What is it Like Working With Me as Your Illustrator?
In this article I explain my process and show you what sets me apart as a Children’s Book Illustrator.
“Beth made my dream come to life! She is not only super talented, but knowledgable about the children’s book industry. Her genuine care for my book was met with sincerity to make sure I knew the ins and outs and what was the best option. I already want to write more books so I can see her work! Beth truly is the best to partner with when writing a children’s book.”
- Author Chesnie Nichols, Mental Health Therapist
Self-publishing
I do most of my work with self-published authors because I believe it takes a special kind of person with the heart of an entrepreneur and a love for trying exciting things to create their own book. By choosing self-publishing, an author has the unique opportunity to contribute to and collaborate on the visual embodiment of their story. Publishing companies just don’t offer the same involvement. The author and illustrator rarely even communicate, if at all.
I am going to share some images from one of my favorite books: “Georgie the Corgi’s Insecurities by Chesnie Nichols” to give you a peek into what goes into creating a self-published book that looks as professional as any other book on the shelf at Barnes & Noble.
Character Design
The first thing is determining what the main character looks like. An author can provide reference photos or descriptions of what they want their character to be. We go back and forth making adjustments until it looks perfect. We establish a clear vision for the look, style, color schemes and general feel of the book.
For this book, Chesnie was the main character along with her dog Georgie - the corgi. I was super excited to draw Chesnie because she makes a great cartoon! I usually create a character in several positions, poses and/or outfits. These illustrations are great for sharing on social media to promote your upcoming book while it’s being created!
Round 1: Thumbnails
The first round of illustrations are the Thumbnail Sketches. They are simple tiny drawings created to give an idea of what is happening in the book with as little detail as possible. I present the Thumbnails all in one image so that you can get a clear idea of the layout of the book. This is also known as a Storyboard. You are able to request revisions (or changes) at this stage freely at no extra cost.
After the Thumbnail Round is when we sometimes create the fully illustrated front cover. (Other times we wait to make the cover during a later phase, depending on the project’s needs.) This is so that you can begin to share about the upcoming release of your book with the public. You can use images from the previous character design to show what your book is going to be like on social media outlets to the audience who will one day be buying it.
Round 2: Sketches
The next portion of the project are the sketches. These sketches show lots of detail and are going to be pretty close to the final illustrations, only without color. At this stage in the project, authors are welcome to ask for any revisions they want without any extra charge. We want to make sure the story flows and makes your story shine. This is also a good time to begin taking preorders for your book so you can be ready for ‘Book Release Day’!
Round 3: Final Color Illustrations
The third and final phase of a book project is when all the magic happens and your book comes alive with color! It’s much like opening gifts as a kid on Christmas morning when an author first views the finished page spreads. An author rarely asks for revisions at this point because they have been very involved in every aspect of illustration. However, if a change is needed usually it easily fits in with my well-developed ‘Revision Guidelines’ and usually means no extra cost to you!
Team of Professionals
You may have noticed just how much better a book looks in the final stage when it is fully designed. I can’t take all the credit because on this particular book I worked along side a super amazing book design company called TLC Book Design. They are a company which provides all the services needed to create a well-designed, professional, correctly-made picture book. (They actually make all kinds of other books too.) I highly recommend you reach out to them about your project so they can guide you through editing, designing, printing, marketing and more. They are truly experts in what they do. I love working with them since I do not provide formatting or text layout as a service. I like to stick to what I am best at, which is illustrating! Ask for Tami and tell her I sent you. (Note: I’m not paid to say this, so you can trust me!)
Design work by TLC Book Design
Below is another of my favorite page spreads in this book:
Design work by TLC Book Design
Each illustration round follows closely to the original concept, so you can be confident in the entire process:
Following each round of Illustration you have the opportunity to provide feedback, share ideas, and request changes. The process is clear and you will know exactly what to expect all along the way because I provide a ‘Project Schedule’ in every book contract. My well-honed process has been developed by trial and error through the experience of illustrating 18 children’s books … and counting!
Pricing
You might be wondering what my pricing for all of this looks like. Below, I will share a sample of my current pricing structure. It shows all of the services I provide and what benefits you receive through working with me. I can’t provide exact numbers until I learn about your project first. Important information that informs pricing includes: your manuscript, your target audience and your ideal delivery date.
Contact me at: beth.snider.art@gmail.com for a custom quote!
To The Author of This Book
Thank you to the lovely Chesnie Nichols for allowing me to share her wonderful book project here in this article. You can find out more about her over at The Furry Tales of Life or follow her on Instagram @furrytalesoflife.
To My Past Clients
I would also like to thank all of my previous clients who chose me as their illustrator. Your patience and kindness throughout the early days of my illustration career caused me to learn so much about the good way of doing business. There were so many things I wish I did better but the value I gained in working with each of you is beyond valuable to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Written by,
Beth Snider, Illustrator
Beth has illustrated 18+ children’s books including the multi-award winning, ‘Fly High: Understanding Grief with God’s Help’. This book won the 2023 Golden Scroll Children’s Nonfiction Book of the Year. It took 2nd place in the 2023 Christian Market Book Awards Nonfiction category. Also, it is a finalist for Christianity Today’s Book Awards, won a silver in the Illumination Book Awards, and is a finalist for the SELAH awards. It also won a gold medal in the ‘Living Now Book Awards” and was recently translated into Korean and Swiss as it makes its way around the world to new readers!