Art Process

My “Layout Process” for illustrating a picture book I’ve outlined my process below, sampling from various projects I’ve worked on. Here is a flipbook showing a sequence of layout sketches for a PB. These are just a few examples pulled from my dummy The Beautiful Mess of a Tidy Botanist Step 01: Manuscript to Thumbnails POINT 02: Doing many versions. My mini sketches soon pour over into thumbnails, so I print out many picture book thumbnail templates courtesy of Debbie Ridpath Ohi. Finding the best way to tell the story requires the most mental energy for me, so I pour…

My Painting Process & Technique for Illustrating a Picture Book. In this post, I’ll walk you through my process from concept to final for one illustration. The finals are all hand-painted. I’m a Fine Artist at heart, so having a finished piece to hang on the wall warms my heart! Step 01: Pencil Sketches POINT 02: Cleaned up sketch My first sketches are rough, but once I like an idea, I grab a new piece of paper and sketch it in a few different orientations (ie. landscape, square, portrait) to decide the best composition for the story I’m telling. In…

My “Brief Process” Every story has its rhythm, and I approach each project with curiosity and a deep respect for the emotional heart of the book. Here’s how I typically work with authors, editors, and art directors. 01: STORY IMMERSIONI begin by reading the manuscript multiple times to absorb its tone, pacing, and emotional beats. I sketch initial ideas and explore visual motifs that support the narrative. 02: CHARACTER DEVELOPMENTI create character studies to ensure consistency and personality across the book. I focus on gesture, emotion, and how the character interacts with their world. 03: THUMBNAIL SKETCHES & PAGINATIONI map…