Short answer: Shortlist 3–5 illustrators whose portfolios show the same character across many pages and a style that fits your story. Send each one the same project details. Compare what each quote includes, check a sample of the art, and sign a written contract that covers scope, timeline, revisions, text changes and rights. Then start with character design.
Each channel works differently. Your checks matter more than the channel.
Illustration studios (like US Illustrations) give you one contact for the whole book. The studio handles the artists and the production steps. At US Illustrations, you can start with a free colored sample, so you can check the fit before you commit.
Portfolio platforms (Behance, ArtStation, Dribbble) let you browse many illustrator portfolios and contact artists directly. You check business terms yourself. The platform shows the art.
Industry organizations. SCBWI runs an Illustrator Gallery. It describes the gallery as "a great way to showcase your talents, build a portfolio, and connect with industry professionals."
Social media (Instagram: #childrensbookillustration, #kidlitart) is where many illustrators show work. It is a good way to see an artist's personality and process. Check business terms separately.
Freelance marketplaces. Quality and originality vary widely on marketplaces. AI tools have brought new sellers into the market who are not professional artists. Some of them deliver work made entirely by AI. So before you hire, ask for samples and for layered source files, such as Photoshop PSD files. This is the most reliable practical check that the art was drawn by a person.
Before you look at portfolios, decide how your book should feel. Ask:- Who is the reader? Very young children often suit bright, bold, simple art. Older readers can take more detail. See children's book age groups.- What is the mood? A funny story and a quiet, sad story need different color and line.- What do you like? Collect 3–5 example images. Browse children's illustration styles.
A style that does not match the story can confuse readers. A clear idea makes your search faster.
Look for these things:
Curated Publishing Co. puts it simply: "A few beautiful illustrations do not necessarily mean an illustrator can successfully complete an entire picture book."
Send each illustrator the same information, so you can compare the replies. Use our checklist of what to send an illustrator for a quote:1. How many illustrations2. Illustration type: spot, 2D or 3D3. Spread or single page4. Whether you need a cover illustration5. Whether you need a cover layout6. Whether you need interior page layout7. Ideally, your manuscript
Not sure how many illustrations you need? A 32-page picture book typically needs 14. See how many illustrations a 32-page picture book needs.
Check what each quote covers: character design, interior illustrations, cover, layout and print files. A lower total that leaves out items you need is not cheaper. For costs, see our cost guide. For our rates, see the pricing page.
Ask for a sample in your story's style before you sign. It shows how the illustrator reads your brief and how they communicate. At US Illustrations, this is a free colored sample.
Want to check that the art is human-made? The most reliable practical check is to ask for layered source files. See AI illustrations and Amazon KDP.
Do not start without a written contract. Curated Publishing Co. says a professional illustrator should provide "a written agreement outlining:" scope of work, payment schedule, deliverables, timeline, revision policies, and rights and ownership. Also agree:- Who has final approval of each illustration.- How revisions are handled.- What happens if you change the text. This is not the same as a revision.- Who owns the art when the work is done.
How US Illustrations handles these:- Revisions: Unlimited revisions at every stage, from sketch to final color.- Text changes: Text changes are free at any time if the illustration does not need to change. If a text change needs a page redrawn, the redraw costs 50% of that illustration's price in the sketch stage, and the full illustration price in the coloring stage. No text edits after the book is published.- In short: revisions to the art are unlimited. A redraw caused by a text change is paid.- Ownership: Clients get full ownership of the art by default, and the contract states this clearly.- Payment: A 50% prepayment is required before the main project starts. The remaining 50% is invoiced after you approve the final-colored illustrations.
For more on contracts, read illustrator rates and contracts.
Start with character design. Every later picture builds on it. Then:
At US Illustrations, the standard timeline is about 4–6 weeks per book. See each step on How We Work.
Decide the style you want, shortlist 3–5 illustrators, send each the same project details, compare what the quotes include, check a sample, sign a written contract, then start with character design.
The same character in several scenes, multi-page sequences, a style that fits your reader's age, clear color and composition, and finished books.
Both can work. Compare the portfolio, contract, rights, revisions and timeline. See Fiverr, freelancer or studio.
It depends on the number and type of illustrations, and on cover and layout. See our cost guide and pricing page.
At US Illustrations, the standard timeline is about 4–6 weeks per book.
No. At US Illustrations, revisions to the art are unlimited. A redraw caused by a text change is paid.
Opened 2026-10-14.- SCBWI, Illustrator Gallery: https://www.scbwi.org/illustrator-gallery- Curated Publishing Co., "3 Red Flags to Watch for When Hiring a Children's Book Illustrator" (May 31, 2026): https://www.curatedpublishingco.com/blogs/news/3-red-flags-to-watch-for-when-hiring-a-children-s-book-illustrator
See your character in your chosen style before you commit. Our illustrations are 100% human-made.
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