Long-Term Book Illustrator ( around 25)

My upcoming children’s book series needs a dedicated illustrator who can bring characters to life in a detailed, realistic style. The stories follow a recurring cast across multiple titles, so consistency in proportions, expressions, and colour palettes is essential. While the primary focus is character-driven spreads and spot art for the books, I occasionally reuse artwork in marketing pieces, so layered source files (PSD or Procreate) are important.

You’ll be working from finished manuscripts and rough page plans that already indicate scene mood, key actions, and any props that must appear. I handle layout and typography myself; your task centres purely on illustration.

Deliverables per title
• 20–24 full-page illustrations at print resolution (300 dpi, CMYK)
• 4–6 spot or vignette pieces for chapter headers and back-matter
• A character turnaround sheet for each new protagonist introduced
• Source files with named layers plus flattened TIFFs ready for press

Acceptance criteria
• Visual style aligns with the provided reference board (detailed line work, natural lighting, believable anatomy)
• Colour consistency maintained across the entire book
• Files delivered to agreed schedule—rough thumbnails, refined pencils, colour proof, final art

Work will be assigned in book-length milestones. If this collaboration clicks, I have at least three additional manuscripts queued. Tell me about relevant projects that feature realistic children’s characters, your preferred software, and typical turnaround time for a single page once sketches are approved.