There are plenty of children’s illustration portfolios out there that look polished. The technique is strong, and the style is appealing. But sometimes, even when all the “right” boxes are ticked, something’s still missing. And that missing piece is often “authenticity”.

Drawing for 10 minutes daily, helps to build confidence, spark ideas, fight procrastination, and develop your unique style amongst other things. Little daily efforts slowly grow into a confident and successful creative habit .

Find out what those ten reasons are here.

I used to believe that I would never succeed as an illustrator because I didn’t think I had any style. I saw others post their art on social media and I was always in awe , and envious of the success they seemed to have. I tried to emulate others style in order to have that same success, and I did manage to successfully copy other artists as a means of experimentation, but i could only copy a particular piece of art. That’s until my brain realised that style and voice are two separate things that are equally important for an illustrator.

To enhance your art, gather diverse reference images, prioritize stock photos, and make quick observational sketches to identify key details. Use your sketchbook to compile and remix elements from multiple sources, avoiding over-reliance on a single image. This approach develops your unique style and deepens your understanding of subjects.

Most picture books have 32 pages, a standard based on printing efficiency and suitable for young readers' attention spans. This article explores the reasons behind this format, its variations, and tips for writers and illustrators to plan effectively within this structure, ensuring a balanced and engaging storytelling experience.

Picture books are concise yet impactful tools for storytelling, often spanning 24, 32, or 40 pages, with 32 being the standard. After reserving space for front matter, approximately 28 pages remain to deliver a compelling narrative arc. Each page or spread must serve a clear purpose, captivating readers from the start.

This is the second part of a very long article about how to illustrate a children’s book. You can read the first article here.

Now that you have understood the story, researched, did some character design and started your first pass at thumbnails and layouts and refined a few sketches, you can start to experiment with color.

Illustrating children's books is a magical journey that combines art, storytelling, and imagination. Your pictures will help bring characters to life, create moods, and captivate young readers. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced artist, illustrating children's books can be rewarding and challenging at the same time.

A strong children's book portfolio should showcase a range of skills while also highlighting your unique style. Here is a list of some of the essential elements it must include.