You're writing a children's book. Or maybe it's an illustrated non-fiction guide, a poetry collection with visual elements, or a picture book for the youngest readers. Whatever the format, you need original illustrations that match the tone of your words exactly — not stock images, not clip art, but art created for your book and your vision. Finding the right illustrator, communicating your vision clearly, and managing the process through to print-ready files is a significant undertaking. We make it straightforward.
What is book illustration?
Book illustration is the creation of original artwork specifically for a published book — character designs, scene illustrations, cover art, decorative elements, or full-page spreads. For children's books, illustrations typically carry as much narrative weight as the text: they expand on what's written, reveal character emotion, and create the visual world of the story. For illustrated non-fiction or poetry, they provide context and visual rhythm. Professional book illustration requires not just artistic skill but knowledge of print production — illustrations must be created at the correct DPI, in the correct color mode, and sized precisely for the book's trim size to print at full quality. Once illustrations are complete, we pair them with print formatting and cover design to produce a complete, publication-ready book.
What's included
What you receive
- Character concept sketches reviewed and approved before full illustration begins
- Full-page illustrations in a consistent style across the entire book
- Spot illustrations and decorative elements as specified in the project scope
- Black-and-white or full-color illustration (confirmed at project start)
- Style consistency review across all pages before final delivery
- Two rounds of revisions per illustration — at sketch stage and at finish stage
- Print-ready files at 300 DPI in CMYK for print and RGB for digital distribution
- Files sized correctly for your book's trim size and formatted for placement in layout
Who is this for?
Authors writing children's picture books
Picture book illustrations aren't decoration — they carry narrative weight equal to the text. For a 32-page picture book, the illustrations tell as much of the story as the words. We match you with illustrators who understand this, and manage the process from character concepts through to print-ready spreads.
Writers of illustrated non-fiction or poetry
An illustrated non-fiction book — whether a guide, a memoir with visual elements, or a poetry collection — uses artwork to provide context, pacing, and visual rhythm that text alone can't achieve. Original illustrations tailored to your content outperform stock imagery every time.
Authors with a clear visual concept who need an illustrator to execute it
You know what you want the illustrations to look like — or at least what feeling you want them to have. You need an experienced illustrator who can take a written brief, some reference images, and your manuscript, and produce artwork that matches your vision with professional consistency across every page.
Our process
- 01
Project brief and scope
Tell us about your book: genre, word count, target age range or audience, visual style references, illustration count, and whether you need black-and-white or full color. We discuss scope, confirm the illustrator match, and provide a detailed project timeline.
- 02
Character concept sketches
Before any full illustrations begin, we produce character concept sketches — initial interpretations of your main characters for your review and approval. This is where visual direction is established, and it's the most important revision stage.
- 03
Illustration in batches
Full illustrations are produced and delivered in batches — typically 6–10 at a time. You review each batch and provide feedback before the next batch begins. This keeps the project on track and allows for early course-correction.
- 04
Style consistency review
Before final delivery, all illustrations are reviewed together as a set for visual consistency — color palette, line weight, character proportions, and tonal unity across every spread.
- 05
Final delivery
Print-ready files are delivered in all required formats. If you're pairing illustrations with print formatting, we coordinate directly with the layout process to ensure everything fits correctly for your trim size.