Find the best Children's Book Illustrator jobs
It takes just one job to develop a successful relationship that can propel your career forwards.
Find work Interested in hiring?Professionals on Upwork rate clients
on average from 2M+ reviews
Check out a sample of the 44 Children's Book Illustrator jobs posted on Upwork
US$250
Fixed-price
Intermediate
Experience level
We are seeking a talented Illustrator to create vibrant and engaging illustrations for multiple children's books. The project involves…
US$1,500
Fixed-price
Intermediate
Experience level
I require a cover illustration, end papers plus 12-13 spreads. File: JPEG files (No use of AI) Resolution: 300dpi Book will be 8.5 x 8…
Less than 30 hrs/week
Hours needed
1 to 3 months
Duration
Intermediate
Experience level
The project involves creating an illustrated children’s book aimed at early readers (ages 3-7), but also designed to be read aloud by p…
Less than 30 hrs/week
Hours needed
1 to 3 months
Duration
Intermediate
Experience level
We are seeking a talented illustrator to collaborate on a creative project. The ideal candidate should have a strong portfolio showcasi…
US$200
Fixed-price
Intermediate
Experience level
Hello! I am wanting to create connect the dots book for kids. This time I am wanting 35 pages but wanting there to be about 300-500 dot…
US$100
Fixed-price
Intermediate
Experience level
I'm looking to have images from my current children's book series converted into images for a coloring book. I have the PSD files for e…
Less than 30 hrs/week
Hours needed
3 to 6 months
Duration
Intermediate
Experience level
Black Boys in Tech (BBIT) is a non-profit organization out of Cincinnati, Ohio that specializes in preparing underrepresented students…
US$40
Fixed-price
Expert
Experience level
I’m looking for a creative and trend-savvy designer to develop 3–5 vibrant and bold color palettes specifically tailored for toddler an…
Less than 30 hrs/week
Hours needed
1 to 3 months
Duration
Entry
Experience level
Job Title: Children's Book Illustrator (Project-Based) Job Description: We are looking for a creative and skilled illustrator to bring…
US$15
Fixed-price
Intermediate
Experience level
We are seeking a skilled AI illustrator to design a dog character inspired by a real photo and detailed character description of a dog…
can earn US$15–US$110/hr.
US$15 US$110
Median hourly rates (USD)
How to Become a Freelance Children's Book Illustrator
Children’s book illustrators achieve success based on their instinctive ability to convey visual narrative through simple imagery.
These freelancers can display their skills to authors and book publishers in a format that conveys their marketability—such as researching a few of their previous books and displaying a few illustrations across a couple of genres of children’s books. When you bring a portfolio that’s directly relevant to their past works, they’re more likely to associate you with their past successes. This can make finding clients a bit easier, but it does tend to take more time, so it won’t scale well to do this for every client pitch unless you’re able to create these sorts of illustrations quickly without sacrificing quality.
Once clients are sold on your art skills, further bolster your odds by discussing how you could fit into their business model. Offer to create a certain number of illustrations for an author on a regular basis for a discount instead of commissioning the pieces one-by-one. Another option is to accept a one-off commission for an illustration the author can use in their current work to see how their audience responds.
The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) is a professional society that offers tips for getting started in the children’s book publishing business, plus networking and a series of grants.
What does a children’s book illustrator do?
Children’s Book Illustrators create imagery that supports the storyline of a picture book. They interpret the author’s work and collaborate to ensure the story is correctly visualized, using their own artistic style to create a visual world that children will want to explore.
Children’s book illustrators must consider factors such as story purpose, audience age, and how their illustrations will play a role in telling the story. Then they choose an artistic style and medium that complements the tone of the story.
What skills do I need to become a children’s book illustrator?
In addition to the obvious—the ability to draw, paint, print and/or digitally create engaging illustrations—a freelance children’s book illustrator needs to have clear verbal and written communication skills. Also prioritize the ability to adapt artistic methods based on the author’s requirements.
These supplementary skills are important to becoming a freelance illustrator.
- Ability to collaborate with children’s book authors, editors, and publishing houses to create engaging and expressive illustrations that enhance the written storyline
- Ability to provide creative direction and inspiration for the book's visual elements
- Ability to research and develop ideas that complement the book's storyline, themes, emotions, and characters
- Make detailed and thoughtful sketches and drawings
- Incorporate characters, settings, and props in ways that creatively direct the attention of children
- Scan and digitally enhance sketches as-needed
- Experience working with publishing house art directors to ensure that designs align with production needs
- Experience maintaining close communication with and meeting the needs of a book publisher
- Experience collaborating with other book illustrators and production artists to create a final work
- Create an online portfolio of your illustration work, preferably your own website to assist in marketing yourself
- Ability to find and cultivate clients
What are a children's book illustrator’s work responsibilities?
These job responsibilities ensure that children’s book illustration freelancers are able to deliver impactful, engaging, and aesthetically pleasing images to accompany the stories that an author has labored to create.
- Create children’s book illustrations with a wide range of tools, such as pencils, charcoal, pastels, markers, paint (watercolor, acrylic, etc.) or digital software (Adobe Illustrator, etc.)
- Collaborate with the author to represent story elements clearly and cohesively
- Express the style and tone of the book's imagery via a vision board or inspiration board, first drawing on thoughts of the book’s various stakeholders
- Ensure that the illustrations’ content is appropriate for the intended audience of early readers
- Perform research to accurately depict story scenes
- Ensure that all illustrations are delivered on time and according to the client's specifications
- Actively research, identify and explore new artistic styles as-needed, taking art classes as necessary
Eager to learn more about Children's Book Illustrator freelancing opportunities on Upwork? Check out these additional resources:
Upwork is not affiliated with and does not sponsor or endorse any of the tools or services discussed in this section. These tools and services are provided only as potential options, and each reader and company should take the time needed to adequately analyse and determine the tools or services that would best fit their specific needs and situation.
Your next job starts right here
Set up a free profile to showcase your skills, experience and desired pay rate to clients. You choose the payment method that's best for you to easily get paid for your work.
Find workGives you security and peace of mind