I’ve been working on some Halloween-themed elements lately! I’m thinking of turning them into a set of 50 stickers or maybe some cute little illustrations that could be used for cards and other projects. I’m not sure if I might eventually turn them into a picture book, though!
I’m just wondering if they might be a little too spooky for really young kids, or if they’re actually just right. 😂 I think I might make the next few designs a bit softer and more playful!

Hello! I saw many things about Christmas already, so if there is someone already looking for an artist to draw books for children, please let us artists know from now on, not on december! Especially artbooks are not made in a bunch of weeks, please remember it🌸

Hi everyone! It's been a few months since I shared this post introducing Capyhero, the new anthropomorphic fantasy series I'm working on. I was worried that the slightly heavier themes and anatomically accurate b/w illustrations wouldn't be received as well for younger audiences, but you all really encouraged me! I thought it would be a good idea to give a little update on where things stand and share some lovely art that u/nickthagreek, Capyhero's illustrator, has been making for Inktober.

The main thing is the book's editor, Jennifer Rees, has let me know that editing is going really well and she should be ready to return the manuscript in a few days! Super nervous but also very excited to hear her thoughts and see how the story changes. 

In the mean time, we've been continuing to progress through the book's 100+ ink illustrations and Nick has also been doing sketches for Inktober as well. I've shared a few here, but there are a lot more. I'll have to gather them all at some point!

We've also been going through a ton of ideas for the all-important book cover. I shared this post a while back to do a hand-painted cover instead of digital illustration and folks seemed to like it. I'm so glad authentically created art can potentially still be appealing to young readers and their parents.

Anyways, thanks for reading and please feel free to ask me anything about the process or the project! I've learned a lot so far and as the author, I'm always happy to talk about Capyhero 😊

This excites me like nothing else can… my book cover is officially complete! I have redrawn and reworked this concept so many times over the last few years that it truly feels monumental to have landed on my final look and I’m so thrilled to share it with you all. This is taking me a long time because I want it to be 100% hand drawn (minus the fonts and technical parts) but I think I’m going to have something really special to share in the end. ♥️

Yucky Ducky Needs a Bath is a heartwarming, silly poem about the bonds a little boy has with his very favorite toy… and the chaos that ensues when mom has to put Ducky in the wash! This story will appeal to anyone who has ever felt that special bond with a favorite stuffed animal, or dealt with their child’s stuffy obsession! 😂 ♥️ Inspired by my own son and his beloved Ducky, whom I cannot wash as often as I’d like because book-worthy chaos ensues! 😆

The story is written, now it needs to be drawn. Stay tuned for more pages as I get them illustrated!

#yuckyduckyneedsabath #kidsbooks #picturebooks #picturebookart #newbook

From sketch to final colors! Bringing this cute Halloween trick-or-treat scene to life with playful characters, cozy lighting, and spooky little details. 👻

Looking for illustrations for your children’s book or coloring book? I’d love to help bring your story to life!

Open for commissions! Feel free to DM me to discuss your project.

Hi! I’m making a board book advent calendar for my daughter who will be 9 months old at the beginning of December. What are your favorite holiday or winter themed board books that you would recommend including? Bonus if you know of any good winter fairy books, I’m planning to start a little Christmas fairy tradition. Thanks!!

Does this ever happen to you guys? Sometimes I start painting with a vague idea of what I want to make, or with absolutely no plan at all. I just start painting whatever comes to mind, and somewhere along the way, the painting starts turning into something completely different. So I just go with the flow and try to build a scene around whatever it's becoming.

A few days ago, I was playing around with some leftover gouache, randomly mixing colors on paper just to see what would happen. At first, I thought it might become a princess riding a white horse. But as I kept going, I started imagining her as a young adventurer, maybe seven or eight years old, and wanted to bring out her bravery and cleverness.

So yeah, the whole thing ended up going in a completely different direction from what I'd originally imagined! 😂

Do you guys ever let the paint lead you somewhere unexpected, rather than trying to stick to your original idea?

I don't think this painting quite turned out the way I'd hoped, and it definitely doesn't meet my own standards, but I had a lot of fun with it! LoL

Another fun commission project is nearing completion: Dobbie Doo's Fancy Floof Adventures!

This story about an overly fluffy, overly dramatic, and immensely lovable kitty has been a joy to illustrate. Best of all, the author has given me wide artistic freedom and has been an absolute delight to work with.

I'm a full-time professional children's picture book artist. I believe no calling is higher for an artist than creating artwork for children.

I’m looking for practical ways to help my child develop a regular reading habit. How can parents make reading more enjoyable and encourage children to read independently, rather than seeing it as another task? I’d love to hear what has worked for other parents, including book recommendations and simple everyday activities that help children enjoy reading.

Instagram link
@by.khayala.aliyeva

Hello all,

My sister-in-law just had a miscarriage midway through her pregnancy. The baby was a little girl, and my nephew (8) was incredibly excited to meet his little sister. He doesn't understand what happened and is incredibly devastated (obviously, we all are). This is also his first real brush with losing someone. Are there any children's books that might help him understand or comfort him during this time? Thanks in advance.

ETA: His family is religious, so we're comfortable with that angle as well.

I’m trying to work with authors but I’m having no luck, I would like to know if it’s just bad marketing from my side or if I’m not quite there yet! :)

Hi! I would like to share a few work-in-progress illustrations that I’m currently working on.
If you like the style and are looking for soulful, handmade illustrations and book design for your story, get in touch! Portfolio: www.katisandmann.com

Hello! I'm an illustrator from Oakland, CA living in Mexico. These are just a few illustrations I created in the last 6 months while traveling between US/Mexico for work, so it was just Sharpies and Microns for practical reasons.

Caldo de Bruja is about a kitchen witch cooking a vegetable soup for her sick grandson, inspired by Witch's Brew by Hap Palmer and written in Spanglish. We need more bilingual books!

The cover looks like starry night and it has the silhouette of a stick figure girl. That’s all I can recall. I think it might have moon in the title. Thanks for any help!!

A brilliant, hilarious twist on classic camp horror tropes, perfect for young readers!
Camp Killame and the Forest Demon flips the traditional slasher formula on its head. Instead of a villain, Hooks is a silent, jumpsuit wearing hero who protects the camp. In a clever twist on the genre, the "evil" at Camp Killame is embodied by the campers themselves through negative traits and dangerous habits, leading to clear lessons about real-world consequences, safety, and responsibility.
Why this book is a must-have:

Spooky But Safe: Delivers the atmospheric thrill of a scary story without the violence or nightmares.

Stunning Comic-Style Art: High-energy,
vibrant illustrations that keep reluctant readers turning pages.

Important Safety Themes: Gently addresses the dangers of playing with fire and peer manipulation in a fun, cartoon format.

Perfect For: Fans of Gravity Falls, Goosebumps, and lighthearted, spooky adventures.

Are you ready to survive the summer? Grab your copy today and see how Hooks saves Camp Killame

Edit: I think this request was very ill-formed of me, and I apologize. I do not want to undervalue people's time, and the cost is so much more than I realized it would be. I appreciate the responses. Given that this book might end up for a very small audience, it was very unrealistic to ask for anyone to illustrate it. I do thank everyone for their time.

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I saw a similar post earlier, but I did not want to have to pm every person who responded.

I assume you could get a sample of the art? I assume there is a way to know they are not using AI. I could assume more, but I just don't want to keep assuming.

How do you "vet" someone as an illustrator? How much should you expect to pay? Would an illustrator feel good getting "royalties" or whatever if it sold, or would they just prefer the flat rate?

I realize that most books don't make it big. I am artistic but don't think I could make the illustrations that would make the book exceed some sort of amateurish attempt at a book.

Edit:
To clarify, I am happy with illustrations that look like colored pencil drawings if they fit the theme. I've got three children. I've read them a lot of books. I'm not looking for a complicated and intense illustration.

I'm reluctant to pay much of an upfront rate for one sample pic. I get that time is valuable, but I've already gotten at least 10 pm's from illustrators, and it would get pretty pricy to pay everyone that upfront fee, only to find that the sample is nothing like what I had in mind. I have about 30 illustrations I would want in the end. While I am reluctant to pay a lot upfront, I would be happy to discuss the final cost for those 30 illustrations. I get that many would not want to even create the first sample, given a very little initial financial return on one drawing, and I respect that...

But if anyone is up for it, here's what I would want to see as an example:

Sammy is a sloth. He is of the age where he still needs help a lot of the time, but he really wants to prove he can do things on his own.

Illustration: Sammy sits on the floor, struggling to tie an enormous shoe. His tongue sticks out in fierce concentration. Mama watches in the background with a patient smile.

I am looking for kids books that teach kids to be confident in being loud and speaking up if they are in an uncomfortable situation rather than staying quiet.

I want my kids to feel confident rocking the boat or ruining the vibe of it means they keep their values.

To be loud in a potentially dangerous situation.

To be confident enough in themselves that they won’t succumb to peer pressure.

Are there any books like this for kids to help build these foundations?

This is a concept I developed for a picture book centered on unlocking one’s own potential. AI-generated artwork seems to flood the market more and more these days, which I find really regrettable. The beauty of making a hand-drawn picture book lies in the human connection we can always find within it. That feeling of pouring carefully considered ideas into a warm story and weaving them together with care goes far beyond those fleeting novelties churned out quickly for the sake of efficiency. To me, this is the core principle of picture book illustration. What do you all think about sticking to hand-drawn picture books in this age of rising AI?