How to Illustrate a Children's Book
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How to Illustrate a Children's Book
Introduction
Illustrating a children's book is a difficult, but rewarding, occupation. You can spend hours creating colorful pictures to be enjoyed by children all over the world. To do this well, have patience and cultivate competence in a variety of artistic modes of expression.
Instructions
Difficulty: Challenging
Steps
1
Step One
Decide what the plot and tone of your book will be. This will determine the character of the drawings or paintings that you create. A serious book may be illustrated with somber colors or dark black with pen-and-ink illustrations. A comical, happy book may need bright, primary colors.
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Step Two
Prepare your materials according to the project that you're going to illustrate. It's important to have everything you need in order to let your creative mind get to work on the illustrations you want to create.
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Step Three
Think carefully about the visual impact that you want each page to have. If the book is heavy on text, your image will be lighter and smaller. If the image itself is the focus of the story, you will want to create large, captivating images.
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Step Four
Remember that you're drawing for children. Make the images colorful, easily "read," and attractive. Subtlety isn't as necessary in children's books, though substantial detail and richness of context are pluses.
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Step Five
Be open to many materials and methods. You can illustrate with simple pencil drawings, or you can use pen and ink. You can use colored paper, ripped or cut into the desired shapes, or you can use clay images, mount them and photograph them. You can photograph real-life scenes, or you can use paints of all kinds.
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Step Six
Read books like Writer's Market, that tell you what publishers are looking for. If you're working on a specific book, check out publishers that would take on a book like that, and follow their guidelines.
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Step Seven
Get your work out there to be noticed. Select your best pieces and upload them to one or more of the various web sites that cater to the promotion of illustrators. The more people know about your work, the more likely you are to get hired as a professional illustrator.
Tips & Warnings
- Read all the children's books you can get your hands on. You will get wonderful ideas as you discover all the ways in which illustrators are doing their thing these days.
- Make frequent use of Writer's Digest, both the magazine and the website. The company has published many books on the topic, as well.
- Practice every day. The field is competitive, and you need to be at the top of your game in order to make a living at such a career.
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How to Illustrate a Children's Book
Introduction
One way to encourage children to read is to entice them with breathtaking pictures in a children's book. If illustrating children's books is your dream, make it a reality. Join an industry where your passion for art makes a difference to a child.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Steps
1
Step One
Gather your artwork and create a portfolio that focuses on illustrating for children's books. Include artwork that depicts children and animals at play.
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Step Two
Search the children's section at your local library, bookstore or teacher's store. View what is currently on the market. Keep in mind that the artwork is approximately two years old due to publication.
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Step Three
Generate a list of potential employers and publishers. Investigate the market. Seek out publishers and potential employers who are interested in children's book illustrators.
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Step Four
Mail samples of your artwork to publishers and try to arrange an appointment with the Art Director at a publishing company. Use initiative when marketing your talent as an artist.
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Step Five
Join professional organizations that represent children's book illustrators. Become a member of a guild. Many of these organizations hold conferences and workshops to enhance your knowledge and skill base.
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Step Six
Take or teach an art class to network with others in your field. Link up with artists as a form of support, as a resource and as mentors.
Tips & Warnings
- If you are a novice, focus your drawings on children and animals at play. Use bright and bold colors that appeal to children.
- Stay focused and set small manageable goals. After you've generated your list of potential publishers, follow up on your application.
- Do not get discouraged by rejection. It may take several meetings and submissions of your artwork to get hired.