Evaluate Children's Book Illustrators Like a Publishing Professional

Welcome to the Illustrator Portfolio Assessment Tool

Evaluate picture book portfolios like a publishing professional in just 5 minutes.

This assessment tool helps you determine if an illustrator has the specific skills needed for children's picture books - beyond just creating pretty images. Publishing professionals use criteria like these to identify illustrators who can tell visual stories effectively.

How to use this tool:

1. Have a portfolio ready to evaluate. Find an illustrator whose work you're considering and open their portfolio in another browser tab.
2. Answer each question honestly. Rate the portfolio from 1-5 stars on each criterion based on what you actually see, not what you hope the illustrator can do.
3. Complete all three sections. The assessment evaluates storytelling ability, technical skills, and professional practices separately.
4. Get your personalized results. Enter your email at the end to receive your detailed assessment with specific recommendations.

For best results:

• Evaluate portfolios with at least 5-6 sample illustrations
• Look for children's book samples specifically (not general illustration)
• Focus on visual storytelling rather than just artistic style
• Consider reviewing the same portfolio with a professional coach for validation

Ready to start? Enter the illustrator's name below (for your reference only) and click "Begin Assessment"

Storytelling Ability Assessment

Beyond Beautiful Pictures

In picture books, illustrators must be visual storytellers, not just artists. This section evaluates how well the illustrator communicates narrative through images.

Great picture book illustrators create characters that remain consistent, show clear emotions, establish meaningful settings, and guide the reader's eye through the story. These skills are often more important than artistic style or technical perfection.

Look at the illustrator's sequential work (if available) and character-focused pieces to answer these questions.

Character Consistency

Emotional Expression

Visual Narrative

Environment & Setting

Composition & Focus

Technical Skills Assessment

The Artist's Toolbox

While storytelling is paramount, technical art skills provide the foundation for effective visual communication. This section evaluates the illustrator's command of fundamental artistic techniques.

Professional-level technical skills ensure illustrations will reproduce well in print, maintain quality throughout a 32-page book, and meet publishing standards. Even stylized or simple illustration requires strong technical underpinnings.

Focus on the execution quality rather than personal style preferences when answering these questions.

Drawing Fundamentals

Color Usage

Media Mastery

Visual Consistency

Attention to Detail

Professional Practice Assessment

Publishing Readiness

Beyond artistry, successful picture book illustrators understand the practical requirements of children's publishing. This section evaluates how prepared the illustrator appears to be for a professional collaboration.

Creating picture books is a specialized field with unique expectations around age appropriateness, market awareness, and production requirements. Illustrators who understand these aspects typically deliver more successful projects with fewer revisions.

If the portfolio doesn't provide enough information on some of these points, rely on available communication, presentation quality, and overall professionalism.

Age Appropriateness

Market Awareness

Portfolio Presentation

Stylistic Flexibility

Technical Requirements

Evaluation Complete!

Based on your assessment, we've calculated scores for storytelling ability, technical skills, and professional readiness - the three critical areas publishing professionals evaluate.

Click "Get My Results" to see how this illustrator scores and receive personalized recommendations.

Your Portfolio Assessment Results Are Almost Ready!

Enter your details below to see the full breakdown of your illustrator assessment and recommendations.