Children's Book Character Design

Great characters drive great stories. Our professional illustrators bring your book's heroes, villains, and sidekicks to life with unique personalities, expressive faces, and consistent designs across every page — all 100% hand-crafted, never AI.

Get a Free Character Sketch

What's Included in Our Character Design

Every character design project delivers a complete visual identity for your book's cast — consistent, expressive, and ready for illustration.

Get a Free Character Sketch

Character Concept & Personality

We start with your description and build a full visual identity — body shape, facial features, clothing, and personality traits that make your character instantly recognizable.

Expression & Pose Sheets

Multiple expressions (happy, sad, surprised, angry) and dynamic poses so your illustrator can draw the character consistently across every scene in your book.

Turnaround Views

Front, side, and back views of each character. Essential for maintaining consistency when your character appears from different angles throughout the story.

Full Cast Consistency

We design all characters in the same style, with proportional relationships between them — so heroes, sidekicks, and villains look like they belong in the same world.

Character Design Samples

From initial pencil sketch to full-color character — see the transformation. Every design begins as a rough concept and evolves through your feedback into a polished, print-ready character.

Children's book character design samples showing sketch to full-color processCharacter design sketch to color — baby, woman, boy, and elderly manCharacter design sketch to color — turtle, kids, teens, and girl with dogCharacter design sketch to color — fantasy elf, mother with baby, dancing girl

How Our Character Design Process Works

From your initial idea to a fully realized character — here's how we bring your book's cast to life.

1. Free Trial Sketch

Share your character description and we'll create a free concept sketch within 24 hours — no payment or commitment required.

2. Sketch Refinement

Once you approve the concept, we refine proportions, expressions, and details. Unlimited revisions until you're 100% happy with the sketch.

3. Full-Color Artwork

We bring your character to life with full-color digital painting in your chosen style — cartoon, watercolor, realistic, or any other.

4. Final Delivery

Receive your character in multiple formats — PNG, PSD, AI — at 300 DPI, ready for print and digital use. Includes expression sheets and turnaround views.

Character Design Pricing

Transparent pricing for every project size.
All packages include unlimited revisions and a free trial sketch.

Single Character

From $150

One fully designed character with personality profile, 3 expressions, front and side views. Includes sketch phase with unlimited revisions and full-color final artwork at 300 DPI.

Character Cast (3-5)

From $600

A consistent cast of 3-5 characters designed together. Includes expression sheets, turnaround views, and a group composition. Perfect for picture books and chapter books.

Full Book Package

From $1,500

Complete character design for an entire book — main cast, supporting characters, and extras. Includes style guide, expression sheets, turnarounds, and scene-ready poses. Best value for authors and publishers.

Ready to Create Your Characters?

Get a free character sketch within 24 hours — no payment, no commitment. Share your character idea and see our quality before you decide.

Get a Free Character Sketch
Answers To

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some common questions about our character design services. Can't find your answer? Contact us anytime.

How much does character design for a children's book cost?


Character design pricing starts at $150 for a single character, $600 for a cast of 3-5 characters, and $1,500 for a full book character package. Every package includes unlimited revisions, expression sheets, and turnaround views delivered at 300 DPI.

What's included in a character design package?


Every character design package includes a personality profile, multiple expressions (happy, sad, surprised, angry), front and side turnaround views, and full-color digital artwork. Cast packages also include a group composition and style guide to ensure consistency across your book.

Get your free Quote Now

Do you offer a free trial sketch for character design?


Yes! Every project starts with a free trial sketch delivered within 24 hours. Share your character description and we'll create a concept sketch so you can see our quality and style before making any payment or commitment.

What illustration styles do you offer for character design?


We work in 15+ illustration styles including cartoon, watercolor, digital painting, realistic, whimsical, anime-inspired, and mixed media. Each character is custom-designed to match your book's tone and target age group.

request free illustration

How long does character design take?


A single character typically takes 3-5 business days from approved sketch to final delivery. A full cast of 3-5 characters takes 7-10 business days. Rush delivery is available upon request.

Do I own the copyright to the character designs?


Yes, you receive full copyright ownership of all character designs upon final payment. You can use them for books, merchandise, animations, and any other purpose. We also provide layered source files (PSD/AI) for future modifications.

Can you match characters to my existing book illustrations?


Absolutely! If you already have interior illustrations or a specific art style in mind, we'll match the character designs to ensure perfect consistency across your entire book.

Children's book illustrator consulting with an author

Are revisions included in character design?


Yes, unlimited revisions are included at every stage — from initial sketch to final coloring. We work until you're 100% satisfied with each character. No hidden fees or surprise charges.

Professional children's book illustration FAQ guide