15 TIPS ON BOOK ILLUSTRATION

Think back to your favourite book from childhood. Perhaps it was a board book you loved so much that you chewed its corners, or the picture book you asked your parents to read to you over and over again as you cuddled close. Maybe it was that dog-eared chapter book you reread until the spine was tattered and cracked. All of these examples served as your introduction to art.

Art plays a critical role in books published for young readers. Illustrations aid in the reader’s comprehension of the text, expand the world of the story or illuminate complicated concepts and ideas. Illustration can capture the attention of a potential reader, which is no small feat when you consider the myriad of other distractions that occupy a child’s world: toys, games, television and devices that use appealing imagery to excite little minds. Creating artwork that entices a child to put down a device and pick up a book is the ultimate challenge of this 21st century illustrator.

I’d like to share some tips on my approach to storytelling and bookmaking.