Children's books and comics, illustrated from first sketch to print
Gjethe illustrates children's picture books, early readers, comics, graphic novels and webcomics. We design characters, plan pages with storyboards, illustrate full spreads and covers, letter comic pages and prepare print-ready files for printers, self-publishing platforms or publishers. Authors keep the rights to their story, and the commissioned artwork is licensed or assigned to them as agreed in the quote.
- Free first consultation
- Written quote for your project
- Flexible payment milestones
At a glance
- Formats
- Picture books, early readers, comics, graphic novels, webcomics
- Stages
- Characters, storyboard, sketches, final art, cover
- Output
- Print-ready PDFs and e-book files
- Publishing
- Self-publishing or submission to publishers
Definition
What is children's book & comic illustration?
Children's book illustration is artwork created to tell a story alongside the text for young readers. Comic illustration tells a story through sequential panels, combining drawings, speech balloons and captions.
In a picture book, the illustrations carry half the story. They show emotions the text doesn't name, add details children discover on the tenth reading, and set the pace of each page turn. Comics go further, telling the story almost entirely through images in sequence. Both need consistent characters, clear storytelling and files that print correctly.
Who is it for?
Self-publishing authors
A complete illustrated book, ready for printers or print-on-demand platforms.
Small publishers
Illustrators for titles in your list, working to your art direction.
Schools and educators
Illustrated readers and learning materials for children.
Comic creators and brands
Comic pages, webcomics and branded comics for campaigns.
What's included, and what you keep
What's included
- Manuscript reading and page plan
- Character design sheets
- Thumbnail storyboard of the whole book
- Pencil sketches of every page or panel
- Full-colour final illustrations
- Cover illustration and layout
- Comic panel layouts and lettering
- Text placement and typesetting
- Print-ready files with bleed
- E-book and web formats
What you receive
Handed over at the end. Yours to keep.
- Character sheets
- Storyboard and sketches
- Final illustrations in high resolution
- Print-ready interior and cover PDFs
- Layered source files
- A written agreement on rights
Characters children remember
Readers follow characters before they follow plots. We start with character sheets: the main characters from several angles, with key expressions and outfits, so they look the same on page three and page thirty. For series, the sheets become the reference for every future book.
We pay attention to age-appropriate design: clear silhouettes, readable expressions and, where it suits the story, diverse characters that let more children see themselves in the book.
Planning with a storyboard
Before drawing anything in detail, we plan the whole book in small thumbnails. This shows how the text is divided across pages, where the big moments land on page turns, and where text and image need space. Changing a thumbnail is quick; changing a finished painting is not.
For comics, the storyboard sets panel layouts and reading flow, so the eye moves naturally from panel to panel and page to page.
Picture book or comic?
| Picture book | Comic or graphic novel | |
|---|---|---|
| Reader | Usually young children, often read aloud | Children, teens and adults reading independently |
| Text | Short text alongside each image | Dialogue and captions inside the panels |
| Pages | Usually a fixed, short page count | From a few pages to long series |
| Pacing | Page turns create surprises | Panel sequence controls timing |
Printing and publishing
Printers and platforms have strict file requirements: trim size, bleed, colour profiles, spine width and resolution. We prepare files to the specifications of your printer or self-publishing platform, and check text placement so nothing important is lost near the edges or the gutter.
If you plan to submit to publishers, note that many publishers prefer to choose their own illustrator for picture books. We can prepare sample spreads to accompany a proposal where that is the right approach.
Rights and credit
The story and text are yours. For the illustrations, we agree in the quote whether the rights are assigned to you outright or licensed for specific editions and formats, and how the illustrator is credited. Clear terms now prevent problems when a book is reprinted, translated or adapted.
What to send us
- The final or near-final manuscript
- Target age group and book format
- Trim size and page count, if known
- Your printer or publishing platform
- Art styles you love, with examples
- Any series or sequel plans
Webcomics and branded comics
Comics aren't only for print. Webcomics are designed for vertical scrolling on phones, with panels stacked so the story reads naturally with a thumb. Brands also use short comics to explain a product, tell a founder story or make safety instructions memorable.
We adapt the layout to the medium: vertical strips for mobile platforms, square panels for social carousels, and traditional pages for print or PDF.
How children's book & comic illustration works, step by step
Every step has a clear output you can review. Timing is agreed in your quote.
- 1
Read and plan
We read the manuscript and propose a page plan and format.
- 2
Characters
Character sheets approved before any page is drawn.
- 3
Storyboard
Thumbnails of the whole book or comic, approved as a sequence.
- 4
Sketches
Detailed pencils of every page or panel.
- 5
Final art
Colour illustrations, cover and lettering.
- 6
Production
Layout and print-ready files to your printer's specification.
Tools, and what shapes your quote
Pricing is based on your project and agreed in your quote. These are the things that move it.
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Page count | More pages mean more illustrations. |
| Illustration detail | Full painted spreads take longer than simple vignettes. |
| Number of characters | Each recurring character needs design and consistency. |
| Comic panels per page | Dense pages with many panels take longer than splash pages. |
| Layout and lettering | Typesetting and comic lettering add production work. |
| Rights | Full assignment of rights and broad licences affect the quote. |
| Area | Tools |
|---|---|
| Drawing and painting | Procreate, Clip Studio Paint, Photoshop, Krita |
| Layout | Adobe InDesign, Affinity Publisher |
| Comics | Clip Studio Paint, lettering fonts licensed for commercial use |
Common mistakes to avoid
What we see go wrong most often, and how a good project avoids it.
Illustrating before the text is final
Changing the text later can mean redrawing whole spreads.
Skipping the storyboard
Pacing and page turns are fixed cheaply in thumbnails, expensively in final art.
Ignoring printer specifications
Wrong bleed or colour settings lead to cropped art and dull colours.
Unclear rights
Agree rights for reprints, translations and merchandise at the start.
Frequently asked questions
Can you illustrate my self-published picture book?
Yes. We handle characters, storyboard, final illustrations, cover and print-ready files for your printer or platform.
Who owns the illustrations?
That is agreed in the quote: either full assignment of rights to you or a licence for specific editions and formats.
Can you draw in a specific style?
Share examples you love. We propose a style that suits the story and test it on a sample page first.
Do you letter comics?
Yes. We letter speech balloons, captions and sound effects using fonts licensed for commercial use.
Can the book be translated later?
Yes. We keep text separate from artwork where possible, so other language editions only need new typesetting.
Do you use AI for children's book art?
No. Our illustrations are drawn by our illustrators, which keeps originality and ownership clear.
Can you prepare files for print-on-demand platforms?
Yes. We follow the trim, bleed and colour requirements of your chosen platform or printer.
How many revisions are included?
Two rounds at the character, storyboard and final-art stages.
How is book illustration priced?
It is quoted on the page count, level of detail, characters, layout work and rights.
Can you illustrate a book for very young children?
Yes. Board books and picture books for young children need bold shapes, clear expressions and simple compositions, which we plan from the storyboard stage.
Can you create a webcomic for mobile reading?
Yes. We lay out vertical-scroll episodes designed for phones, as well as traditional comic pages.
Can you design the book cover only?
Yes. We can illustrate and lay out a cover, including the spine and back cover for print.
Children's Book & Comic Illustration by industry
Bring your story to life.
Tell us what you need. You get an honest assessment, a clear plan and a written quote. The first consultation is always free.
- What happens next
- 1You tell us what you need
- 2We aim to reply within 24 hours with questions
- 3You get a written quote for your project