Children's Book Illustrator Needed to Match Existing Watercolor Style (3-4 Illustrations)

We have a children's picture book for ages 6 to 9 that has been in progress for years and we are finally finishing it. The original illustrator was the late Tim Ladwig (Goin' Someplace Special, Psalm 23, and other well-known children's titles). Tim completed several painted pieces before he passed. We are now looking for an illustrator to finish the remaining artwork in a style that matches Tim's existing watercolor work. Scope 13 total deliverables across the book. The work is well-defined and the source materials are organized: - 3 illustrations to touch up (Tim Ladwig's surviving painted pieces, used as the locked style anchors) - 2 illustrations to redraw at print resolution from existing painted reference - 4 illustrations to complete from pencil sketch or replace with your own composition - 4 brand-new illustrations including the front cover A full spread-by-spread illustration brief with page text, status, source materials, and creative direction for every piece is ready to share with serious candidates. Style Requirements Traditional watercolor with soft color palettes and warm, natural lighting. The existing art is character-driven, gentle in mood, and evokes a mid-century American small-town feel. Consistency with Tim Ladwig's three surviving painted pieces is the single most important thing. A few continuity priorities you should know going in: - Carl and Valda's faces must read as the same person across every spread. Character model sheets do not exist yet; building consistent references for the main characters is a sensible early step. - Clothing must stay consistent within environments (Carl wears the same outfit through the dance arc, the same varsity jacket through the school arc, and so on). The locked reference pieces make this straightforward. - Character proportions and ground contact (no floating figures) need attention. If you know Tim Ladwig's body of work, that is the world we are continuing. Format - Final book size: 8 x 10 inches plus 1/8 inch bleed - Print method: Amazon KDP print-on-demand - One double-page spread (the opening saving-for-the-dance scene), all other illustrations single-page Budget and Milestones Fixed price, paid out across six milestones. The total project budget will be confirmed with the selected candidate after Milestone 1 is approved. Style trial (one Tim Ladwig touch-up plus one fully new illustration) Opening Act (3 illustrations) Cover The Middle (3 illustrations) The Turn (2 illustrations) The Payoff (2 illustrations) Milestone 1 functions as a paid style trial for $100. It pairs one touch-up on an existing Tim Ladwig piece with one fully new illustration so we can validate both directions of the work before committing the full project. If both pieces hit the bar, the remaining milestones unlock in sequence. Timeline 5 to 6 weeks from project award. Each milestone has a first-draft-due date roughly one week apart, with approval and payment at each gate after revision rounds. What to Include in Your Proposal 1. A link to your portfolio (showing work that fits this job). Children's book work or traditional watercolor samples strongly preferred. 2. One or two portfolio pieces that show your closest match to traditional watercolor children's book illustration in the Tim Ladwig style world. 3. A short note on any prior children's book experience. 4. Confirmation that you are comfortable with the fixed-price milestone structure above. 5. A brief one-take verification video (under 30 seconds) showing your face next to a photo ID with the current date stated out loud. Standard step before we share full project materials and source files. A Note to Candidates The book is substantially complete. You would not be starting from scratch. We have Tim Ladwig's three style anchors as locked reference, additional painted references and pencil sketches for most of the remaining spreads, and clear creative direction for the truly new pieces. The right illustrator will help finish a manuscript that has been waiting a long time to see print. Tim's existing illustrations are beautiful, and the author wants to honor that work by finishing the book in its spirit.