As a children’s book illustrator, I must create a seamless harmony between the words on the page and the images complementing them. This often involves suggesting changes to the text, such as shortening wordy sentences or removing redundancies that the illustrations already convey. One should still be effective even if it’s missing the other. The audience should still understand what’s happening, whether they can see or hear the story.
In this post, I’ll walk you through my process for creating the perfect blend of text and images in a children’s book spread and keeping them in tune.
Step 1
Reading the manuscript and visualizing the scenes: The first step in my illustration process is to read and imagine the scenes thoughtfully. I’ll remember the details, emotions, and overall mood and rhythm the author tries to convey. This allows me to determine the most effective way to illustrate the story and identify any areas where the text may be too wordy or repetitive.
I usually plan out the entire book first to get a rough idea of how the pages will flow into each other. This is the storyboarding phase of the process to help me figure out the pacing and tone of the story.
Storyboard view of the entire book.
Step 2
Sketching and refining the illustrations: Once I clearly understand the story and its essential elements, I begin sketching the illustrations. I’ll experiment with different compositions, colors, and styles, always considering how the text and images harmonize. As I refine my sketches, I may discover opportunities to simplify or enhance the text to align with the images.
For instance, if the text describes a character’s action, such as “Banging pots, squeezing toys, smiling, laughing and squealing to the tops of their lungs with joy,” the image clearly shows that, so the sentence could be removed entirely. The first sentence and the image would be enough to convey those emotions on the first page.
Page with original text.
Step 3
Suggesting text revisions: Once I’m satisfied with the sketches, I’ll review the manuscript and suggest shortening or revising wordy sentences, mainly where the images already convey the same information. In addition, I might suggest rephrasing a sentence or removing unnecessary words to make the text more concise and accessible to young readers. In the process, I ensure the story remains engaging and easy to follow while the illustrations provide an enriching visual experience.
For instance, the entire second-page text could be shortened to “As they grew, so did their instruments of choice.”
New sketch with proposed text change.
Step 4
Collaborating with the author: Once I’ve made my suggested revisions, I’ll send them back to the author for review. This collaborative process is crucial in creating a balanced and harmonious children’s book. The author and I will discuss the revisions openly, and together; we’ll find the best way to integrate the text and images. This back-and-forth exchange may happen multiple times to ensure the author, and I are satisfied with the final product.
Step 5
Finalizing the spread: With the harmonizing text and illustrations, I’ll finish the book spread by ensuring engaging visual storytelling. I’ll consider factors such as text placement, how the lettering looks, and the overall movement of the spread. This final step brings everything together and ensures the book is visually engaging and enjoyable for young readers.
Final rendered page with new text added.
Final notes
Illustrating a children’s book is a delicate dance between text and visuals. As an illustrator, my job is to create captivating images and help refine the text to achieve a perfect balance between the two. By working closely with authors and always keeping the young reader in mind, we can create engaging, memorable, and visually stunning children’s books that will be treasured for years.