Kidlit
How to illustrate a children's book
Choosing a style, working with an illustrator, briefing each spread and preparing the art for print.
7 min read · Updated 9 July 2026
Illustration is half of a picture book, sometimes more, and it is the part most first-time authors feel least sure about. The reassuring news is that you do not need to draw to make an illustrated book — you need a clear vision, a good brief and either an illustrator or the patience to learn a consistent style yourself. This guide covers both routes, from finding a look to getting the files ready for print. If you are still writing, start with how to write a children's book.
Whichever route you take, illustration is planned spread by spread, across the same 32-page structure your words follow. Map out what happens on each page with the picture book planner below before any art begins — a clear page plan is the single biggest way to avoid expensive redraws later.
Picture Book Planner
Note ⊕Most picture books sit between 400 and 1,000 words — aim near 500. Your plan is saved in this browser only — nothing is uploaded.
Storyboard ready? Children’s books print beautifully in short, full-colour runs.
Get a print quoteWant the full tool? Open the Picture Book Planner.
Do you need to hire an illustrator?
It depends on your route to publication. If you submit to a traditional publisher, you almost never find your own illustrator — the publisher commissions one and pairs them with your text, so you send words alone. If you self-publish, the artwork is yours to arrange: you either hire an illustrator or, if you have the skills, create it yourself.
For self-publishers, illustration is usually the largest single cost of the book, so it pays to plan it properly. Decide how many illustrations you need — typically one per spread — and brief them clearly before commissioning, so you are not paying for redraws. Our guide to how much it costs to self-publish a book puts illustration in the context of your whole budget.
Choosing a style that fits the story
A picture book's style is a promise to the reader about its age and mood — soft watercolours suggest something gentle and bedtime-ready, bold flat colour something funnier and louder. Before you brief anyone, gather a handful of published books whose look feels right and note what they share: line weight, palette, how characters are drawn.
Consistency matters more than polish. A character must be instantly recognisable on every page, so a good illustrator will start with a character sheet showing them from several angles and in different moods. Agree the style and the main character designs before the full spreads begin.
Briefing each spread
Illustration is briefed spread by spread, and the golden rule is to show what the words do not say. If the text reads that the fox was late, the picture is where we see the flustered dash, the dropped scarf, the clock. Writing a short note for each spread describing what should appear turns your manuscript into a working brief.
This is exactly what the planner above is for: its per-page illustration notes become the brief you hand to an artist, and thinking in spreads keeps the all-important page-turn reveals intact. Mark where a page-turn should surprise the reader, and make sure the art earns that turn.
Preparing the art for print
Print has firm technical requirements. Children's books are printed in full colour, so artwork should be supplied in the CMYK colour space rather than screen RGB, at a resolution of at least 300dpi at the final printed size. Any illustration that runs to the edge of the page needs 3mm of bleed so no white slivers appear after trimming.
Set the artwork up at your exact trim size and export single pages in reading order, not reader's spreads. Our cover template generator gives you the precise cover dimensions, the book spine width calculator sets your spine, and the print-ready PDF checker catches problems before they reach the press.
Common questions
- Do I need to be able to draw to write a children's book?
- No. If you sell to a traditional publisher they commission the illustrator, so you submit words only. If you self-publish, you hire an illustrator or learn a simple, consistent style — but writing and illustrating are separate skills, and plenty of authors never draw a line.
- How much does a children's book illustrator cost?
- It varies widely with experience and scope, but full illustration for a 32-page picture book commonly runs from a few hundred to several thousand pounds. Some illustrators price per spread, others for the whole book; always agree the number of illustrations, the style and the usage rights up front.
- How many illustrations does a picture book need?
- Usually one on every spread, so a standard 32-page picture book carries art on roughly fourteen spreads plus the cover. Planning those spreads first — words and pictures together — tells you exactly how many illustrations to brief and budget for.
- Can I use AI to illustrate my children's book?
- It is possible, but tread carefully: keeping a character consistent across every page is hard, print quality and rights can be uncertain, and many shops and awards now ask about AI art. If you do use it, brief it as tightly as you would a human illustrator and check every image at full print resolution.
- What format should children's book illustrations be for print?
- Full-colour CMYK, at least 300dpi at the final printed size, with 3mm of bleed on any art that runs to the edge. Supply the pages at the correct trim size as single pages in reading order; our cover and PDF tools help you get the specifications right.
Plan your book with the free tools
Run the numbers, prepare your files and compare your options — then print with real UK book printers.