Tag: children’s book illustrators for hire

Free Demos Transform the children’s book illustrations Process 2025
Free Demos Transform the children’s book illustrations Process

Illustrated by- Ananta Mohanta

Hi, I’m Ananta Mohanta — a children’s book illustrator with more than 15 years of experience illustrating childrens books for authors near and far. Over the years, I’ve learned one thing for sure: trust is everything when it comes to creating children’s book illustrations that really shine.
I’ve worked with writers from different corners of the world — for the first time with a bedtime story idea scribbled on paper, and experienced authors bringing out their tenth book. No matter who I work with, my promise is the same: I give a free demo before they hire me.
This small step makes a huge difference. Let me share why — and how it helps me stand out as a high quality children’s book artist among so many children’s book illustrators for hire.
Why I Believe in Free Demos
When I first started out as a childrens book illustrator, I noticed one big worry for authors: “What if I pay upfront and don’t get what I expected?” I got it. It’s scary to trust someone you haven’t met.
So, I decided to do things differently. I create a free demo — a rough character sketch — for every new author. They can see my style, my sense of color, and how I bring their story to life through beautiful children’s book illustrations.
If they love it, we move ahead step by step. If not, there’s no hard feelings, no advance lost. This simple habit has helped me build strong, honest connections as a high quality children’s book artist who truly cares.
How My Free Demo Process Works
My free demo is more than just a quick drawing — it’s the start of trust. When an author contacts me looking for children’s book illustrators for hire, here’s what happens:
- I read the manuscript or story outline carefully.
- I ask questions about the characters, the mood, and the age group.
- Then I sketch a rough version of a key character or a small scene.
This first peek shows exactly how I handle children’s book illustrations. It also gives the author a chance to share thoughts. Do they want brighter colors? A funnier hat? Bigger eyes? We tweak things right there.
Why This Approach Makes Me Different
Many illustrators for children’s books request advance payment before showing any work. I don’t. I know my art and honesty will speak for me.
When I started offering free demos, the authors told me they felt safe. Many new writers have never hired a children’s book illustrator before — they want someone who understands that their story is precious.
By showing my style upfront, I prove I’m serious about creating beautiful children’s book illustrations that children will love to look at again and again.
How Free Demos Improve the Final Book
Over the years, I’ve found that free demos significantly enhance the final book. Here’s why:
- No Surprises: Authors see my style from day one.
- Easy Fixes Early: It’s much easier to change a rough sketch than a finished page.
- Stronger Bond: We build trust before money changes hands.
- Better Art: Authors feel free to give honest feedback, and that always leads to better children’s book illustrations.
This is why, for me, free demos have changed the whole way I work as a childrens book illustrator.
What Makes a High Quality Children’s Book Artist
Anyone can learn to draw, but creating warm, fun, beautiful children’s book illustrations is more than talent. A true high quality children’s book artist listens carefully, catches tiny details, and draws with the heart of a storyteller.
When you’re looking for children’s book illustrators for hire, don’t just pick the cheapest or quickest. Someone who cares about your book like you do — that’s what you really need. A good children’s book illustrator won’t just draw and disappear. They’ll share sketches with you, discuss the details, tweak the art if needed, and stay with you until the last page feels right.
A Few Real-World Tips Before You Hire
Thinking about finding a children’s book illustrator or designer for your own book? Here are a few honest tips I’ve picked up after so many years working with writers big and small:
- Ask to see real work. Any high quality children’s book artist will happily show what they’ve done before.
- Have a chat first. It helps so much to talk openly — share what you want and see if they listen.
- Try a simple demo. If they sketch something for free, that’s the best way to check if their style feels right.
- Stay clear of updates. A good childrens book illustrator keeps you in the loop — you’ll never wonder what’s going on.
- Don’t rush your choice. Good children’s book illustrations take time and care, and the right illustrator is worth waiting for.
- Always ask for samples. Any genuine high quality children’s book artist should have past work to show you.
- Talk openly. Explain your story, your audience, and your ideas for style.
- Try a free demo. If they offer one, take it — it’s the best way to see real quality before spending money.
- Check communication. A good children’s book illustrator answers your questions quickly and clearly.
- Never rush. Illustrating childrens books takes time if you want something children will treasure.
How My Process Stays Simple and Safe
My step-by-step method is easy:
- We talk about your story and what you dream of for your children’s book illustrations.
- I share a free demo character or scene.
- If you’re happy, we plan the whole book, page by page.
- I share rough sketches for each spread.
- Once you approve, I will add colors and finishing touches.
No advance fees. No surprise costs. Just honest work and clear steps, the way a high quality children’s book artist should work.
Final Thoughts: Why Free Demos Matter
I truly believe free demos make a big difference in illustrating childrens books. They remove fear. They open an honest talk. They help authors find the right children’s book illustrator or designer without risk.
After 15 years in this work, I still feel excited every time an author writes to me with a new idea. Free demos are my way of saying, “I trust my art. You can trust me, too.”
Ready to See Your Story Come Alive?
If you’re looking for children’s book illustrators for hire, I’d love to hear your story. I’m always happy to share a free demo — no strings attached.
Together, we can bring your words to life in children’s book illustrations that make children smile, laugh, and dream.
Ananta Mohanta
Children’s Book Illustrator
See my portfolio here!
Contact me for free demo here!
Bringing characters to life — one free sketch at a time
To know more: www.anantaart.com
Pinterest: https://in.pinterest.com/illustratorananta/
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July 9, 2025
The Secret to Finding the Best Children’s Book Illustrators for Hire 2025
The Secret to Finding the Best Children’s Book Illustrators for Hire
Illustrated by- Ananta Mohanta
If you’re writing a children’s book, finding the right children’s book illustrators for hire can be just as crucial as writing the story itself. Young readers connect with bright, original pictures just as much as they do with your words, sometimes even more.
I’m Ananta Mohanta, and I’ve been working as a childrens book illustrator for more than 15 years now. Over the years, I’ve worked with authors from all over the world, helping them turn simple ideas into books children want to read again and again. One thing I’ve learned is that choosing the right illustrator doesn’t have to be complicated, but there are a few secrets that can help you find the perfect fit.
Start With a Free Demo
When you search online for children’s book illustrators for hire, you’ll see endless portfolios. Some styles are bright and playful, others soft and dreamy. But here’s the truth — no matter how beautiful an illustrator’s past work looks, you can’t really know how your own story will look in their style until you see it.
That’s precisely why I always offer a free demo before any agreement. I provide every author I work with a complimentary sample sketch or character design first. It’s my way of saying: “Let’s see if this works for your story before you spend a single penny.”
A free demo helps you feel sure that your chosen children’s book illustrators understand your vision, and you avoid wasting money on work that might not match your dream.
Every Character Should Be Unique
One of the biggest secrets to great childrens book illustration is originality. A good illustrator doesn’t just recycle the same faces and poses for every project. Every book has its own world, its own little heroes, and its own mood.
Sadly, I’ve seen too many books where art feels copied or rushed. When you look for illustrators for children’s books, check if they create characters from scratch. I always ask my authors about their characters: How do they look? What makes them special? Then I draw them in my own style, adding small details that help kids remember them.
When you see a free demo with your own character, you’ll know if the illustrator really “gets” your idea.
A Step-by-Step Process Builds Trust
One more thing I believe strongly in: when you do children’s book illustrators for hire, they shouldn’t just disappear and come back months later with finished pages. A good illustrator will share sketches, then outlines, then colored pages — step by step — so you always know what’s happening.
I share each stage of my childrens book illustration work with my authors. If you ever feel something needs to change, we sort it out right away. By doing this early, you won’t get any big surprises at the end — just the book you imagined, exactly how you want it.
No Advance Fees Means No Worry
Many new authors worry about paying advance fees. What if the illustrator doesn’t deliver? What if they don’t reply once they receive the payment?
I understand this fear. That’s why I never take advance payments. After the free demo, if you’re happy, we move forward one piece at a time. You pay step by step, only after you have seen and approved of the work. This makes the whole journey feel safe and fair for both sides.
Check Their Experience
Another secret: when you’re searching for children’s book illustrators for hire, always check how long they’ve been doing this. A fresh graduate might have talent, but an experienced illustrator brings so much more to the table: an understanding of layout, book sizes, printing, and how to hold a child’s attention on every page.
I’ve spent over 15 years working on children’s books for different cultures and age groups. I know how to plan each page, so it flows naturally with the text and keeps little readers turning the pages.
Communication Is Key
One thing many people often overlook is the importance of effective communication. You want an illustrator who listens to your ideas, answers your questions, and explains what’s happening at every step.
I reply to every message personally. I ensure that my authors feel free to share suggestions or request changes. After all, it’s your book — I’m just here to help bring it to life.
Putting It All Together
So, what’s the real secret to finding the best children’s book illustrators for hire?
Look for someone who:
- Offers a free demo so you can see your story in their style.
- Creates fresh, unique characters just for you.
- Works step by step so you’re never left guessing.
- Don’t ask for advance payments before you’re happy.
- Has real experience in childrens book illustration.
- Communicate clearly and treat your story with care.
If you keep these simple things in mind, you’ll find an illustrator who brings your words to life in a way children will remember.
Ready to Get Started?
If you have a story in mind and want to see how it can come to life on the page, I’d love to help. I’ve worked with authors across the world, and every single project starts the same way — with a friendly chat and a free demo. No stress, no rush, no upfront fees. Just a love for storytelling and art that makes kids smile.
Your story deserves pictures that are as special as the words you wrote. So, when you search for children’s book illustrators for hire, remember that trust, originality, and clear communication make all the difference.
-Ananta Mohanta (children’s book illustrator)
If you are finding illustrators for a children’s book, in a world full of children’s book illustrators for hire, choosing the right person matters. Ananta Mohanta stands out among all children’s book illustrators with passion, punctuality, and professionalism. With a strong portfolio of children’s book illustrations, he brings characters to life through his art. For those searching for illustrators for children’s books, his styles offer charm. As a dedicated children’s book illustrator, he understands the magic that each story deserves. Whether you are seeking famous children’s book illustrators or rising talent, or comparing an illustrator’s children’s books, Ananta makes storytelling visually unforgettable.
To know more:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ananta_mohanta_
Pinterest: https://in.pinterest.com/illustratorananta/
X : https://x.com/AnantaMohanta6
July 8, 2025
How is AI a threat to Children’s Book Illustrators?2025
AI is a threat to Children’s Book Illustrators
Illustrated by – Ananta Mohanta
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is truly remarkable. I’m Ananta Mohanta, a children’s book illustrator. As a famous children’s book illustrator, I feel directly threatened by AI, and I am quite concerned about the future of Children’s Book Illustration. AI has been producing illustrations, digital paintings, and images with just a click, and many people are using it effortlessly while taking credit for the work. I believe AI poses a threat to children’s book writers as well. Today, I am writing this blog to share with my concerns about the impact of AI, and I want to share it with all my well-wishers, author friends, and colleagues.
Producing all the art forms of a children’s book illustrators:
AI can produce all forms of art, from traditional to digital. It can create various traditional art types, such as pastels, watercolors, pencils, and charcoal. In addition, digital art is also included. Essentially, children’s book illustrators used to create illustrations by hand using traditional methods. Now, all artwork, even that which is carefully crafted by hand, is eventually transferred to a computer. Creative apps like Adobe Photoshop and Procreate have enabled artists to create stunning digital images and beautiful children’s books.
Displacement of children’s book illustrator:
Many self-publishing authors and publishers are publishing their books. They are using AI due to its speed and cost-saving capabilities. AI is already reducing the demand for Children’s Book illustrators. Even in various fields, too.
Ethical concern from a children’s book illustrator:
AI creates anything based on what is available on the internet, including art and craft. It creates an illustration featuring a mix of various artists’ characters, styles, and designs without infringing on their concerns. It reduces an artist’s value.
Reduce the children’s book illustrators’ originality:
AI can quickly generate any type of illustration, from character design to styling and beyond. It reduces the need for original artists to draft, craft, design, and style illustrations.
Price Reduction:
I have recently seen and heard that, by using AI, many people have started to illustrate children’s books at a very low price to attract clients. As a result, professional children’s book illustrators are not getting the deserved price for their hard work.
Flooded the market with AI illustrations:
It has easy accessibility, meaning several new people are illustrating books using its tools and flooding the market with books. It is making it hard for those who are actual, real human children’s book illustrator artists to stand out in the market.
The authors got scammed by a fake children’s book illustrator:
A few of my author friends have shared that fake children’s book illustrators have scammed some of their colleagues. Some dishonest individuals create fake profiles as children’s book illustrators, take orders and advance payments from authors, and then vanish with their content. The most infuriating part is that they publish it under their name or sell the entire content at a high price to others after some time.
Artistic identity at risk:
A few months ago, a trend went viral called “GHIBLI ART.” Now, the question is, what is it? Ghibli is a Japanese animation studio famous for its distinctive animated characters. Hayao Miyazaki, a Japanese artist, is the co-founder of this studio. He created and sketched Ghibli characters and continues to design them for his studio.
Suddenly, people began to replicate Miyazaki’s artistic style by using AI in their pictures and started uploading them to the internet. They called it “Ghibli Art,” and it went viral like crazy.
I have noticed that 95% of the people using it were unaware of Hayao Miyazaki or the Ghibli studio.
So, I can easily consider that AI presents a risk to artistic identity.
Failed to make the emotional connection:
Maybe AI can quickly generate an illustration, but it cannot bring the expression and set the tone as a children’s book illustrator does. An AI can never think like a human does. It may fail to establish an emotional connection between readers and the books. Sometimes, the client might overlook this, prioritizing cost over quality, but it does matter.
Final thoughts
Using AI in children’s books has many negative side effects. It could negatively impact children’s books and every creative sector. It would be a lie to say that I am not using AI, but I only use it to get some tips or ideas. I hope someday, there will be some terms and regulations for using artistic things. Perhaps in the future, we will also be able to see artists, such as children’s book illustrators, combine AI with their creative imaginations and thoughts to create more powerful and meaningful illustrations.
-Ananta Mohanta (Children’s Book Illustrator)
If you are finding illustrators for a children’s book, in a world full of children’s book illustrators for hire, choosing the right person matters. Ananta Mohanta stands out among all children’s book illustrators with passion, punctuality, and professionalism. With a strong portfolio of children’s book illustrations, he brings characters to life through his art. For those searching for illustrators for children’s books, his styles offer charm. As a dedicated children’s book illustrator, he understands the magic that each story deserves. Whether you are seeking famous children’s book illustrators or rising talent, or comparing an illustrator’s children’s books, Ananta makes storytelling visually unforgettable.
Hire me!
Pinterest: https://in.pinterest.com/illustratorananta/

July 7, 2025
Tips for Aspiring Children’s Book Illustrators: A Guide from 15 Years of Drawing Stories
Tips for Aspiring Children’s Book Illustrators: A Guide from 15 Years of Drawing Stories

Illustrated by Ananta Mohanta
Hello there!
I’m Ananta Mohanta, and for more than 15 years, I’ve had the joy of working among children’s book illustrators. Every day, I get to help turn words into worlds, characters into friends, and simple ideas into magical pages. If you dream of seeing your art in children’s book illustrations someday, I hope my experience will help guide you a little closer to your dream.
In this guide, I’ll share what I’ve learned about how to grow as an illustrator for children’s books, find your style, build a portfolio, connect with writers and publishers, and get hired as a children’s book illustrator.
1. Fall in Love with Stories and Pictures
The first and most important thing for any aspiring children’s book illustrator is a true love for stories. Children’s book illustrations aren’t just pretty pictures — they’re part of the storytelling.
When I started, I spent hours at the library, studying the work of famous children’s book illustrators. I still do! Look at how different illustrators use colors, shapes, and expressions. Pay attention to the details: the way a character’s eyes show mischief, or how a page turn can surprise the reader.
Some illustrators for children’s books paint in watercolors; others love digital art or mixed media. There’s no right way — only your way.
1. Draw Every Day (Even When You Don’t Feel Like It)
The truth is that children’s book illustrators don’t always feel inspired. But we draw anyway. Sketch your cat, your breakfast, the people you see on the street. Doodle ideas for characters or scenes.
When I started, I kept sketchbooks full of tiny characters. Some never became anything more than a scribble. But sometimes, one drawing turned into a character who found a home in a children’s book illustration years later.
The more you draw, the more confident you’ll become. Your unique style will show itself in time.
1. Build a Portfolio That Tells a Story
If you want to become one of the go-to children’s book illustrators for hire, you’ll need a portfolio that stands out.
A good portfolio doesn’t just show you can draw. It shows you can tell a story with your art. Include different characters, emotions, and scenes. Show how you illustrate action, quiet moments, funny moments, and sad ones.
Put your best work first and last — that’s what people remember most. And keep it updated. Your style will change as you grow.
1. Understand What Publishers and Authors Look For
When someone is finding illustrators for a children’s book, they want more than nice art. They want an illustrator who understands the story and the audience.
Young readers notice everything. If your character has a red hat on one page, it should stay red on the next. Tiny mistakes stand out. So, practice consistency — the same outfits, the same pets, the same world rules.
Also, learn about page layouts, bleed lines, and text placement. A beautiful illustration can lose its magic if the words don’t fit well.
1. Share Your Work (Don’t Be Shy!)
No one can hire you if they can’t find you! One of the biggest mistakes new illustrators for children’s books make is hiding their work.
Build a simple website or online portfolio. Post your art on Instagram or Behance. Join groups for children’s book illustrators. Attend book fairs and workshops.
I’ve met many wonderful clients at tiny local events. You never know who might be looking for children’s book illustrators for hire.
1. Learn to Work with Writers and Editors
Children’s books are a team effort. As a children’s book illustrator, you’ll often work with an author, an editor, and a designer.
Be ready to take feedback. Sometimes your favorite illustration won’t make the final cut. That’s okay — the goal is the best book possible.
Always communicate clearly and professionally. Be on time. If you promise sketches by Monday, deliver them by Monday. This is one reason why publishers love working with famous children’s book illustrators — they know they can trust them.
1. Keep Growing Your Skills
Even after 15 years, I’m still learning. Try new tools, new styles, new subjects. Take classes in storytelling, character design, or digital illustration.
Follow other illustrators children’s book artists admire. Reach out and say hello — most artists are friendly! When I was young, I wrote letters to illustrators I admired. Some wrote back with advice I still treasure.
1. Understand the Business Side
Many new artists forget this part: being a children’s book illustrator is also a business.
Learn how to price your work fairly. Understand contracts — what rights are you giving away? How will you be credited? Will you get royalties or a flat fee?
When someone is finding illustrators for a children’s book, they want to know you’re professional and reliable. A clear contract protects both you and your client.
1. Be Patient and Kind to Yourself
It takes time to become one of those famous children’s book illustrators you admire. I faced plenty of rejections when I started. I still do it sometimes! But each book taught me something new.
Celebrate small wins: your first sketch that feels “right,” your first commission, your first printed page.
1. Remember Who You’re Drawing For
Finally, never forget who all these children’s book illustrations are for — the children!
Kids don’t care about fancy techniques. They care about characters they love, worlds they want to visit again and again. Children may not always remember every word on the page, but they’ll carry your pictures with them for years. That’s the true magic of this work — and why it still makes me smile every time I see a child turning the pages I helped bring to life
Closing Thoughts
If you’re dreaming of becoming a children’s book illustrator, I hope these tips light your way. Keep reading, keep drawing, keep sharing your magic.
There’s always room for one more storyteller in the world of children’s book illustrations. And maybe, someday, when someone is finding illustrators for a children’s book, they’ll find you, ready with your pencil, your ideas, and your heart wide open.
Wishing you all the best on your journey!
Warmly,
Ananta Mohanta
Pinterest: https://in.pinterest.com/illustratorananta/
July 4, 2025
Why Children’s Book Illustrators Bring Cultural Diversity to Children’s Books in 2025
Children’s Book Illustrators Bring Cultural Diversity to Children’s Books

Illustrated by – Ananta Mohanta
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July 3, 2025
15 Famous Illustrators of Children’s Books to Follow in 2025
15 Famous Illustrators of Children’s Books to Follow in 2025

Table of Contents

If you are looking for an illustrator or the best place to find stunning illustration works for children’s books, then you are at the right place! The creative industry is growing each day, and it’s simpler for people to connect and find new talents.
In this blog post, I will shed some light on the topic “20 Famous Illustrators of Children’s Books to Follow in 2025” in an easy yet detailed manner. I will also discuss their popular illustrated works for your reference below.
Gradually, you will get a clear understanding of those leading or famous illustrators and what they are popular for, and decide your illustration styles to get motivated. With the proper guidance, you can also adapt your unique styles and thrive in this highly competitive illustration domain.
Let’s start by exploring the top Children’s book illustrators one by one!
Famous Illustrators to Follow in 2025
The following list that I have crafted carefully is a list of popular illustrators who are highly praised for their remarkable artworks. I would try my best to cover almost all the top artists and their artworks here so that you can follow them for further inspiration.
1. Maurice Sendak

The American author among famous illustrators around the world, Maurice Bernard Sendak, is a very popular name in the children’s book publishing world. One of his timeless creations is ‘Where the Wild Things Are’.
With his playful and emotional illustration, he catches the wild imagination of a child seamlessly. You might get a magical creation of a story with pictures to convey feelings and show creatures. Maurice is highly popular for his detailed and bold style of illustrations, which depicts strong expressions.
He is always an inspiration to young illustrators who want to adapt their style of illustration and become famous in 2025.
2. Eric Carle

Another stunning example of a famous illustrator and designer whose works are highly praised is Eric Carle. This American-origin illustrator and author is renowned for his great work, ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar.’
This iconic children’s book artist is highly popular for easy and unique artwork. His bright and colorful illustrations make his paintings capture the attention of young readers. He used hand-painted designs and textured papers to create his unique art, and this made him stand out as the most famous illustrator in America.
His books help kids to count numbers, days of the month, and days of the week, and know about healthy eating habits.
3. Leo Lionni

Leo Lionni is another great illustrator who is famous for his children’s book illustrations. More than 40 popular titles have been illustrated and authored by Lionni. His books are translated into multiple languages to make them easy for readers of different linguistic backgrounds to understand.
His popular illustration style symbolizes rich textures, hues, vibrant colors, tones, different shapes, and collages. The timeless creation of Lionni is ‘Frederick,’ which reflects the life of a poetic mouse. Through the use of animals and nature together, Lionni conveys big life messages to his readers.
Illustrators of these days should admire this blend of illustrations in this competitive landscape of 2025.
4. Vashti Harrison

Another modern and famous illustrator is Vashti Harrison and her most praised work is ‘Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History.’ This has become highly popular among readers due to the tales and illustrations of the world’s most outstanding leaders in a vibrant and catchy manner.
This multi-talented illustrator celebrates the success of 40 history-changing African American women in a more accessible illustration style. She makes use of pastel colors and smooth lines to make those tiny characters and inspire young readers.
Vashti’s work is an excellent example of teaching kids about the importance of history in a more catchy and engaging way.
5. Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein’s timeless themes and bold brand humor have made him popular among children and adults across the world. He is famous for his remarkable illustrations in ‘Where the Sidewalk Ends’ and ‘The Giving Tree.’ Silverstein only makes black-and-white illustrations that reflect deep emotions.
This helps children to connect easily with the story. He won popular awards, including the Oscar nomination and the Grammy Award, and this has proven his excellence. One can simply get motivated by his bold black-and-white illustrations in 2025.
Check out Ananta Mohanta’s portfolio for more extraordinary illustrations that help children’s picture books capture young minds!
6. Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter is one of the excellent and popular illustrators in the late 19s. Her most astonishing creation is ‘The Tale of Peter Rabbit,’ the most loved book by children, and they are based on her pet rabbits. Some other popular works of Potter are ‘The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck,’ ‘The Tale of Tom Kitten,’ ‘The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher,’ and more!
Children who are below five mostly enjoy her work, and she wins to capture their attention perfectly. Her detailed illustrations show a stunning storytelling capacity, which makes all her works classic.
7. Quentin Blake

Quentin Blake is a British cartoonist and famous illustrator who started his book illustration journey at a very young age. He published his first work in Punch Magazine. Some of his most excellent illustrations are Scary Banner, Pantomime Unicorm, and Feline Friends.
He has created a history of illustrating 300+ books, and most of them are very popular among young readers. ‘Matilda,’ written by Ronald Dahl, is one of his timeless creations that captures the attention of children.
If you are up to getting inspiration for your artwork, then Blake’s remarkable artwork should be at the top of your list.
8. Oliver Jeffers

Oliver Jeffers is an Australian-origin illustrator who is popular for his unique illustrations, paintings, sculptures, and book marketing. His popular books are ‘Lost and Found and ‘How to Catch a Star.’ The use of soft hues and shapes has made Jeffers create scenes that are humorous and emotional.
Oliver Jeffers is famous for his excellent illustrations ‘Before My Time,’ ‘Fathom Painting No. 1’, ‘The Substitute Window,’ and more!
9. Ludwig Bemelmans

Ludwig Bemelmans is famous for his timeless creation ‘Madeline,’ the emotional story of a brave little girl who lives in Paris. His drawings are vibrant and moving, with bold lines and appealing hues. He adds a comical touch when illustrating real-life scenes. Young readers love the simple, attractive characters and exciting city scenes.
His illustrations still seem remarkable and inspiring, even in 2025. He highlighted the joy of daily life in an exciting and childlike manner. People who have an interest in traveling must enjoy the artworks by Ludwig Bemelmans.
10. Patricia Polacco

Another prominent name in the world of famous illustrators is Patricia Polacco, and she is praised for her extraordinary work in ‘Thank You, Mr. Falker’. She created history by illustrating more than 100 books.
She used pen, ink, or graphite to make catchy and unique illustrations. She is also famous for using muted colors in her works, and she makes use of vibrant colors to highlight vital subjects in a scene.
11. Priya Kurian

Priya Kurian is one of the famous Indian-origin illustrators and artists who is popular for her remarkable work in ‘Ammachi’s Glasses. This comic book writer won the Big Little Book Award in 2019. More than 100 books are illustrated by her, and she has also illustrated for prominent authors such as Manu S. Pillai, Jerry Pinto, Meera Nair, and Ruskin Bond.
Her other novel works include ‘Drawing the Line: Indian Women Fight Back’ and ‘Poonachi: Lost in the Forest.’ She creates visual moments with her unique style, and this makes an emotional connection between young readers and the story.
12. Amanda Letcher

Amanda Letcher is a freelance illustrator best known for her unique and dreamy illustrations of people, animals, things, and nature. Magical and gentle worlds filled with exciting elements are her best styles. She makes use of pastel hues, soft colors, and moving shapes that raise curiosity among young minds.
Her stunning illustration style continues to capture the attention of young readers, making her a great example which new illustrators should take inspiration from.
13. Clement Hurd

Clement is a famous illustrator for his artwork on the classic ‘Goodnight Moon.’ She has illustrated the books in a straightforward yet attention-grabbing way. From using vibrant and bright colors to simple shapes, Hurd makes bedtime stories extremely catchy and cozy for kids.
Almost 100 books are illustrated by Hurd, and some great works include, ‘The Runaway Bunny,’ ‘My World,’ ‘Run Run Run,’ ‘Hurry Hurry,’ and more!
14. Beatrice Blue

If you want to know about a rising illustrator who has been dominating the world of illustrations in 2025, Beatrice Blue is the name you should think of. Her famous illustration is in the book ‘Once Upon a Unicorn Horn,’ which is full of bright and vibrant colors and attractive character illustrations. Her other popular works include ‘The Sun Room,’ ‘Wonder,’ ‘Once Upon a Mermaid’s Tail,’ and more!
Young readers love to engage with her illustrations, as they are cute and dreamlike creations. She must be the top choice to get inspiration for catchy and brilliant illustrations in 2025.
15. Zebo Ludvicek

If you are searching for a nature-themed illustrator, then Zebo Ludvicek must be your prime pick. His stunning use of humor featuring wilderness scenes and animals has made him the most popular choice for children. He makes cartoonish illustrations of realistic themes.
Young readers are often engrossed by his national art, and this encourages their curiosity to understand nature and the world around them. Zebo’s artworks are rocking the world of illustrations due to their fun and informative touch, and this is the primary reason they are highly praised in 2025.
Final Thoughts,
In summary, the above-mentioned famous illustrators have brought life to mundane stories by adding their unique artworks.
Hoping, I have illustrated all the great and famous illustrators above with their outstanding works. If you follow their artworks in 2025, you can capture the attention of both young readers and creators. These illustrations keep the excitement and joy of learning.
If you are interested in making Children’s book illustrations or you are a book publisher, then you can go to Anantaart.com and connect with Ananta Mohanta and check his remarkable illustrations that make kids love reading books.
Happy reading.
June 26, 2025
How to Illustrate Children’s Picture Books?
How to Illustrate Children’s Picture Books?

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Want to create magical characters to grab the attention of young minds? Don’t know how to bring life to children’s picture books? Making illustrations for children’s picture books is exciting!
To make children’s books more interesting, you need to know the right steps, make appealing illustrations that are bright, vibrant, and filled with emotions.
In this article, I will highlight the topic ‘how to illustrate children’s picture books’ in a straightforward yet detailed manner. I will also state their advantages and key tips and tricks for improvement below.
Eventually, you will get an in-depth idea of how to plan, draw, design, create characters, choose layouts, and choose your best illustrations by the end of this blog post. With the right illustration tips and tricks, you can make highly effective and funny picture illustrations that bring life to boring stories!
Let’s begin by digging into the idea of children’s picture books first.
What are Children’s Picture Books?
Children’s picture books refer to those special storybooks that are made especially for young children for making their reading journey memorable and enjoyable. These books make use of clear words and bright illustrations to convey a story. These picture books are typically short and simple to comprehend.
Pictures are an essential element in books. These visual elements help you define the story and keep young minds interested. Some even convey the entire story with pictures; there are no texts.
Children’s picture books help children boost their memory, vocabulary, and comprehension of emotions. The creativity and imagination of a child will grow eventually.
Parents, teachers, and caregivers often read them to their young kids. Bedtime stories and classroom sessions are even made enjoyable and entertaining with these.
On summary, these specific types of books make learning interesting and engaging while letting kids grow their imagination as well as creativity.
Visit Anantaart.com to get professionally built visual illustrations that help your children’s picture book capture young readers!
Benefits of Children’s Picture Books?
There are some significant advantages of Children’s picture books that you must have an idea of. If you run a publishing company or are an author, you must know such benefits.
Below, I have shed some light on those benefits in simple terms. Let’s get going.
Boosts Imagination: A young mind is inspired by bright illustrations and funny stories. Kids start to make imaginations. They imagine new ideas. As an outcome, their ideas become more innovative and free-spirited.
Builds Emotional Understanding: Books with illustrations reflect more emotions, such as happiness, fun, excitement, sorrow, joy, fear, and anger. Kids will get an early idea of emotions. Character reactions and emotions are clear to them. This uplifts their emotional as well as social development.
Improves Early Vocabulary: Children’s books make it simpler for young readers to learn new vocabulary. They relate pictures to words. This helps in their better understanding of story meanings. It boosts their communication and reading skills at a very young age.
Enhanced Reading Skills: Picture books improve the process of reading. Kids explore and pick up words by integrating pictures. They begin to read alone with ease. It is a great starting place to start reading.
Improves Bonding Time: Great bonding moments occur between parents and kids when they study together. It makes a great bond. Young readers feel safe and cherished. In addition to this, it converts reading into an entertaining and cheerful social activity.
Increases Love for Reading: Kids love books due to their engaging narratives and appealing illustrations. This early joy builds into a love for book reading. They love to read more and start choosing books by themselves.
9 Steps to Illustrate Children’s Picture Books
In this section, I have tried to illustrate all the essential steps to illustrate children’s picture books in an easy yet straightforward manner. Picture book illustrations demand careful planning, sketching, layouting, background designing, final design selecting, and a clear understanding of narratives with the application of appealing illustrations or images.
If you want to start your storybook illustration journey today, this step-by-step guide will help you bring life to your creative stories.
1. Read and Comprehend the Storyline
Kick-start the journey by reading the story and understanding it better. Get the story plot, feelings, and different characters. You must visualize the scene in your mind. Analyze the vibe, whether it is exciting, joyful, or calm.
This helps in making better sketching plans. Your illustrated pictures will get more significance the more you understand the storyline.
Take the necessary time to start. An Outstanding picture book begins with an in-depth idea of the narrative.
2. Split the Story into Pages
Try breaking the narrative down into different pages. Children’s picture books generally contain 20 to 30 pages. Put separate events or sentences on individual pages. This keeps the smooth flow of the story.

To keep young minds interested, place the most exciting part of the story in page-turning sections. Each page must define a different scene. This helps in both picture and text planning.
The book is funny and easily comprehensible, while the pages are correctly arranged.
3. Make a Storyboard
Then, continue making a rough plan for your picture book for young readers. Make use of clear and easy drawings to display what will be happening on every page. This is known as a storyboard.
Making a perfect and polished storyboard is not essential. Just point out the places of action, texts, and characters. This makes it simpler to get a complete idea of what the book contains at once.
In addition to this, problems can also be solved easily. This stage helps you keep your stories simple by saving valuable time and effort.
4. Start Sketching Characters
In the next step, you have to sketch the main characters. Try creating multiple faces and styles. You need to brainstorm the unique looks, their appearance, and how they exhibit emotions.
Ensure all the looks of these characters remain the same on each drawing. They help you manage the consistency of the children’s picture books. Try to draw them in multiple actions and wear different clothes.
Funny and straightforward characters bring life to stories. For kids, keep the illustrations simple, clean, and appealing.
5. Planning the Page Layout
The next step is to plan the complete layout of the page. Set the separate layouts for separate pages. Choose places for images or texts. Think of how eyes move over the pages and focus more on that.
Do not lose the focus of the prime action. Don’t cover the pictures or illustrations to leave space for the wording. Try experimenting with different layouts until one catches your eye. A well-illustrated page is relaxing to look at and simple to read.
It also boosts the storytelling.
6. Pick a Color Scheme
The next step is to pick a specific color scheme for your narrative to make it appealing and engaging for children. Pick a set of different colors that best fit your story. Vibrant colors are best for funny stories and excitement-building.
Soft color fits best with calm and gentle stories. Try to use 3 to 5 primary colors. The book will look clearer and professional due to this color scheme. Ensure that the colors are perfect for each mood and emotion.
A dynamic color scheme makes the illustrations more appealing, exciting, and simple to enjoy.
7. Make the Final Illustrations Ready
Start focusing on the work completed so far. Try using bright colors and clean lines. You can make hand drawings or use digital applications. Make sure that every page has a similar style.
Add details to make scenes catchy and attention-grabbing without making them over-congested. Focus on lighting, depth, and background.
Your primary focus should be on creating illustrations or pictures that are simple, clean, and appealing. Once you are done, check if the illustrations resonate with your storyline. Put your best into creating final illustrations for children’s picture books, only to see whether kids will like them.
8. Adding Texts to the Pages
The story text must be placed immediately. Pick a specific font that is clear and easily readable. Important parts of your illustration must not be covered by the story text. Place it where the background looks simple. For kids, ensure the font size is perfect.
Ensure every page has a consistent text layout. Ensure that your handlettering is perfect and consistent. In order to ensure that all things fits perfectly, read the story with those appealing visual illustrations. Picture and text should complement each another. Both of them need to convey the story in an appealing and engaging manner.
9. Inspect and Finalize the Children’s Picture Books
This stage is your final one. Analyze the page carefully and find out if there are any mistakes in color schemes, texts, and sketches. Check carefully if the main character, along with others, remains the same throughout the narrative.
Ensure the story remains consistent from the beginning to the end. Ask for feedback. Sometimes, even a tiny mistake will catch the eye of the person giving feedback. Do adjustments or alterations if needed.
Once it looks perfect, print the copy or share it digitally. Hurrah! You have just finished making a children’s picture book. It’s time to sell by making kids enjoy reading.
Children’s Picture Books Illustration: Tips & Tricks
There are some practical tricks and tips that an illustrator should remember. I have tried to highlight some of them in the section below.
Improve your Children’s picture book illustrations by using the tips and tricks below;
Draw simple expressions: Ensure the faces of all characters reflect emotions and feelings. It should be concise and easy to see what the characters feel, whether they are sad, happy, or angry.
Fewer texts help kids understand emotions and boost their understanding of the story.
Highlight actions and movements: Display moving characters such as running, jumping, and laughing to make them more lively. Actions and movement keep young readers engaged and give thrills to the pages. It offers life and energy to the narrative.
Use large and simple shapes: Try to avoid adding so many small details. Start using large and clean shapes so that kids can easily perceive and enjoy them. For children, clean pictures are highly entertaining and simpler to decode.
Keep it funny and colorful: Try using bright and vibrant color schemes. Kids love bright and happy colors. Make every page breathtaking. Colors must capture the attention of kids instantly and resonate perfectly with the tone of the story.
Leave a space for text: Always decide where you wish the text to be placed. Avoid making a drawing over a space. Make it simple for kids to understand and read so they don’t get confused by visual illustrations.
Final Thoughts,
Making illustrations for Children’s picture books is a creative and exciting journey. It needs proper planning, time, and a passion for storytelling. Every stage guides you to bring life to boring stories so young readers can enjoy and have fun.
From understanding the gist of the story to making final designs, each section is important. Always keep your illustrations clear, bright, simple, and filled with emotions. Try to think like an innovative and lively kid.
I hope that I have depicted the step-by-step guide on illustrating children’s picture books in the above. I have also mentioned some essential tips and tricks for children’s picture book illustrations for higher engagement of young readers.
If you are interested in bookmaking or running a book publishing company, then you can contact Ananta Mohanta at Anantaart.com and check out the extraordinary illustrations that make children love reading storybooks.
Happy reading.
May 23, 2025
The Ultimate Guide to Digital Illustration in 2025
The Ultimate Guide to Digital Illustration in 2025
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Thinking about how digital illustration is evolving rapidly in 2025? Feeling stuck by all the trending software, trends, and tools? Don’t know where to start and thrive as a digital illustrator?
Digital illustration is rapidly transforming, as is the AI technology. Don’t be worried! This complete guide will help you through your career.
You will find the complete step-by-step guide to digital illustration in this article. This can offer you a comprehensive idea of digital illustration along with its importance, trending styles, most-used tools, and the future of digital illustration.
You will be filled with a constructive idea of digital illustration by the end of this article. This blog post will help you throughout your digital illustration journey and keep you industry-ready.
Let’s get updated with the trending digital illustration styles and thrive in 2025!
What is Digital Illustration?
Digital illustration is the most significant part of the design process, as the majority of brands use well-illustrated logos to showcase their unique products or services and, moreover, their brand identity.
Digital illustration refers to the creation of catchy artwork with the help of smart devices such as a computer, phone, or tablet. Rather than just drawing on paper, you can make sketches on a digital screen.
Some stunning apps such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Adobe Fresco, and Procreate are used. If you want a pencil-like drawing, a digital pen or a Stylus would help.
There is a vast difference between traditional and digital art. Traditional one uses paper, brushes, pens, and color paints, while digital illustration uses digital screens, AI-powered tools, or software.
These illustrations are simple to modify, and you can undo errors and add new layers and colors to your digital art. It is time-saving and cost-effective. Most artists pick digital illustration over traditional art as it is flexible and straightforward to share.
Why is Digital Illustration Crucial?
Digital illustration is more evolving and trending than ever! Brands, authors, and creators use different types of digital illustrations to engage more with audiences visually and funnily.
With the application of proper digital art, things will be highly appealing, engaging, and simple to comprehend.
Versatility: Digital illustrations are widely applied for various media, such as advertisements, websites, games, and publications. You can create anything in any style, layout, or size. This is perfect for both critical business needs and entertaining art.
High demand for books, gaming, and advertising: These days, books for young readers, smartphone games, and digital ads all consist of illustrations. To capture and keep the audience interested, these industries need new and more appealing visuals.
Simple to access: A smart device like a desktop or tablet and an app such as Procreate is all that an illustrator needs. Anyone can start drawing at their own pace using free online resources.
Better emotional engagement: Stunning art triggers strong emotions in audiences. With the application of different expressions, colors, styles, and layouts, you can tell different stories, illustrate emotions, and boost the lasting impression of messages.
Boosts design aesthetics: Designs look catchy, modern, and unique when illustrated well. They provide attractiveness and help in capturing the attention of audiences quickly, whether on a website or products.
Builds brand identity: A unique digital illustration style boosts a brand. It promotes fast brand recognition and improves people’s loyalty and trust in the brand’s message and image.
Improved reader persuasion: Illustrations help people capture ideas more easily. By making the information more straightforward to comprehend and more friendly, digital illustrations help audiences access, define, and engage.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Start a Digital Illustration
To begin your first digital art is not easy, and it can confuse you many times. But stop worrying! This can feel like a cakewalk if you follow the below-mentioned simple steps.
You can make stunning and visually appealing digital illustrations from scratch with the right tool, a pen, and a detailed plan.
Let’s get to know the detailed steps to create a vibrant and appealing digital illustration below;
Step 1: Pick a Digital Art Tool/ Software
If you are about to begin your digital art journey, picking the right tool or software is the first and foremost step. There are some popular tools available in the market that ease the journey of an illustrator with the help of modern technologies or AI integrations.
Adobe Fresco works well on computers or tablets, while Procreate is best for iPad users. Another popular one is Clip Studio Paint. Choose the one that matches your needs without breaking the bank.
Try out the free version of each tool and then choose accordingly. Try the layers and different types of brushes for a different experience. Know how to use those tools before starting to make a drawing. An excellent tool makes this illustration creation process simple and enjoyable.
Step 2: Start Making a Sketch
The next step is to start drawing. Draw your unique ideas with the help of a pencil brush. Make use of basic outlines, layouts, and shapes. Focus on design making, not on perfection. This is your clear and detailed beginner’s guide.
You can start making drawings of basic elements such as animals, humans, and other catchy objects. First, make it clear and catchy. You can undo the drawings if you make any mistakes. Drawings help you build a clear concept.
You can proceed to the next step once you have completed the sketch.
Step 3: Design Different Layers
The next step is to create different layers for your unique drawings. One primary instance is that one layer is added to the background, one layer is added to the skin, and one layer is added to the apparel. Layers allow you to work simply without mixing multiple layers.
One layer can be moved, edited, or corrected without causing any damage to the others. This helps you save valuable time and make clear designs. Try to name different layers to avoid misunderstanding. One of the essential aspects of digital illustration is its ability to use multiple layers.
Step 4: Add Colors
The following step is to choose bright and catchy colors that represent your unique theme and style. Try creating your unique color palette. Make use of a flat brush to fill colors in different layers. Add highlights or shadows after adding base colors.
Take your time and make designs easily. Color tiny parts by zooming in, and you can even undo or ease parts if you make any mistakes. Digital illustrations make the coloring process enjoyable and straightforward. It also helps you make your drawing look bright and funny.
Step 5: Remove the Sketch Layers
Once you have finished coloring your drawings, delete or hide the layers of sketches. This makes your illustrations cleaner and simpler. You can now view the colored sections of your drawings.
Removing or erasing lines makes your sketch a polished and professional one. This simple step can make a huge difference and offer a clean look to your digital illustrations.
Step 6: Final Details Addition
You can now include tiny yet catchy details in your design to make it appealing. Draw small patterns or textures on the background or clothes.
Add highlights to eyes and even hair to create extra appeal. Remove or fix any additional gaps. Make use of light effects to showcase custom styles.
Step 7: Your Digital Illustration is Ready!
Once the art is complete, you can save a high-quality file in formats like JPEG and PNG. Start social media sharing and store a backup. Practice more to create perfect design illustrations and be more creative.
The career in digital illustration has started, and there’s a lot to explore!
Trending Digital Illustration Styles in 2025
The digital illustration industry is transforming more quickly than ever before. Illustrators make use of soft textures, bold lines, motion graphics, and more.
Such popular trends make digital art entertaining, captivating, and connecting. Let’s get to know those trending styles below;
Animated Illustrations: These dynamic drawings have movement. They employ simple motion to bring life to events and characters. They make social media and website content engaging. With little animation like waving or blinking, this art can add excitement and joy.
Children’s Book Trends: Children’s books nowadays consist of different characters, bold lines, and bright colors. Storytelling and making connections are the prime focus. Traditional and digital art are combined here.
They foster a sense of curiosity in children, and they feel a strong emotional connection with the story.
If you want to create vibrant and colorful digital illustrations for young readers, then Anantaart.com is your prime choice to capture children and engage them highly.
3D Art: 3D art is another phenomenal artwork that is creating hype over digital platforms these days. They appear like objects are coming out of the screen. It offers higher authenticity and richness.
This style is very popular among advertisements, games, and apps. It catches the attention of audiences really quickly and offers a simple yet modern look.
Tactile and Textured Looks: Due to the soft and rough look of these digital illustrations, they feel ‘touchable.’ Digital brushes are employed by illustrators to add textures to paper, paint, or fabric. It offers the artwork a familiar, handmade vibe. Digital illustrations get warmth and appeal from this trending style.
Flat Illustrations: Simple and easy shapes are used in Flat illustrations. They don’t use any shadows. It is contemporary, clear, and simple to comprehend. This is very popular among apps and websites.
Due to its fast loading speed, it is perfect for digital screens. These are the most used due to their friendly and straightforward feature.
Essential Tools or Software for Digital Illustration
If you plan to start your professional career in the digital illustration industry in 2025, you need appropriate tools or software. In this highly demanding and competitive digital world, different options are beginner-friendly and simple to apply.
You can create a stunning digital illustration right at your own pace using very few elements.
Software: There are some popular and trending software or apps that a digital illustrator uses, such as Adobe Fresco, Procreate, Adobe Illustrator, Clip Studio Paint, Krita, and Affinity Designer.
They all provide different brushes, layouts, colors, and effects. Some have paid pricing plans, and some are open-source and free. These tools help an illustrator make drawings, fill colors, and modify them as per requirements.
Hardware: There are some popular hardware such as Wacom, a drawing monitor, or iPad Pro, which are very beneficial for making digital illustrations. A stylus is also used. Such smart devices can help you draw directly on the screen with proper control.
Additional Accessories: Some additional accessories that help you with your digital illustration creation journey are a Stylus glove, a screen protector, stands, and backup drives for a better setup.
Final Thoughts,
Digital illustration has become very popular, and you can see it everywhere! These dynamic illustration trends are predicting the future of the illustration industry and related industries such as the advertising industry, the book publishing industry, entertainment, and social media.
Being a digital illustrator or an art enthusiast, you must follow this complete guide to start your journey in this highly popular digital illustration industry.
I hope I have covered all the essential topics to comprehend digital illustration in this blog post above. From stating the concept in detail to a step-by-step guide to creating a digital illustration, along with its benefits has been mentioned. I have included trending digital illustration styles and some must-have tools in the sections above.
If you want to make visually appealing and engaging digital art for children or Children’s book publishing, just get in touch with Anantaart.com and create stunning and vibrant illustrations to grab the attention of young readers.
May 14, 2025
Top Trends in Children’s Book Illustration for 2025
Top Trends in Children’s Book Illustration for 2025

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Have you ever thought of how Children’s books are so exciting and appealing these days? Illustration trends are transforming more rapidly than ever! Catchy colors, styles, and ideas make a page visually appealing.
Being an illustrator, author, or publisher, you must have in-depth knowledge of these changing trends. Young readers connect easily with vibrant images, and the proper illustration can do the cakewalk!
This is the reason why book illustration trends are so important in 2025!
In this blog post, I will cover 12 exclusive trends in Children’s book illustration to keep you active and updated in this quickly changing book publishing industry. I will also shed light on the concept of book illustration below.
By the end of this article, you will have a complete idea of the latest trends in book illustration. This will guide you throughout your book illustration journey and keep you updated. You can always keep yourself updated with the latest trends and practices of illustration to stay on top.
Let’s dive into the popular Children’s book illustration first!
What Do You Mean by Children’s Book Illustration?
Children’s book illustration is a type of graphic or illustration that conveys the narrative of a book. Young readers can better understand the story due to these catchy pictures. Illustrators add vibrant colors, thrills, and emotion to the book.
Kids can not read long sentences; that is why illustrations are the best for them to have a clear understanding of what is happening in the story! Moreover, well-illustrated images express emotions, behaviors, and even insights.
Based on the narrative, the plot might be entertaining, soft, serious, or even bright. At times, the pictures even express a significant part of the story without using any words. To leave a long-lasting impression on kids, illustrations play an important role!
Beatrice Alemagna’s “A Lion in Paris” is a prime example, as the catchy illustrations accurately show the animal’s experience.
12 Illustration Trends to Look for in 2025
The Children’s book publishing industry is rapidly growing and transforming. You will get to see a range of book illustration trends, starting from AI-integrated illustrations, comic book art, and doodle art to interactive books, character-centric illustrations, and more!
If your story doesn’t follow these book illustration trends, there might be a chance that you lose your potential young readers!
Let’s find out each trend and think about how you can benefit from such art themes in your illustrative way.
1. Minimalistic Art Styles
Simple colors and lines are the main elements of the minimalistic art style. Any extra detail that lies in the art is removed. This specific book illustration style is trending in the book publishing industry due to its simplicity and easy-to-comprehend manner.
It helps young readers to focus more on emotions and the storyline. Its modern look captures the attention of parents, too. This art style also goes well with screens, hence this is best for digital books. This art style is very popular due to its modern and straightforward illustrations.
One popular example of this is Cori Doerrfeld’s “The Rabbit Listened.”
2. AI-Powered Illustrations
AI tools play a crucial role in illustration. AI is used these days to make AI-integrated images. They provide unique styles and create illustrations in just a few seconds. Due to its unlimited creativity and time-saving nature, this trend is creating a buzz in the Children’s book industry.
AI can mix textures, different hues, and ideas that a human illustrator may not even think of. The majority of indie illustrators are picking this style due to its quick graphic making and cost-effectiveness.
One most popular instances is Ammaar Reshi’s AI-illustrated “Alice and Sparkle,” which owns the hearts of millions of children.
3. Comic Book Art
Actionable frames, bold lines, vibrant colors, speech bubbles, and panel layouts are the most significant features of a comic book illustration. It brings excitement and interpretation to stories. Kids love to see lively visual storytelling, and this makes comic book art a popular one among other book illustration trends of 2025.
Comic art makes use of catchy pictures to help children understand stories or big paragraphs. They also add excitement to learning. Many educational institutions are using comic books to engage children in reading and increase their reading habits.
Dav Pilkey’s “Dog Man” is one of the great examples of comic book illustration. This is popular for its blend of brilliant comic art and humor.
4. Doodle Art
Doodle art is a type of illustration that comes with messy sketches with playful drawings. This art creation is full of excitement, fun, and free energy. This illustration style is very popular among kids, and they think they can easily make doodles by themselves. This increases the relevancy of the book and builds an emotional connection with the children.
Moreover, Doodle art breaks the traditional illustration norms, fostering originality. Parents and educators prefer this highly as it boosts imagination and creativity in children.
One great example of doodle art illustration is Mike Lowery’s “The Doodle Adventures.” This offers magical doodles with an exciting story that captures the attention of young readers.
5. Colorful Abstract Illustrations
Bright hues, unique shapes, and unusual patterns are all essential elements of colorful abstract art. Real-life rules are not followed by this type of illustration. It is trending as it captures the attention real quickly.
Stories feel dreamy and mysterious as they are portrayed in colorful abstract art. Letting kids imagine without any restrictions also boosts their creative thinking. Abstract illustrations are also an excellent fit for digital books due to their easy, screen-fit nature.
One popular and excellent colorful abstract illustration example is Jillian Tamaki’s “They Say Blue.” It reflects the usage of abstract art forms, hues, and colors.
6. Cartoon and Comic
Cartoon and comic style is another popular trend in book illustration that engages children in funny, playful, and dramatic stories. Funny expressions, bold lines, large eyes, and bright colors are all common features of such kind of art.
This trend is rapidly increasing as it brings life and emotions to narratives. Young audiences immediately connect to the cartoon and funny characters of the stories. This type of illustration trend is best for quick and humorous storytelling.
Early readers and adults are the prime choice for book publishers when they are publishing children’s books containing this specific illustration style.
An excellent illustration of a cartoon and comic is Ben Clanton’s “Narwhal and Jelly.” It catches the attention of young readers by featuring a cartoon-style style cute sea animal.
7. Character-Centric Illustrations
Character-focused illustrations are currently at the top of children’s book illustration trends. This type of art mainly focuses on the adventures and emotions related to the main character.
The background is plain. Due to kids’ emotional connection with the main character, this illustration trend is booming. Young readers are more attracted to characters when they connect with them and want to know more about them.
Popular brands also develop games, TV shows, movies, cartoons, and toys around those characters. This illustration style makes it simpler for kids to know and relate to the story.
If you are looking for stunning character-centric illustrations, then Anantaart.com is your first choice to grab the attention of young readers!
8. Textured Illustrations
If you are amazed by the creative works of illustrations and want more? The textured illustrations are for you! Textured art uses techniques like rough fur or smooth water to create an appearance that feels real to the touch!
Illustrators can use layers of different colors or even real items and brush strokes. This trend is currently trending as it adds depth and realism to your artwork. This grabs the attention of children with the use of vibrant hues and colors. Children love this art style due to their richness and detail orientation.
Moreover, textures boost higher engagement from kids, especially primary readers. They have a feeling that they have access to your page.
One stunning and popular example of textured illustration is Eric Carle’s “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” which features different colorful illustrations.
9. Interactive Books
Interactive books are currently on trend. This type of book illustration helps children to move, touch, or modify parts of the pages according to their mood and desire. There are different flaps, sliders, and textures to keep children interested.
Some use animated QR codes and even music to make it highly interactive. Due to the playfulness and exciting elements of additional nature, this type of book illustration is in high demand. Young readers are highly inspired and engaged in stories by this.
It is the most preferred choice of educators and teachers for early learners. In fine motor skills building, you can not find an alternative to this!
An outstanding example of an interactive book is Harve Tullet’s “Press Here.” Childrens need to tap the dots to make interactions happen on every page, and this keeps them highly engaged.
Another example of an interactive book is Bill Cotter’s “Don’t Push the Button,” which makes the reading experience enjoyable, playful, and lasting.
10. Surrealism
Surrealism or Surreal illustrations is another trending book illustration style that young readers are currently enjoying. Both the imaginary and real world are combined in this art. This is trending as it gives rise to deep thoughts and curiosity.
Surreal illustrations bring life to stories and make them more interesting. It helps children to boost their creativity and imagination, leading them to ask “what if” type of questions. Most of the authors use such illustrations to analyze emotions and essential concepts in a very innovative manner.
The book named “The Red Tree” by Shaun Tan is another outstanding pick for a surrealism illustration. Here, kids get to know how powerful emotions are represented through surreal art.
11. Eco-friendly Art Themes
Eco-friendly themes are another dynamic one that is trending as people are becoming more environmentally conscious. This theme mainly focuses on animals, nature, and earth-saving. This illustration shows blue oceans, deep green forests, and clean air.
This specific trend is booming as it offers knowledge about the planet and Earth; thus, it is highly valued by educators and parents. This type of art is often created using recycled paper or eco-friendly materials.
Zoe Tucker’s “Greta and the Giants” is an excellent illustration example of eco-friendly art themes. It helps children take care of the environment they live in.
12. Hand-Drawn and Organic Art
Hand-drawn art is another popular illustration form that offers an honest and raw feeling. It was not only developed by computers but also by hand using paper, pen, and pencil. This is trending due to its warm and personal touch.
For children, this hand-drawn and organic art is comforting. That’s the reason parents prefer this type of illustration over others.
One excellent example of hand-drawn and organic art illustrations is Matt de la Pena’s “Last Shop on Market Street.” All the hand-drawn illustrations are by Christian Robinson.
Final Thoughts,
Nowadays, modern illustration trends are reflected everywhere! Know that these popular trends are just the future predictions of the book publishing industry. Some trends have been creating buzz in the market for a decade, and some fail to capture young readers!
As an illustrator or book publisher, you can follow these trends and make something visually catchy that leaves a mark on young readers for longer.
I hope that I have mentioned all the popular trends in Children’s book illustration above. I have also added some details about what book illustration is in unambiguous terms. I have also tried to mention some examples of different illustration trends above to boost your understanding.
If you are interested in making catchy illustrations for young readers or a book publisher, just connect to Anantaart.com and create visually attractive, colorful illustrations to capture young audiences.
Happy reading.
April 29, 2025

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