Children’s Book Illustration Guide: The Illustration Process

Illustrations are not just decorations in children’s books; they are an essential element that brings life to words and captivate the imagination of children. Vibrant illustrations have the power to transform simple stories into memorable adventures and help children visualize the characters and the world around them. Illustrations play a crucial role in engagement, comprehension, and the overall enjoyment of the reading experience. For authors, understanding how to incorporate illustrations effectively is not just an artistic endeavor but a strategic one that can significantly impact the success of their book.

This article was written to break down the process of illustrating a children’s book for authors. Whether you are looking to collaborate with a seasoned illustrator or exploring ways to express your own artistic vision alongside your narrative, this guide will navigate you through every step of the illustration process. From choosing the right style and artist to integrating the visuals seamlessly with your text, our goal is to provide you with practical advice and insights that will help bring your stories to life visually. Let’s explore how you can turn your ideas into beautifully illustrated pages that spark the imagination of children and create lasting impressions.

Planning Your Book’s Illustrations

Illustrations in a children’s book do more than just add visual appeal; they help tell the story in ways that words alone cannot. It’s all about how they balance “show vs. tell” and have the unique ability to provide clues to the story for children to find. Because illustrations are so important, it’s wise to take the time to plan your book’s illustrations, ensuring that the visuals effectively complement and enhance your story.

Visualizing Your Story

Before a single line is drawn, it’s crucial to imagine the visual narrative that will accompany your text. This process involves conceptualizing how each scene will look and how it will convey the story’s emotions and activities. This is why we encourage authors to start with a storyboard or a series of rough sketches that outline each page or spread in the book. This will serve as a blueprint for your illustrator and help ensure that your vision is clearly communicated.

Did you know Made Live has an entire Storyboarding Workspace to help you get your ideas out of your head and onto the page? Start your risk-free trial today to check it out. 

Consistency is Key

Maintain a consistent style and theme throughout your book. Consistency in the visual elements helps in building a cohesive world for your story and provides a smoother reading experience for young readers. Whether it’s the color palette, the character designs, or the background settings, each element should contribute to a unified aesthetic.

Choosing the Right Art Style

The art style you choose for your book should resonate with your intended audience and complement the tone of your story. Different art styles can evoke different feelings and reactions, and the right style can make your book more engaging for your target readers.

Exploring Art Styles

• Cartoonish: Ideal for stories that are dynamic and humorous. Bold lines and bright colors in this style can make the characters leap off the page.
• Watercolor: Perfect for gentle, lyrical stories. This style offers a softness and a dream-like quality that can be very appealing in bedtime stories or poetic narratives.
• Digital Art: Offers versatility and is suitable for both vibrant and detailed illustrations. It’s particularly effective for books aiming for a modern or futuristic feel.
• Collage: Using cutouts of various materials can provide a tactile element that is intriguing. This style is great for educational books or stories that aim to stimulate sensory responses.

When selecting an art style, consider looking at books that share a similar theme to yours and see what styles they use in their illustrations. This can offer insights into what works well and may also inspire a new creative direction for your own book illustrations.

Read more about children’s book illustration styles here.

By thoroughly planning your illustrations and choosing a style that complements your narrative, you can not only enhance the storytelling power of your children’s book, but avoid potentially costly and frustrating mistakes. 

Finding and Working with Illustrators

Finding the right illustrator is critical for translating your vision into a beautiful children’s book. Here’s how to navigate the selection process and foster effective collaboration.

Finding the Right Illustrator – Where to Find Them

1. Online Platforms: Websites like Behance, ArtStation, and Instagram are great places to discover talented illustrators. Any platform that allows artists to showcase their portfolios can give you a sense of different illustration styles as well as the range of individual illustrators.
2. Art Colleges and Universities: Many art schools host portfolio days, where students and recent graduates present their work. Attending these events can connect you with up-and-coming illustrators eager to take on new projects.
3. Professional Referrals: Ask for referrals from your network or join writer and illustrator groups on platforms like LinkedIn or Facebook. Referrals from other authors or industry professionals can lead to great opportunities, but make sure to do your own research before committing based on someone else’s word.

Evaluating an Illustrator’s Portfolio

• Alignment with Your Vision: Look for illustrators whose style matches the tone and aesthetic of your story. Their portfolio should demonstrate a proficiency in themes and subjects similar to what you’re looking for.
• Versatility and Skill: Good illustrators can adapt to different styles. However, ensure that they excel in the specific style you are targeting.
• Past Projects: Examine their previous work for other children’s books. This not only shows experience but also their ability to convey stories visually.
• Ask for References: Unless they’re brand new to children’s book illustration, illustrators should be happy to connect you with a few happy customers. 

Effective Collaboration – Communicating Your Vision

• Initial Briefing: Start with a briefing that includes details about your story, characters, and the emotions you want to convey. Providing reference images and mood boards can help clarify your expectations.
• Regular Check-Ins: Schedule regular meetings to review progress. These check-ins allow you to make adjustments early on and ensure the project remains aligned with your vision.

Importance of Feedback Loops and Approval Processes

• Feedback Loops: Constructive feedback is vital. Be clear about what you like and what needs changing, focusing on how revisions will better capture the essence of your story.
• Approval Processes: Establish a clear process for approving illustrations at various stages. This might include initial sketches, color tests, and final artwork. Having structured approval points helps manage revisions efficiently and keeps the project on schedule.
• Document Everything: Keep a record of all communications and decisions. This not only helps resolve any discrepancies that might arise but also ensures both parties are clear on the direction and changes made throughout the project.

By carefully selecting an illustrator and establishing a productive workflow, you can build and support a successful partnership. Remember, effective collaboration is about communication and mutual respect for each other’s creative process.

Technical Aspects of Illustrations

Understanding the technical aspects of illustrations ensures the artwork aligns with your book’s format and enhances your story. Let’s look at the tools illustrators use and how to prepare your manuscript for illustrations.

Understanding Illustration Tools – Digital vs. Traditional Tools

• Digital Tools: Digital illustration involves software that allows for precise edits and unlimited revisions without degradation of the original artwork. Programs like Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and Procreate offer illustrators a range of brushes, colors, and effects that can be tailored to any style, making them ideal for complex and layered images. The benefits include ease of revisions, versatility, and compatibility with various publishing formats, including digital publishing.
• Traditional Tools: Traditional methods, like pencil, ink, watercolor, or acrylics, offer a tactile quality that can be deeply personal and visually striking. Traditional illustrations can add a unique charm and warmth to a book, which can be add to the appeal of your children’s book. However, changes can be more labor-intensive and scanning the artwork might be necessary to prepare it for publication.

Popular Software for Professional Illustrators

• Adobe Illustrator: Best for creating vector art which is scalable for any size without loss of quality—perfect for illustrations that might be printed large or small.
• Photoshop: Offers extensive tools for both drawing and editing images with an emphasis on detailed texturing and color blending.
• Procreate: Known for its intuitive interface and robust brush library, it’s favored by illustrators who prefer a more hand-drawn feel.

Preparing for Illustrations – Formatting Your Manuscript

The most common questions about preparing a manuscript for illustration typically all come back to clearly defining where illustrations will go. You must always consider where the balance of the text and the imagery on each page or spread. This might mean leaving space within or around your text, or perhaps dedicating entire pages to artwork. 

Specifying Book Size and Layout:

• Book Size: Decide on the book’s trim size early as it has a huge impact on the size and orientation of the illustrations. Common sizes for children’s books include 8.5″ x 11″ for full-page illustrations or 5″ x 8″ for smaller books.
• Layout Considerations: Determine whether your book will have a portrait or landscape layout, which affects how the illustrations are designed and how they flow with the text.
• Relationship Between Text and Images: Communicate clearly how you picture the interaction between text and illustrations. Do you prefer the text integrated into the imagery, or should it be separate? How do you balance full-page spreads with pages of text?

Integrating Illustrations with Text

Merging illustrations with text is a pivotal step in creating a children’s book that is both visually appealing and easy to read. This section covers how to design effective page layouts and finalize illustrations to ensure they are ready for publication.

Designing Page Layouts – Balancing Text and Illustrations

Visual Hierarchy: Establish a visual hierarchy that guides the reader’s eye through the page in a way that enhances the storytelling. Position key elements of the illustration to complement the text, not overshadow it.
Whitespace Management: Utilize whitespace effectively to prevent the layout from becoming cluttered. This helps in distinguishing between the text and illustrations, making each page easier to digest.
Consistency: Maintain a consistent style and placement of text across pages to ensure a cohesive look throughout the book. Consistency in design keeps the reader engaged and aids in comprehension.

Examples of Effective Layouts:

“Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak: Uses large, full-page illustrations with minimal text to immerse readers in the wild rumpus.
“The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle: Features a unique layout with different-sized pages and holes cut into illustrations, aligning perfectly with the text to physically represent the caterpillar’s journey.
“Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown: Employs a classic layout with text and illustrations on separate but complementary pages, creating a rhythmic progression that is soothing for bedtime reading.

Finalizing Illustrations – Review and Finalization Process

• Review Rounds: Conduct multiple rounds of reviews with your illustrator to ensure each illustration accurately captures the essence of the text and meets your expectations. Use these sessions to make adjustments to color, composition, and detail.
• Text Integration: After illustrations are approved, integrate the text with the images to see the complete layout. This step often reveals if additional adjustments are needed to ensure text visibility and alignment with the illustrations.

Ensuring Print-Readiness:

Resolution and Format: Ensure all illustrations are in high resolution, typically 300 DPI or higher, and in the correct file format (usually TIFF or PSD) to meet printing standards.
Color Accuracy: Check the color profiles (CMYK for print) to ensure that the colors in your illustrations will print as expected. Conduct a proof print to see how colors and details appear on paper.
Bleeds and Margins: Confirm that your illustrations have the appropriate bleeds and margins. Illustrations should extend past where the page will be trimmed to ensure no unprinted edges occur.
Finalizing your illustrations involves meticulous attention to detail and careful coordination with your illustrator and printer. By thoroughly reviewing and preparing illustrations for print, you can avoid common pitfalls and ensure your book looks professional when it hits the shelves. This careful integration of text and images not only enhances the readability of your book but also elevates the overall aesthetic appeal, making it a treasure on any child’s bookshelf.