01
Clear scope before production
Confirm what is included, who supplies source material, how approvals work, the number of revisions and what is out of scope.
Turn the ideas in your manuscript into purposeful, consistent artwork. Plan an illustration style, page-by-page needs, review stages and usable final files before production begins.
Good service work makes decisions visible. The aim is to help authors understand the work, take informed decisions and avoid preventable handover problems.
Confirm what is included, who supplies source material, how approvals work, the number of revisions and what is out of scope.
Decisions are based on the intended audience and final publishing use—not on a universal template or generic promise.
Files, decisions, unresolved items and the next production step should be understandable when the project ends.
We separate deliverables we can control from platform decisions, commercial results or external approvals no provider can guarantee.
The right illustration does more than decorate a page. It helps a young reader understand what is happening, gives a complicated idea a visual explanation, establishes mood, or makes a scene more memorable. The style, amount of detail and placement should serve the book’s audience and reading experience.
Book illustration is not one standard deliverable. A picture book may need a sequence of full-page scenes with recurring characters; a practical nonfiction title may need diagrams, spot illustrations or chapter openers; a memoir may require a small number of carefully chosen scenes. These projects need different planning, consistency checks and file requirements.
Our illustration service is designed around a clear brief and a defined set of assets. Before artwork begins, the project should establish which scenes are required, the target trim size, colour or black-and-white use, the visual reference direction, feedback rounds, production deadlines and permitted uses of the final art.
Authors should also decide how illustration work fits into the rest of book production. Artwork that will be printed, placed into an ebook and used for marketing may need different exports or crops. Resolving these details early reduces the risk of finishing beautiful images that do not fit the chosen layout.
Have a manuscript, outline or even a rough scene list? Share the intended age group or reader, book format, approximate number of images and any visual references. A complete storyboard is helpful but not required for an initial scope discussion.
The right illustration does more than decorate a page.
It helps a young reader understand what is happening, gives a complicated idea a visual explanation, establishes mood, or makes a scene more memorable.
A strong brief begins with the reader and the job each image must do. Different book types call for different visual systems, from recurring characters to precise explanatory diagrams.
Plan recurring characters, visual rhythm, scene progression, expressions and settings so illustrations work together across the story.
Use clear, age-appropriate images that support comprehension without adding visual clutter or contradicting the text.
Leadership & LegacyCreate selected scenes, spot illustrations, maps or conceptual visuals where a drawing helps explain or humanise an idea.
Thought LeadershipDevelop an agreed visual style for a series, characters, recurring objects or a recognisable world before producing the full image set.
Expertise & ImpactA strong brief begins with the reader and the job each image must do.
Story & LegacyDifferent book types call for different visual systems, from recurring characters to precise explanatory diagrams.
Knowledge & InfluencePlan recurringcharacters, visual rhythm,scene progression, expressions and settings so illustrations work together across the story.
Explore Your book illustration Path ↗The right scope depends on image count, complexity, format and how much visual development is already complete. These are the main workstreams to consider in a written brief.
Translate the manuscript’s tone, reader age and genre into a workable visual direction.
Establish recurring visual details before the full illustration set is created.
Map where artwork appears and what each scene needs to communicate.
Create the agreed collection of original or specifically commissioned artwork.
Use visual elements to clarify concepts where suitable for the project.
Prepare files for the agreed print, ebook or promotional uses.
The right scope depends on image count, complexity, format and how much visual development is already complete.
These are the main workstreams to consider in a written brief.
Translate the manuscript’s tone, reader age and genre into a workable visual direction.
Establish recurring visual details before the full illustration set is created.
Map where artwork appears and what each scene needs to communicate.
Create the agreed collection of original or specifically commissioned artwork.
Use visual elements to clarify concepts where suitable for the project.
Prepare files for the agreed print, ebook or promotional uses.
Discuss style references, mood, palette and complexity.
Identify non-negotiable character or subject details.
Confirm what should not appear in the artwork.
Define character proportions, clothing and distinctive features.
Record setting and continuity details.
Approve a small number of reference views where needed.
Illustration work benefits from approving a small sample of the direction before commissioning the entire set. The exact order can vary by book, but decisions should be recorded at each stage.
Review the manuscript or scene list, reader, image count, intended formats, target schedule, existing references and any rights constraints. Flag missing information before estimating the full project.
Agree the art style, level of detail, number and type of images, character development needs, revision rounds, approvals, usage rights and final deliverables.
Where appropriate, review thumbnails, a style sample or character reference first. Use this stage to resolve composition and style direction rather than waiting until every image is complete.
Create the agreed images in manageable batches or milestones. The author supplies consolidated feedback by the review dates set in the scope.
Check recurring character details, scene continuity, spelling of labels, crop safety and basic technical requirements. Authors remain responsible for factual approval of specialised material.
Supply the agreed files, asset list and usage documentation. Confirm which versions go to the cover designer, formatter or marketing team and which source files are not part of the agreed handover.
Illustration work benefits from approving a small sample of the direction before commissioning the entire set.
The exact order can vary by book, but decisions should be recorded at each stage.
Book a Consultation ↗The working model is designed to make decisions, responsibilities and limits understandable before the project begins.
A scene list, reference sheet and approved style help reduce duplicated work and mismatched images.
Recurring characters, clothing, settings and visual rules should be recorded rather than relying on memory.
Images for a five-year-old, a technical buyer and an adult memoir reader have different jobs and different levels of detail.
The agreement should explain where the client can use the illustrations, whether modification is allowed and whether exclusivity applies.
Print trim, bleed, gutter, colour treatment and ebook placement affect how final artwork should be prepared.
Artwork can improve clarity and presentation, but it cannot guarantee sales, reviews, bookstore placement or bestseller status.
The working model is designed to make decisions, responsibilities and limits understandable before the project begins.
A scene list, reference sheet and approved style help reduce duplicated work and mismatched images.
THE WEB PUBLISH ELITE HUB STANDARDThe final scope should list the files, reviews, inputs and responsibilities that apply to your specific project. The examples below are common deliverables; not every item is automatically included.
A record of audience, style direction, image needs, formats, approvals and relevant restrictions.
If included in scope, approved details that help maintain continuity across scenes.
Scene thumbnails or placement plan where the book benefits from a separate planning stage.
The agreed number of approved images, with file type, dimensions, resolution and colour treatment specified in writing.
Crops, monochrome versions or alternate formats only where identified in the scope.
Clear file names, scene references and notes about placement or versions.
The permitted uses, territory, term, exclusivity and any restrictions as documented in the signed agreement.
Practical notes for your designer, formatter or publisher about image placement and files still awaiting approval.
The final scope should list the files, reviews, inputs and responsibilities that apply to your specific project.
The examples below are common deliverables
not every item is automatically included.
A record of audience, style direction, image needs, formats, approvals and relevant restrictions.
If included in scope, approved details that help maintain continuity across scenes.
Scene thumbnails or placement plan where the book benefits from a separate planning stage.
These illustrative scenarios show how the scope can change. They are examples of project planning, not actual customer engagements or portfolio claims.
The author may need a character sheet, a page-by-page scene list and a consistent palette before the final full-page images are produced. Recurring details and story sequence matter as much as any one illustration.
↗ Instead of filling every page with artwork, the brief may focus on a smaller set of explanatory diagrams, chapter-opening visuals and spot illustrations. Facts and labels need author or subject-matter review.
↗ A repeatable visual guide can record character proportions, recurring locations, line style and palette so future volumes remain recognisable without assuming every later asset is automatically included.
↗ Important: These are illustrative scenarios, not testimonials, portfolio claims or statements that any particular outcome has already occurred.
↗ These illustrative scenarios show how the scope can change.
They are examples of project planning, not actual customer engagements or portfolio claims.
Explore Full Portfolio ↗Review the artwork against the brief and the intended production use. The quality checks should be concrete enough for both parties to agree what is finished.
Can the target reader understand the intended action, emotion or concept? Does the image add useful information rather than repeat every sentence?
Do recurring people, objects, proportions, colours and settings remain consistent across the set?
Will the important subject remain visible at the final size, and is enough space left for text, trim and gutter where required?
Do the approved files match the documented dimensions, resolution, colour treatment and export format for the intended production workflow?
Review the artwork against the brief and the intended production use.
The quality checks should be concrete enough for both parties to agree what is finished.
Illustration quotes vary with the kind of art, detail level, number of scenes, character development, feedback rounds and rights. The following are planning frameworks, not published prices or promises that all elements are included.
A defined number of spot illustrations or a limited visual set for an existing manuscript, with a simple style direction and agreed final formats.
A structured plan for character development, storyboard or scene planning, and a defined number of approved book illustrations. Cover art and layout should be expressly included or excluded.
A wider art bible, detailed scenes, multiple formats, substantial character development or a repeat-volume plan, broken into milestones for approval.
Confirm exclusions as carefully as inclusions.
Illustration quotes vary with the kind of art, detail level, number of scenes, character development, feedback rounds and rights.
The following are planning frameworks, not published prices or promises that all elements are included.
A defined number of spot illustrations or a limited visual set for an existing manuscript, with a simple style direction and agreed final formats.
A structured plan for character development, storyboard or scene planning, and a defined number of approved book illustrations.
Cover art and layout should be expressly included or excluded.
Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work required to make the images fit the manuscript. No route is automatically right for every author.
Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work required to make the images fit the manuscript.
No route is automatically right for every author.
The book needs distinctive scenes, recurring characters or art created for specific passages.
| Approach | Useful when | Trade-offs to consider | Questions to resolve |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commissionedbookillustration | The book needs distinctive scenes, recurring characters or art created for specific passages. | Requires briefing, review time and a clear budget; complex image sets take planning. | Who owns or licenses the art? How many revisions and usage formats are included? |
| Licensedstockimages | A project needs generic photographs or widely available visuals that match a suitable licence. | Stock may not fit precise scenes or recurring fictional characters; licences can limit usage. | Does the licence cover print run, ebook, ads, territory and future editions? |
| Author-created artwork | The author already has suitable skills, source files and capacity to prepare production-ready art. | Consistency and file specifications still need checking; time may be diverted from writing. | Can the author maintain style across all pages and deliver production-ready files? |
| AI-assisted imagery | A team is considering permitted tools for concept exploration or artwork under an expressly agreed workflow. | Rights, platform terms, provenance, consistency, disclosure and commercial-use rules can be complex or change. | What tool and workflow are used, what human work is added, and what rights can actually be promised? |
| Choose the approachbased on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraintsand the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work |
| Choose the approachbased on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraintsand the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work |
| Choose the approach based onoriginality, consistency, rights, budget, productionconstraints and the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work |
| Choose the approach basedon originality, consistency, rights, budget, productionconstraints and the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work |
| Choose the approachbased on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraintsand the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work |
| Choose the approach basedon originality, consistency, rights, budget, productionconstraints and the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work |
| Choose the approach basedon originality, consistency, rights, budget, productionconstraints and the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work |
| Choose the approachbased on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraintsand the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work | Choose the approach based on originality, consistency, rights, budget, production constraints and the work |
Requires briefing, review time and a clear budget
How many revisions and usage formats are included?
A project needs generic photographs or widely available visuals that match a suitable licence.
Stock may not fit precise scenes or recurring fictional characters
Does the licence cover print run, ebook, ads, territory and future editions?
Explore practical guides, publishing insights, author strategies, and expert resources to help you make better decisions throughout the process of writing, publishing, marketing, and growing your book.
Looking for something specific? Explore the complete collection of publishing guides and resources.
Explore All Articles ↗Clear answers to common service questions. Confirm final project terms in a written scope; unusual legal, rights, platform or specialist questions may require qualified professional advice.
Scope may include art direction, character references, storyboarding, final illustrations, selected production variants and a documented handover. The quote should state image count, formats, review rounds and usage rights; do not assume cover design or interior layout is included.
Cost depends on the number of images, complexity, colour, backgrounds, recurring characters, development work, revisions, deadline and licence. A short brief and approximate image count are more useful for a quote than a word count alone.
Talk to a book illustration Expert ↗A children’s book can require recurring characters, page-by-page scenes and deliberate visual pacing. Share the target age range, manuscript, intended trim size and any references so the image plan fits the reading experience.
A final manuscript is best before detailed production because text changes can alter scenes and layouts. Early discussion or limited concept work can sometimes begin from an outline, but the agreement should identify what remains provisional.
There is no universal number. A picture book may need artwork on most spreads, while a nonfiction book may need only selected diagrams or chapter illustrations. Map each image to a clear purpose before deciding the count.
Yes, character references can be scoped as a development stage. They are especially useful when the same person, animal, costume or object appears repeatedly. Confirm how many poses and views are included.
Ownership depends on the written agreement and applicable law. Some engagements transfer specified rights; others grant a licence with limits. Confirm territory, duration, exclusivity, modification rights, source files and promotional use before work begins.
Only if those uses are covered by the agreement. A licence for interior pages may not automatically cover advertising, merchandise, adaptation, other languages or future editions. List intended uses in advance.
A project should state how many feedback rounds are included and what counts as a revision. Correcting a small agreed detail is different from changing a scene, style or approved composition after the fact.
Often, but each format has different needs. Discuss print dimensions, bleed, colour mode, resolution, text placement and ebook image handling before final exports are prepared.
These can be included when the project has a clear brief and accurate source information. The author or a qualified subject expert should approve technical claims, labels, proportions and data.
Yes. Existing books, source files and style references help establish continuity. The quote should separate the work required to understand the current style from the new images themselves.
The workflow should be disclosed clearly before work begins. If any AI-assisted process is considered, agree the tools, human contribution, source-material permissions, platform terms and limits on rights or exclusivity. Never assume a commercial licence is unlimited.
Timing depends on the number and detail of images, approval speed and how much character or storyboard development is needed. A realistic schedule uses milestones rather than a guaranteed delivery date before the brief is reviewed.
Remote illustration projects can be coordinated for authors, independent publishers and small presses working in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India and other locations. The agreement should identify the currency, communication schedule, review process, delivery method and who is responsible for production decisions.
Start with the manuscript or outline, the target reader, approximate illustration count and final format. We can then define the style-development work, review stages and handover files before production starts.
Helpful details to include: