Hello all,
Wikimedia, a charitable organization that has created the infamous Wikipedia encyclopedia, has now got a sizable grant from the Beck Foundation to create a kids magazine in English. Eventually, we hope the Wikijunior project to expand our magazine into at least 10 languages, and distribute to all corners of the areas of the world, for as minimal a price as possible.
We're looking for an illustrator/cartoonist to join our ranks of volunteers. Applicants will have the chance to design the character of "Kiki", a curious Hawaiian girl who appears in various spots of our magazine.
If you want to try your hand, the rules and requirements are below. We're only looking for a design right now. We'll recruit others to illustrate each issue if you're not wanting to commit actual illustrating the magazine. No matter what, every issue of the magazine will include credit to you. Remember, the more you have fun, the better it'll turn out. Anything goes really. As long as it looks good, I'm honestly open to any style, whatsoever.
As magazine art director, I will narrow down all of the entries to my 3-5 favourites, at which point the Wikijunior community will decide.
Our first issue will either be Big Cats, the Solar System, or South America, depending on which one our writing team ends up writing first.
Any questions, post here, or e-mail [email protected] . The project is being developed at http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikijunior .
What to draw:
- Kiki's whole body: climbing, shocked, thinking
- Kiki's face, by itself: confused, happy, cringing
- At least one must be inked, not necessarily coloured, and at least one must be left as the original pencil rough, not cleaned up. The other four drawings can be in whatever state.
- You can omit one of the necessary drawings, if you so choose. Don't worry, I won't hold it against you.
Criteria:
- She should preferably be Hawaiian. But no grass skirts. A flower in her hair might be okay, depending on how it's done, but she's just your average girl, she doesn't work at a tourist giftshop, getting people lei'd.
- She should be a proper weight; not anorexic, not obese. Not to rule out something design well like Violet Incredible, the highly exaggerated look.
- She can be nerdy, but don't make her gawky.
- She should be at least relatively attractive.
- She's intelligent, curious, asks tons of questions.
- I'd love if her clothing could be timeless. Fairly in style, but not fashion-forward. No Velmas.
- Make sure its possible to draw her doing anything. The illustrations shouldn't have to faked toooo much.
- As for style, don't do anything stoopid. You're designing for 8-11 year olds, they generally don't want Precious Moments. (http://www.preciousmoments.com/)