

Anne Spudvilas, great Illustrator, portraitist

My Dog Socks becomes CBCA Notable

My Dog Socks is in the Children's Book Council of Australia Notable Books. Very happy!! Australian top notches in publishing industry celebrate my job. I share my facebook post, Friends, thanks, ((Hugs))! 

· 27 February at 22:47
The most surprise was My Dog Socks in CBCA Notables!! Margaret Hamilton, CBCA, Danny Katz, Mitch Vane and attendees celebrated it together. Mentors, Ann James, Ann Haddon and Helen Chamberlin, too, celebrated it from Melbourne. Thank you very much for all the supporters, an author, Robyn Osborne and a publisher, Paul Collins. *Kind Margaret Hamilton put her hat on me, saying, "You're in. You should put it on." Oh, you're so sweet. I gave her hugs.
With Mitch Vane

Front Book Cover

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Catherine Hewitt Fantastic


Sadami Konchi Thank u very much, Catherine Hewitt!!



Meredith Costain Congratulations, Sadami!

Sadami Konchi Oh, Meredith Costain you're one of my great supporters, thank u


Imma Buono Yahoo!! Congrats my friend 🙌

Sadami Konchi Thank u, Imma Buono. You've been supporting me and a wonderful friend for ages.


Sophie Masson Bravo, Sadami! Lovely to be with you on the list.


Sadami Konchi Thank u very much, Sophie Masson! You're so kind. And tons of congrats to you!


Janeen Brian Congratulations Sadami and Robyn!

Sadami Konchi Thank u so much, Janeen Brian! You've encouraged me since I started my career on your text.


Anne Spudvilas good on you sadami ! great news x

Sadami Konchi Anne Spudvilas, thank u! I'm so happy and proud to be listed with your wonderful work!


Rebecca Sheraton Congratulations

Sadami Konchi Thank u very much, sweet Rebecca Sheraton !! Your support is my energy.


Emma Middleton Huge congratulations!

Sadami Konchi Oh, kind Emma Middleton, thank u!! Let's create good picture books!


Sue Whiting So lovely to witness your joy last night Sadami. Congrats.

Sadami Konchi Thank u very much, Sue Whiting! Happy to have celebrated your achievement, too, last night.


Jackie French Totally gorgeous!

Sadami Konchi Thank u very much, Jackie French!! Mentor Ann James highly recommends to c u and learn lot, because u r a giving person, Ann says. C u near future.

Jackie French Ann is one of the most giving people I know.
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Paul Collins Great collaboration, Robyn and Sadami!

Sadami Konchi Thank u very much, Daddy Paul Collins! "We" made it. I deeply appreciate all the staff's hard work to have created Socks!!

Robyn Osborne You can obviously pick a good manuscript Paul Collins! Thank you for taking a chance on Socks.


Lisa Stewart Congratulations just as you deserve !

Sadami Konchi Thank u very much, Lisa Stewart! U always support and encourage me.


Elise Hurst Wonderful! Congratulations!

Sadami Konchi Thank u very much, sweet Elise Hurst! You've always encouraged me for ages!!


Anna C Bee Amazing Sadami! Well done xx

Sadami Konchi Thank u, Anna C Bee, for your support!!

Sadami Konchi Thanks millions, Margaret Hamilton, Polly Birchall, Brenda Cook, Kelsey Hart, Janeen Brian, Julie-Anne Rogers, Paul Collins, Olivia Quintin, Nancy MacAlpine, Judy Barends, 神田圭司, Sherryl Clark, Kristina Tito-Barratt, Sheryl Gwyther, Tricia Kress, ...See more

Mitch Vane Hi Sadami Konchi - just got back from Sydney . So lovely to meet you - and how wonderful to hear the news that you were on the Cbca Victoria list!!! There was so much going on, I didn't realise in all the excitement. Congratulations - your illustrations are divine and you must be so thrilled. See you again soon. XXX

Sadami Konchi replied · 1 Reply

Sarah Davis So happy for you! Very well deserved.

Sadami Konchi Thank u very much, Sarah Davis, for support!
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Anna Walker Congratulations!!!

Sadami Konchi Thank u very much, Anna Walker, for encouraging and supporting for ages. You're so kind. I'll keep up!
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Our publishing team and I made it. Big names in our industry know it's not easy to get in the CBCA list. So, they celebrate it together. Other people have said that my notable by a second picture book is quite fast. But it hardly happens. Imagine many good picture books across Australia compete for this annual entitlement. I really thank for your support for ages. I've come to this level step by step. I'll just keep up. 
Friends, Happy Painting!  

My Dog Socks becomes CBCA Notable