Winning the Buzz Words Illustration Competition

Dino Picnic - Digital painting using Procreate

I was delighted to learn that my illustration Dino Picnic was selected as the winning entry in the Buzz Words Illustration Competition.

Buzz Words is a much-loved publication for people connected with the children’s book industry, sharing news, insights, and opportunities for kid lit creators. In a recent issue, illustrators were invited to submit an artwork featuring a child or children.

The competition was judged by Bill Condon, and I’m very grateful for his time and consideration. As the winning illustrator, I received a box of pencils from Officeworks, worth $96, kindly donated by Lellie Lopter a lovely and very practical prize!

The illustration I submitted, Dino Picnic, depicts a group of children dressed as dinosaurs enjoying a picnic in a garden where the trees and bushes look suspiciously like dinosaurs too. I loved playing with the idea of how children blur imagination and reality, allowing the environment to become part of the game. It was a chance to explore humour, action, and character while leaning into visual surprises that reward close looking.

Thank you to Buzz Words for supporting illustrators and creating opportunities to share work with the children’s book community, and to everyone who entered the competition. I’m thrilled that Dino Picnic found such a warm reception and I’ll definitely be keeping those new pencils busy.