Illustrator for Children's Book Project

I'm a children's author working on my second picture book titled "Luna and the Magic Garden," a heartwarming story about a curious girl who discovers a garden where vegetables come to life. I need a talented Illustrator to bring this 20-page story to life with vibrant, whimsical artwork that will captivate children ages 4-7. The illustration style should be warm, playful, and full of personality—think modern picture books with rich colors and expressive characters.

You'll create full-page, full-color illustrations for each of the 20 pages, plus the front and back cover designs. The project includes character design for Luna (an adventurous 6-year-old girl), her dog Pepper, and 5-6 talking vegetable characters with distinct personalities. I'm looking for an illustrator who can create consistent characters across all pages, design engaging backgrounds that tell the story, and work collaboratively through the feedback process. The final illustrations must be print-ready in high resolution.

This is a 6-8 week project with milestone payments. I'll provide the complete manuscript, character descriptions, and reference mood boards. I'm seeking an illustrator with experience in children's book illustration who can deliver professional, publication-quality artwork. If your portfolio includes children's books or character-driven storytelling illustrations, I'd love to see your work and discuss this magical project together.

Key Responsibilities

Create character designs for Luna, her dog, and 5-6 vegetable characters

Illustrate 20 full-page, full-color interior illustrations

Design front and back book covers with title and text placement

Maintain character consistency throughout all 20 pages

Create detailed backgrounds and settings (garden, home, forest)

Incorporate text placement areas into illustration compositions

Provide 2-3 initial style samples for approval before full production

Make revisions based on feedback (2 revision rounds included)

Deliver final files in print-ready format (CMYK, 300 DPI, PDF)

Provide layered source files (PSD or AI) for future use

Required Skills

Children's Book Illustration

Character Design

Digital Illustration

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Procreate

Color Theory

Storytelling Through Art

Print Design

Book Cover Design

Creative Illustration

Digital Painting

Tools

Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator

Procreate (iPad)

Drawing tablet (Wacom, XP-Pen, etc.)

Digital painting software

Adobe InDesign (for layout, optional)

Google Drive (file sharing)

Dropbox or WeTransfer (large file delivery)

Email or Slack (communication)

Zoom (for kick-off and review meetings)

Deliverables

Character design sheets for all main characters

20 full-page, full-color interior illustrations

Front cover illustration with title placement

Back cover illustration with summary text area

2-3 initial style samples for approval

All revisions based on feedback (2 rounds included)

High-resolution print-ready files (CMYK, 300 DPI, PDF)

Layered source files (PSD, AI, or Procreate)

Book spine design

Commercial rights for publication and distribution