Design · Illustration studio
Book illustration services pair your story with a professional artist who draws original artwork for your pages, your cover or both. Every image is made for your book, and you keep full rights to it. Our artists work from your manuscript, your notes and your sense of how the book should feel.
We work with children's authors, novelists, nonfiction writers and publishers who want art that matches their words. If you have a manuscript, we start there. If you are still missing the text, our children's book writing services and ghostwriting services can help you write it. Get a free consultation to talk through your project.
Book illustration services produce the original images that sit inside or on the outside of a book. That can be a full-color picture book, a handful of black-and-white chapter headers, a map of an invented kingdom or a painted cover for a fantasy novel.
Anyone with a visual idea can use an illustrator, but the people who benefit most are children's authors, whose books depend on pictures, and fiction writers who want a distinct cover or interior art. Cookbooks, memoirs, workbooks and business books also gain from diagrams, portraits and infographics.
Illustration is not the same as cover design. A designer arranges type, color and artwork into a finished cover that sells on a shelf or a thumbnail. An illustrator creates the artwork itself. Many covers use both, which is why our team works across the two disciplines and keeps the pieces consistent.
Different books need different art. Here are the main types we produce.
A standard picture book runs 32 pages, which usually means about 14 to 16 spreads, each telling part of the story. Your illustrator plans the pacing so page turns build curiosity, and designs characters that stay recognizable throughout. Need the story written first? Our children's book writing services are close at hand. Each spread is sketched so the picture adds something the words leave out, whether that is a joke, a hidden detail or a mood.
Older readers want fewer pictures, but they still love them. We create chapter openers, small scene drawings and character portraits that give the text rhythm without taking over. The style can be playful, moody or adventurous, depending on how your book sounds. Black-and-white line art keeps printing costs down, while full color suits readers who are just learning to love chapter books.
Custom cover artwork is common in fantasy, science fiction, romance and children's titles. We illustrate the scene or symbol, then our book cover design services add the title, spine and back cover so the full wrap is ready for print. You approve a rough composition before any color work begins, which keeps surprises to a minimum.
Before drawing pages, many projects need a character sheet that shows your hero from several angles with key expressions and outfits. Series authors also use concept art to define worlds, creatures and props, so every later book looks consistent. If you plan a series, this early work is time well spent, because it gives every future artist or edition a reliable reference.
Spot illustrations are small images that decorate a page or illustrate a point. We also draw maps for fantasy novels and clean infographics for nonfiction, with labels you can adjust later if the text changes. A well-drawn map also helps readers keep track of where the story is happening, which matters in long, layered fantasy worlds.
Panel-based stories, coloring books and puzzle pages call for a different workflow, with consistent line weight and clear space for text. We scope these by page count and complexity, and share a sample page before full production. Speech balloons, panel borders and lettering space are planned from the start, not squeezed in at the end.
Style shapes how readers feel about your story before they read a word. Watercolor feels soft and warm, which suits bedtime stories and nature themes. Digital painting offers rich color and detail, and it is a popular choice for fantasy and adventure. Cartoon and whimsical styles bring humor and energy. Vector art is crisp and flat, ideal for educational books and infographics. Pencil and ink drawings give a classic, hand-drawn look, while collage adds texture and surprise. Many books mix techniques, such as a hand-drawn line with a digital color palette, to get the best of both. Tell us what you picture, and we will suggest where it will work and where it may be hard to keep up across thirty pages.
The easiest way to describe what you want is a short style guide. Collect a few books or images you love, note the colors and mood you want, and list anything to avoid. Even rough notes help your illustrator hit the mark on the first sketch. You can view finished work in our portfolio to see how styles compare. A consistent color palette matters as much as the drawing, so we usually agree on a small set of colors early and stick with it.
If you plan to hire a children's book illustrator, a lovely single image is not enough. Look for the skills that carry a whole book.
Communities such as SCBWI are a good place to see how professionals in this field think and work. Whoever you pick, ask for a style sample drawn from your own story, not only a portfolio, so you know they understand your characters. Ask how many revision rounds are included and how long the artist typically takes. A clear answer is a good sign.
Every project follows clear stages, with a review round at each so you are never surprised by the final art.
Once the art is final, our book formatting services place it into the interior layout so text and pictures work as one. We also check the proof for color shifts and trimmed edges before anything goes to the printer.
You should never wonder who owns your book's pictures. With us, the illustrations made for your project are yours, in line with our policy that authors keep full ownership of their work and every royalty. Usage terms are written into your agreement before work begins, and rights to the final art transfer on completion and payment. If you want a sample of the wording, ask before you commit.
Ask about print runs, merchandise, sequels and licensing for translation, since these uses should be spelled out in writing. Rights can differ for work made under a work-for-hire arrangement and for work licensed by an artist, so read the terms carefully, and ask us to explain anything that is unclear. For background on copyright of visual artwork, the US Copyright Office explains how registration works.
Illustration costs vary a great deal, so we do not publish a rate card. Every project is custom quoted. After a free consultation, we send a written, itemized quote, split into milestones, with revision rounds included and no hidden fees. Most pricing is built per page or per spread, with a separate line for the cover.
The main cost drivers are page count, how detailed each scene is, the style you choose (a full watercolor spread takes longer than a flat vector one), the number of characters and whether you need extras like character sheets or a cover. See our illustration pricing page for how we build quotes. You will see the price for each stage before the work begins.
As a rough guide, a fully illustrated picture book typically falls between $2,000 and $8,000, depending on the illustrator's experience and the scope (a general reference, not a fixed package), and spot illustrations for a chapter book usually run $150 to $400 each. Your fixed quote is set after we review your brief. Timing depends on the same factors. A 32-spread picture book takes about 8 to 14 weeks from approved character brief to delivery, while a set of chapter book spot illustrations takes about 2 to 4 weeks. Your review speed matters too, because the clock pauses while we wait for feedback. Rush timelines are available for an additional fee, quoted up front.
Our artists are part of a publishing team that also edits, designs and markets books. That means your illustrations are planned with the page layout, the cover and the print specs in mind from day one. That avoids the common problem of lovely art that does not fit the trim size, leaves no room for text or prints darker than expected.
You work with one project manager, who answers within one business day. We have published more than 250 books for over 170 authors, and the art always stays yours. If you want to see the kind of work we deliver, our portfolio is a good place to start.
Cost depends on page count, detail, style and extras such as a cover or character sheets. We do not publish fixed rates, and every project is custom quoted. A fully illustrated picture book typically falls between $2,000 and $8,000, and chapter book spot illustrations run $150 to $400 each. After a free consultation you receive a fixed written quote, split into milestones, with revision rounds included and no hidden fees.
A standard 32-page picture book typically has about 14 to 16 spreads, though some use a full illustration on every page. Early readers and chapter books need far fewer. We will recommend a count that suits your story, your page budget and the age of your readers.
A 32-spread picture book typically takes 8 to 14 weeks, from an approved character brief through thumbnails to final art, and chapter book spot illustrations take about 2 to 4 weeks. Simpler styles and shorter books move faster. Your feedback speed also matters, so quick reviews help keep the schedule on track. We agree on a timeline in writing at the start.
Yes. Authors keep full ownership of the artwork created for their book, with rights transferring on completion and payment, and usage terms are set out in your agreement before work begins. If you have a special use in mind, such as merchandise, tell us at the start so it is covered.
Absolutely. You can pick watercolor, digital, cartoon, vector, pencil or collage, and share a style guide with reference images. We review samples with you first, so you can confirm the look before full illustration begins. Changing direction later costs time.
Ready to hire a team for book illustration services that understands publishing? Tell us about your story, and we will show you a style sample. Get an illustration quote, or learn how our book publishing services take your finished book to market.
Free consultation
Every enquiry is read by a publishing consultant, not a sales script. You'll get an honest view of your project, a recommended route and a fixed written quote.
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