Children's Book Illustrations
Of all the creative projects I have worked on, creating illustrated books for children is my absolute favourite. I love bringing stories to life through fun character designs and captivating scenes, tailoring the colour palette and lighting to each mood and moment of the book.
Capturing a story creatively and having children really engage with it, is an incredibly rewarding experience. The books which I read as a child, that I would read over and over again – books like; ‘The Trouble With Mom’ by Babette Cole, ‘Winnie-The-Pooh’ by A.A.Milne, ‘There’s Something In My Attic’ by Mercer Mayer and anything by the fabulous Dr Seuss.
To read a book as a child and have it stay with you through to adulthood is something pretty special. I want to illustrate your book and have children remember it for years to come. To create a sense of wonder and joy in children through illustrated story-telling is a wonderful gift to give and something I strive to do with each book I illustrate.
Below are some illustrated projects I have worked on. I’ve included a step-by-step process that I use in order to create an illustrated children’s book from start to finish. This is the general process that I work to and I am always more than happy to tailor my work-flow to meet your needs.
If you think I’d be a good fit for your book, please don’t hesitate to get in touch – I would love to help you bring your story to life!
My Process
I’ve created a step-by-step process that I work to for creating children’s book illustrations. This is by no means a rigid process and I am always happy to tailor it to your specific requirements.
Step 1.
Discussing the details
The first step of the process is to read through your story and discuss the details of the project over the phone/zoom to gain a full understanding of the characters, style, target age group, colour palette, mood, timescales for delivery etc covering all aspects of the project so I know exactly what you’re looking to achieve.
Step 2.
The quote & contract
Once I know the full depth and breadth of the project, I’ll provide you with a comprehensive quote. If approved, I will follow up the quote with a formal contract to be signed outlining our standard terms and conditions which can be found (here). These will have already been discussed in the first stage of the process to ensure both parties are in agreement of ownership of copyright etc. If we have not worked together before, I usually request an agreed deposit upfront before beginning the project.
Step 3.
Character style sheets
Now the fun begins! Depending on the story, I will create a range of character style sheets to determine the overall look and feel of the main characters in the book. I will look at different poses and expressions outlined in the story to help determine the personalities of each character.
Step 4.
Scene sketches/rough storyboard
Once the character styles have been approved, I will create rough sketches of the scenes throughout the entire book, outlining the overall composition of each double page (spread) illustration alongside the accompanying text. I will provide a range of different font options to choose from for the book text. It will be at this stage that any major changes to the illustrations and layout will be made if needed. I will create the colour palette for the book and will do a rough colour flood to the illustrations to give you an accurate indication of how the final illustrations will look and feel.
Step 5.
Final illustrations
Once the rough coloured scenes have been approved, I will create the final illustrations for the book, including the front and back cover. I will send these back to you to review for any minor adjustments where needed. I will always error check the book for any possible typos or mistakes of any kind, but please understand that the final sign-off is your responsibility so it is always very important to check each page thoroughly!
Step 6.
Storybook complete!
Once you’re happy and ready to sign off on the project, I will begin preparing the files for export to the artwork specifications supplied, ensuring that you, the publishers/printers have everything needed to begin production. I am always happy to liaise with your publishers/printers where necessary.
When the final files have been sent, I will follow up with an invoice for the completed work and ecstatically await to see the beautiful finished article!
Easy peasy lemon squeezy. And what a fun adventure to embark on together. If you’d like to find out more or would like to chat through your project (with no obligation) – drop me an email. I’d love to hear from you.
