If you’re looking for a speaker who inspires raucous laughter and jaw dropping entertainment, you want award-winning children’s book author/illustrator, Elizabeth O. Dulemba!
"e" has spoken at over 50 schools, conferences and events, and covers several topics depending on your audience and venue.
Click here to view her: Current Calendar Past Speaking Engagements Testimonials
TOPICS: Easy Fun(ages 4 to adult) Elizabeth will read from her latest books and walk the audience through drawing a character from her stories by breaking it down to simple shapes. (She'll need volunteers to help.) e will sign and leave the demonstration drawing for her hosts. If using one of her bilingual stories, there will be a quick quiz with giveaways.
See e in action... Video runs about 4.5 minutes.
You Draw and Color for a Living?(ages 3rd grade to adult) Elizabeth will walk the audience through her digital method of illustrating picture books using an online slide show She will read one of her latest books, do a demonstration drawing, and share sneak peeks behind the scenes of her latest projects. She'll also share funny tales and encourage everybody to chase their own dreams with determination.
Virtual Visits(ages 3rd grade to adult) Don't have the funds for an in-person visit? e is now offering Virtual Visits using Skype. Make technology work for you and your students in an exciting new way!
Because of the technological aspect of this presentation, it holds appeal for older students as well as young.
email for equipment requirements and pricing. (Read about a virtual visit - click here.) Self-promotion for illustrators on the cheap(adults) Elizabeth will talk about various methods of self-promotion using examples from her own journey while breaking into the tough industry of children's books. She’ll talk about short-cuts, work arounds, and making technology work for you. (This topic works well for conference sessions or mini-workshops.)
Web Marketing 101(adults) Many publishers now require their authors and illustrators to have a presence online. Elizabeth will talk about creating easy websites and social networking - what it is and how authors and illustrators can use it to promote their work. (This topic works well for conference sessions or mini-workshops.)
Creating Children's Picture Books(adults) This course works well for conferences and college presentations, but is also presented annually as a weekend-long course at the
John C. Campbell Folk School. e relates the journey of writing and illustrating children’s picture books, from revisions to dummies and submissions to slush piles.
She shares the standard structure of picture books and useful resources students can use on their own journey.
For illustrators, she focuses on self-promotion and what happens once hired. For writers, she concentrates on the basics of writing for
children and how it is different from and similar to other writing. e shares the challenges of breaking into the
publishing industry, and how best to succeed. (Read about a class - click here.)
Finding Your Passion(adults) Inspirational talk about finding the unifying thread in one's life. Looking back for common drivers and applying those inclinations to shape future decisions. How the conscious awareness of this thread can help define artistic style, voice, and a life driven by passion.
Beginning Drawing(teens to adults)Beg. Drawing Outline (25k pdf) Offered as a weekend-long course at the John C. Campbell Folk School,
e covers basic drawing techniques including line, shade, and composition. Students explore value, contrast, dimension and perspective through simple shapes and then move on to the tricks of still life.
Schedule
If you would like to schedule a visit, please email for detailed information and pricing
Want to learn more about putting together a successful author/illustrator visit? Read: The ABC's of a Successful Author/Illustrator Visit at the SCBWI website or
visit the ALSC's (Association for Library Service to Children) website.
Note! If you are a bookseller and you are able
to arrange paid visits (and handle book sales) for e in your area, she will happily pay 10% of her fee to you as booking agent!
Can't get enough? Find other authors who do School Visits...
Looking for funding?
Consider teaming up with a nearby school to split costs, hosting a fund-raiser through your PTA, or applying for a grant:
“The kids talked about your "visit" all day and were really amazed! The teachers wouldn't stop bragging either! Even our principal joined us! Thank you so much for your well organized slides and your excitement!” Feedback on a Virtual School Visit — Meredith Lowe, Art Education Teacher, Austin Middle School
"Thank you twice for the wonderful program on Wednesday last. You were so amazing and with such an oddly matched group. We had several compliments from folks later in the evening. I'm always just blown away by how easy you make drawing look. Thank you for the wonderful picture of Rosebud. She is just beautiful and the Friends of the Decatur Library will be getting her framed for display in the Children's Room." — Patricia Dollisch, Youth Services Manager, Decatur Library
"Thank you for inspiring our students! . . . Our budding artists and authors will
thrive as a result of you sharing your time and talents with them." — Principal Bernetta Jones-Jordan, Avondale Middle School, May 2006
"Your visit was quite well received and you did a very good job of communicating to your
audience the nature of your work and interesting them in it. . . . Keep doing what you're doing!" — Media Specialist Beverly Gaines, Avondale Middle School, May 2006
"Good reality, honesty with encouragement." "Good candid and encouraging talk. Very good info, tips, etc." "Great speaker. Knows her stuff." Participants at the Blue Ridge Writer's
Conference, March 2005
"Great instructor - so willing to share her expertise and go the extra mile." "Elizabeth delivered an amazing amount of information in a very short time. She was upbeat and helpful the entire time." "Instructor was really great . . . patient and willing to instruct each student in the way they needed." Beginning Drawing Students, John C. Campbell Folk School, August 2005
"Thanks for coming in and doing the talk, Elizabeth. You are so generous with your knowledge about your market.
I heard several unprovoked comments calling the talk very informative, showing both the good and bad of children's book illustration and well worth the time.
You are welcome at SCAD anytime." - Jay Montgomery, Instructor, Savvanah College of Art & Design, Atlanta Campus, January 2007
"Elizabeth is very positive and has an informal style that is perfect for a class of beginners. I've learned more than I ever thought possible for a weekend class."
"Elizabeth was thoroughly enjoyable and very knowledgeable. Explained and taught so very understandably."
"My first formal drawing education and I enjoyed it very much. Terrific instructor, very patient. Thank you, "e"! - Beginning Drawing Students, John C. Campbell Folk School, May 2007
"Creating Children's Picture Books with Elizabeth O. Dulemba opened these naïve eyes to what it takes to write for children. This rich and potent weekend program was offered at the John C. Campbell Folk School. Being one of those ignorant and arrogant people who suffers from the delusion that it would be a piece of cake, it was a major awakening. It feels like opening the door on a vast, subterranean complex where nothing is as it appears on the surface. Those happy, funny, appealing pages that sing to me in the children's book section arrived there due to immense skill, endless determination and raw courage, not to mention amazing talent. These eyes now see them with the impressed and respectful gaze they deserve." - Creating Picture Book Student, Kathy Stilwell, John C. Campbell Folk School, December 2009
