Childrens Book Illustrator for Self Publishing Brilliantly

So you’ve written a story you love, but it needs illustrations to truly come alive. You may be finding it difficult to meet the right childrens book illustrator for self publishing and this is not uncommon for self published authors. You need someone who fits both your budget and your vision and this post aims to help you find that perfect someone.

Table of Contents

Why Illustrations Matter in Self-Publishing

Illustrations are the heartbeat of a children’s book — they do more than decorate the pages; they tell the story alongside the words. For self-publishing authors, this visual storytelling becomes even more important because you’re competing with professionally produced titles from big publishers. A skilled illustrator can capture a child’s imagination instantly, creating characters that feel alive and worlds that invite young readers to linger on every page. Beyond the artistic value, good illustrations also make a book more marketable — vibrant covers stand out in online stores, and well-composed spreads encourage positive reviews and repeat sales. The right illustrations don’t just enhance your story; they help it find its audience and the potential for that audience to be huge with engaging illustrations is real. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, for example, shows human creativity at its best in enhancing a great story to become a children’s classic. Children can’t help but love that caterpillar and finding out what he has eaten on each page through the enticing imagery is pure joy.

Define Your Book’s Needs First

Before approaching an illustrator, it is useful to get clear on what your book needs. Start with what type of book you are making i.e. children’s picture book, chapter book, early reader come etc. next decide how many of each type of illustration you are going to need for your book. These could be cover, spot illustrations, full page illustrations. Then you will want to decide what style you are going to look for. In the download above you will see you can easily tick the different things you need. There are some suggested styles to choose from, but you could define your own or record different artists that you like the style of. It may also be useful to print some examples of their work to choose from.

Where to Find a Childrens Book Illustrator for Self Publishing

Where to Find a Children’s Book Illustrator
Source	Pros	Cons	Example / Link
Freelance platforms (e.g. Fiverr, Upwork)	✅ Wide range of prices and styles ✅ Quick access to portfolios ✅ Easy to compare illustrators globally	❌ Quality varies a lot ❌ Communication barriers or time zones ❌ Platform fees may apply	fiverr.com / upwork.com
Children’s book–specific sites	✅ Illustrators experienced in the children’s publishing industry ✅ Higher professional standard ✅ Easier to find artists familiar with narrative illustration	❌ Rates may be higher ❌ Smaller pool of illustrators overall	ChildrensIllustrators.com
Social media (Instagram, Threads, Behance, ArtStation)	✅ Great for discovering unique styles ✅ Direct connection with artists ✅ Easy to see consistent portfolios and engagement	❌ Can take time to verify professionalism ❌ No buyer protection ❌ May need to manage contracts and payments yourself	instagram.com, behance.net
Illustration agencies or artist reps	✅ Professional quality and reliability ✅ Agencies handle contracts and licensing ✅ Access to experienced illustrators with publishing credits	❌ Usually higher cost ❌ Less flexibility in negotiation ❌ Minimum project budgets may apply	The Bright Agency / Advocate Art
Art communities and groups (Facebook, Reddit, SCBWI)	✅ Supportive and collaborative ✅ May find up-and-coming illustrators ✅ Opportunities for networking and feedback	❌ More time-consuming ❌ Must vet illustrators carefully ❌ Informal approach	SCBWI / Facebook Illustration Groups

Evaluating an Illustrator’s Portfolio

It can be difficult as a non-illustrator to know where to begin evaluating a portfolio so here are some tips that might help. Look for:

storytelling ability – can you easily tell what is going on within an illustration? Is it day or night? Are the characters happy/sad/friendly/evil?
consistency – is the same character clearly recognisable in different poses? Do things seem to be stylised with the same ‘rules’?
emotion – can you easily tell what the mood is in different pieces? Are facial expressions clear
diversity of characters

Next it is important that their style works with your story. For example a whimsical style would probably not be a good match for a horror story.

You should watch out for portfolios that show little children’s illustration as the illustrator may not be experienced in this area.

Understanding Pricing and Contracts

Price ranges cause a lot of confusion for new self-publishing authors. I see a lot of questions about it in forums. Here is a table that gives some ballpark figures but bear in mind that there will be a great deal of variation especially between illustrators in different countries.

Typical Cost Ranges for Self-Published Children’s Books
Type of Book / Complexity	UK Cost Range (GBP)	US Cost Range (USD)	Notes / Sources
Basic / Emerging Illustrator (simple art or spot illustrations)	£500 – £1,500	$1,000 – $3,000	Entry-level illustrators or students offering affordable full 32-page book packages. illustrationsbysumitra.com
Mid-level Professional Illustrator (full colour interior + cover)	£2,000 – £6,000	$3,000 – $10,000	Professional artists with experience in narrative work, providing consistent quality and revisions. kbookpublishing.com
High-End or Award-Level Illustrator (detailed art, full rights)	£6,000 – £15,000+	$10,000 – $30,000+	Experienced or in-demand illustrators; includes commercial rights and complex visual storytelling. tiliarandbell.com
Per-Illustration Basis (for partial or custom projects)	£100 – £500+ per illustration	$100 – $500+ per illustration	Common for chapter books or hybrid projects where only some pages are illustrated. yourchildrensbook.co.uk

It’s worth repeating that having a contract in place before works starts is super important. It is advisable to have a solicitor look it over with you.

Communicating Your Vision Clearly

Writing your brief is a chance to outline the essentials of the project. I have created a worksheet, above, to help with this as it can be difficult to know what information your illustrator needs initially. Of course you should then have some discussions and the illustrator will want to read the manuscript before beginning work.

Building a Smooth Collaboration

You will need to agree milestones and deadlines with your illustrator for delivery of key elements like, roughs, character designs, linework. Revisions can take place throughout a project but your illustrator will likely have policies about when extra charges apply so discuss this carefully.

In Conclusion

It is possible to find the right childrens book illustrator for self publishing with patience, clear communications and knowing exactly what you are looking for. There are so many hugely talented illustrators who would love to help you, including me. So if you’re looking for an illustrator who brings expressive and unique storytelling to children’s books, let’s connect!