Virtually every children's book requires illustrations. Before you even decide on an illustrator for your book (or, if you are an illustrator, before you decide what book you are going to draw) you need to decide on an illustration style.
What is an illustration style? It is the type of artwork that you will use in your children's book, and there are many types.
Additionally, there are also different types of mediums, used to create art, which can be used in a variety of styles, but all have a flavor of their own.
In this article, you will learn:
Let's dive in, shall we?
Get Your FREE Children's Book ChecklistDon't know where to start your children's book? I've got a checklist that will take you through the entire process, from the initial idea to the finished, polished product. Check it out!
When it comes right down to it, there are five basic components of a children's book:
While all five of these are incredibly important, one could argue that illustration is the single biggest element, as it is the most attention grabbing, it sets the tone for the book, and requires the most amount of work.
That is why it is not only important to have a talented designer, but you also want to know what their unique style is. Depending on the subject and tone of your book, one style might be more appropriate than another.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the best illustration styles in children's books these days.
While style is something that changes frequently with every decade, here are 10 unique styles that you will find today.
A cartoon -like style is possibly the most common illustration style, as it is colorful and engaging for children.
This isn't just using bright colors and Disney-like people, but can also involve anthropomorphizing animals with human features, exaggerating reality a little bit, etc.
While there are a few children's books that use photographs, a picture-perfect illustration style is not very common.
However, there are a few illustrators that specialize in a more realistic style, sometimes mixed with a few other styles to create something unique.
The example above is the perfect embodiment of this realistic, yet stylized approach.
Sometimes called fantasy or whimsical illustration, this illustration style tends to lean more on the fantastical and less on reality. It tends to be a lot more fun and dreamy, inspiring the imagination.
While not common in most regular children's books, a children's book that doubles as a coloring book almost always has a line-drawn style.
This is a style using only simple lines, with little to no shading, to express the ideas in the book.
Similar but different from line drawings, a sketch drawing is usually a children's book made up of one color (usually black), but adds a little more detail.
These type of sketch drawings were a lot more common in older books, such as Alice in Wonderland, or the Chronicles of Narnia.
Abstract art tends to be a lot more exaggerated and stylized, but in a specific artistic direction.
This is one of the more difficult styles to define, but it is also one that you know when you see it.
Similar but not necessarily the same as abstract art, stylized illustration styles tend to exaggerate real-world features and create aspects of the illustration that are larger-than-life, drawing attention to the focus of the book.
Vintage children's books are still highly beloved today, so it is no wonder that older styles of art are still relevant.
Vintage styles tend to be a little bit more subdued, often created with pencil, and evoke a simpler time.
These bold or bright illustration styles make a statement. They tend to zero in on bright colors, large, powerful characters, and more.
These styles are great for creating a feeling of liveliness and activity.
In contrast to the bold and bright illustrations, these muted illustrations are perfect for a more serious type of children's book.
Using muted colors and subdued imagery, you can easily create a mournful, emotional atmosphere.
In addition to the different styles, there are different mediums to create children's book art, some of which are so distinct they create styles of their own:
Watercolor is one of the most distinct mediums for illustration, as it almost creates its own style. When I was originally writing this post, I almost put watercolor into the styles section, because it is so unique.
However, watercolor is more of a medium, and it can be combined with other mediums such as pencil and acrylic paints.
It's beautiful subdued and gentle colors are often perfect for children's books.
When creating physical art, acrylic paint is one of the most common ways to design. It is a relatively clean way to paint, doesn't need long to dry, and can create beautiful and vivid imagery.
Believe it or not, the use of black and colored pencils in children's book illustrations is quite common. A lot of older children's books especially, used pencils in a lot of their designs.
Pencils are cheap, they can record a lot of detail, and are a great tool for children's book illustrators in general.
For a beautiful and distinct style, try using charcoal.
Charcoal is great for creating bold shadows and illustrations that pop off the page. Children's books that use a heavy amount of charcoal rarely have much color, but they can still be incredibly striking in their style.
A lot of children's books take a collage approach, where your illustration looks like it has been pieced together from various materials like a scrapbook.
This is another medium that creates a unique-looking style, and is commonly used.
Who says that you have to have one medium? There are many books that use a combination of all of these techniques, whether it be digital art and watercolor, watercolor and pencil, charcoal and acrylic, or whatever you want.
For books produced today, digital art is possibly the most common way to create children's book illustrations.
There are multiple types of digital illustration (I'll talk about another one below), but the most common are hand-drawn illustrations using something like a digital tablet.
The best thing about digital painting is that it can be adapted to almost any other type of style, and you can mimic most other mediums as well.
Vector illustrations are a specific type of digital illustration that typically takes on a flat, 3D look.
Vector illustrations are the type that maintain their resolution no matter how large your file. This means that you can expand the size of your illustration to virtually any size, and it will still have an amazing, crisp edge.
Vector illustrations are most commonly created in Adobe Illustrator.
As with all art, the answer to this question is somewhat subjective. However, I believe there are a few attributes that you should try to embody:
Easy to use, and and full of amazing features, you can quickly turn your book into a professional book.
Check It OutIn addition to everything I've mentioned, there are a few other considerations you should make when selecting your illustrator and illustration style.
In the age of the Internet, most children's book illustrators can be found freelancing online. Some of the best places to find these people include:
Additionally, if you have a children's book that you like, look at the artist. If they have a website, see if they are willing to work with you. You never know what might happen.
You might also find Facebook groups of children's book illustrators or authors, and can get recommendations there.
If you are an illustrator, or have found one who is willing to work with you, be sure to check out the other articles about how to write a children's book, and how to publish a children's book.
Easy to use, and and full of amazing features, you can quickly turn your book into a professional book.
Check It OutPin
18
18
Shares
Photo books are a creative way of presenting your photos and images. For businesses, photo books are a stylish and professional way of presenting images of their products or a portfolio of their past projects. For everyday users, photo books are a much more durable alternative to your typical photo album that you can put on your coffee table or bookshelf.
While there are DIY solutions to create your own type of photo book, a professionally-made photo book offers you higher quality and craftsmanship. Here’s what you need to know about what goes into printing a photo book.
Here are the steps that typically go into creating your photo book.
You can find plenty of professional printers in your area or online. It’s always a good idea to shop around for potential printers to find the best prices for quality prints, packages, and the number of copies you need.
Consider the type of photo book you want to create, and then narrow down your options based on which printers offer more flexibility and better quality for the best prices. Some printers provide features like layout, templates, icons, photo editing, and cover design, while others are just limited to printing your images onto pages.
Next, choose the images you want to print and display in your photo book. Here are some tips to keep in mind when selecting:
Choose High-quality Images: Your photos should be at least 300 pixels per inch (PPI). These photos are considered high resolution and will result in sharp and crisp images. Anything less, and your images can come out a bit pixelated or blurry.
Don’t Clutter Your Album: You may have a wide selection of images to add to your photo book, but it’s not recommended that you include every single one. Your photo book should tell a story with your images, so showing multiple photos that essentially show the same thing is unnecessary. Instead, compare similar photos and choose the best one to put in your book.
Narrow It Down to the Most Important Shots: Whether you’re creating a photo book to create a keepsake for a special event or for your business, you don’t have to add every photo just for the sake of it. Viewers can get tired of seeing too much of the same thing, and they’re more likely to skim through your photobook if it looks too bulky to stop and appreciate your images.
For Businesses, Choose Photos That Match Your Brand: Professional product photography gets you quality images to display in your catalog. If you’re creating a lookbook for potential clients, your images should highlight the best features of your products and services.
Some printers offer to handle layouts through pre-made templates or by having someone create the layout for you. You can also opt to create the layout yourself using any design and layout software, such as:
Depending on your printer, your paper size may be limited to what the printer can provide. The most typical sizes for photo books include:
Paper type can also vary. A good option for photos is paper with a glossy finish. This adds a professional touch to your images and gives them a smoother finish to your images.
After printing your images into pages, they can now be sewn or glued into photo book pages. Photo books typically come in either a casewrap binding or casebound binding.
Casewrap books are printed on a commercial press and have a thin film laminate for protection. A printed sheet of paper is then adhered to the hardcover. This can then be laminated with different finishes to provide a more creative and eye-catching finish. Casewrap isn’t as durable as casebound binding, so make sure that your printer takes additional steps to ensure the durability of your book, like adding additional laminate for durability.
Casebound books, on the other hand, are a more traditional type of hardcover where cloth or leather are used in the book’s cover and spine. This provides an understated and classic look and is the more durable and long-lasting option for photo books.
The price of photo book printing can depend on many factors. This includes things like the following:
Depending on your printer, softcover photo books can start as low as $15, while hardcover books can start at $30. High-quality printing and premium bookbinding materials are more likely to cost more, but you can expect durable and stunning professional results.
Want to add your photos to a professionally printed photo book? Advanced Print and Finishing offers custom solutions that produce outstanding quality. Get in touch with us today to get a quote on your photo book ideas.
The company is the world’s best million ton, 100 gsm high tacky sublimation paper, 30 gsm sublimation paper supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.