Self-publishing a book for children? We show you how to find an illustrator who will be a perfect match for your book
Do you need an illustrator?
Many children's book authors are also artists. But unless you have well-developed skills and some experience in illustration, you may prefer to engage the services of a professional to handle this side of your publication. The visual aspect is central to most children's books, so they need exceptional artwork. No matter if you're writing an MG chapter book which will have only a few illustrations and the cover art or a full-spread, full-color picture book for younger readers, the artwork must be high-quality to compete in the marketplace and do justice to your story.
Know what you want
This might seem obvious, but it's important to figure out in advance what kind of style and treatment you want for the illustrations in your book. Artists and illustrators have widely varying styles and approaches, work with traditional or digital media, and often specialize in certain subjects or age groups, for example. Having in mind a clear idea of what you want your illustrations to be like will help narrow down your search and also provide a benchmark to evaluate each artist you might choose.
Think about the technical aspects of your book
If you are engaging the services of a third-party professional children's book illustrator, you'll need to provide them with a creative and technical brief. So, they'll need to know who many illustrations you want, what the final dimensions of the pictures should be, where the text will be placed, and so on. You'll need to know the overall dimensions of your book, the binding style — for example saddle-stitched or perfect bound — the trim sizes and the orientation, either portrait or landscape. If you're not sure of these technical requirements, talk to us first. We'll be happy to help you and can also send you a design template to share with your designer based on your book's needs. We don't charge for this service.
Create a samples portfolio
It's a great idea to create a small portfolio of, say, six to a dozen already-published children's book illustrations which are like those you'd like for your own book. Compile images on a “mood board” on Pinterest or download them into a file on your computer, to share with your chosen illustrator. Make sure you only use the images for private use and you don't breach copyright laws by sharing them in public. You want your artist to use them only as a reference, not to copy them!
Work out your budget
You'll need to work out your budget in advance. Original artwork can get quite expensive, so it's worth knowing exactly how much you can afford to spend before you begin negotiations with a potential children's book illustrator. You may need to adjust the number, size, and color specifics of your illustrations based on your budget. Realistically, expect to spend at least $1,000 for a complete book as an absolute minimum. The upper end could be in the tens of thousands. A benchmark average for a standard children's picture book, including the cover design, would be between $2,000 and $6,000.
Not all artists are illustrators!
Remember that not all artists will be good illustrators. Illustration is a specific artistic discipline and requires specialist training, knowledge, and experience to understand how to extract the right images from the text, how to present them and make them support the story and integrate with the overall design of the book. There's more to it, in other words, that just making pretty pictures! So, make sure that any artist you work with has experience with illustration and always ask to see both examples of previous projects on which they've worked and testimonies from clients.
How to find an illustrator
Once you're ready t begin your search for an illustrator for your children's book, there are several viable options for finding talented and reputable freelancers. Here's a helpful list of options you can try to get started. And don't forget, you can always make a direct approach to an illustrator whose work you've enjoyed by contacting them via their publisher.
- Sign up for freelance marketplace websites such as Reedsy, Upwork, Fiverr, and others
- Subscribe to one of the professional writers' and artists' associations and network within the community
- Search the classified advertisements in professional writer's journal like Freelance Writers News, Writer's Digest, The Writer, and so on
- Open your favorite Internet search engines and look online. Searching like, “freelance children's book illustrators”, “illustrators for hire” and “independent book illustration services” should work
- Ask in your local library and consult professional directories such as Children's Writers and Illustrators Market.
Write and sign a contract
While it may tempt you to engage a freelancer “on trust” it is a much better idea to write and sign a contract with your chosen illustrator. You can get a solicitor to do this for you, write it yourself, or download a ready-made contract template from a reputable Internet site. Whichever route you take, a contract should always include:
- The extent and limitations of the work — number of illustrations, revision requests, technical specifications, etc.
- Timelines, milestones, and final deadlines
- Payment terms, including how much, when, and how
- The rights and responsibilities of both parties
- Termination or withdrawal terms and penalties
It can seem quite daunting to take this step, but in most cases you'll be working with a trustworthy professional who will do a good job at the agreed price and deliver the work on time. The contract is a good idea, however, to protect everyone concerned and to mitigate against unexpected changes in circumstances.
When should you get the printer involved?
In our experience — we have over 25 years of experience in the industry and have worked with thousands of writers and artists over that time — it's never too soon to get your printer involved. This is especially true if you're a self-published author who may not yet be familiar with all the technical specifications that you need to understand and share with your illustrator and book designer. We can support you from day one with practical advice and all kinds of resources, from design templates for the layout of your book's pages to free artwork and file checking. We're happy to liaise directly with your designer and illustrator, too, to help smooth the process and make sure that everybody is on message as the project progresses.
Talk to us!
Here at QinPrinting we work with authors, illustrators, and independent artists of every stripe every day. We're as passionate about people as we are about printing. One aspect of our business of which we're most proud is our continued global reputation not only for the quality of our printing services, but for our commitment to personalized, genuine customer care. In the often-cutthroat modern marketplace, we believe it's what really sets us apart; and keeps our happy customers coming back to us every time.
When you've chosen your illustrator and you're ready to get to work on preparing the print files for your book, talk to us first. We have the latest state-of-the-art technology at our finger tips, a knowledgeable team of experts eager to help you, and a worldwide reputation for excellence. Let's talk!