Editorial Illustrator & Children's Book Journal Designer | 65-page Interactive Book

Editorial Illustrator & Children's Journal Designer Needed for 65-Page Interactive Book About Us Brandon Publishing is creating The Black Boy Blueprint, an interactive guided journal designed to help Black boys (ages 8–14) develop confidence, emotional intelligence, creativity, identity, wellness, leadership, and purpose. This is not a traditional children's book. It is an interactive experience. We're looking for a highly creative illustrator/editorial designer who can help bring this vision to life through engaging page layouts, custom illustrations, activities, and a cohesive visual language. About the Project The Black Boy Blueprint is approximately 65 interior pages plus cover and front matter. The journal combines: Guided journaling Activity book pages Reflection prompts Word games Mazes Fill-in pages Affirmations Character-building exercises Wellness activities Financial literacy Emotional intelligence Family and identity prompts Every page should feel interactive and invite participation. Our Creative Vision The central metaphor throughout the journal is that every boy is the architect of his own life. Everything should reinforce this idea. Our visual inspiration combines: Architectural blueprints Engineering sketches Technical drafting Notebook pages STEM-inspired graphics Editorial illustration Children's publishing Museum exhibit graphics Superhero inspiration Clean modern typography We want the journal to feel like a young architect is designing himself. What You'll Be Designing Examples of pages include: Identity pages "I Am Him" affirmation spreads Blueprint body diagrams Emotional wellness activities Financial literacy pages Goal-setting exercises Wellness trackers Family reflection pages Interactive illustrations Character-building activities Creative writing prompts Word searches Mazes Fill-in worksheets Reflection journals Some pages will feature full-page illustrations. Others may only require icons, diagrams, blueprint elements, typography, and thoughtful page composition. Style We're Looking For We love work that feels like a combination of: Children's educational publishing Interactive journals Editorial illustration Blueprint drawings Sketchbooks Technical illustrations Hand-drawn elements Infographics Modern activity books The artwork should feel modern, bold, inspiring, creative, and culturally authentic—not overly cartoonish or generic. What We Will Provide We'll provide: Complete manuscript Page-by-page prompts Creative direction Existing mockups Layout concepts Cover concept Inspiration images Visual references Ongoing feedback We've already invested significant time developing the overall vision. We're looking for someone who can elevate and unify it into a polished, professionally designed publication. Deliverables We are looking for: Custom illustrations Editorial page layouts Print-ready files Adobe Illustrator and/or InDesign files Organized editable source files High-resolution artwork suitable for commercial printing Ideal Candidate Our ideal designer has experience creating: Children's books Educational publishing Activity books Guided journals Interactive workbooks Editorial layouts Workbook design Print publishing You should be comfortable creating both illustrations and page layouts that encourage interaction. Strong typography and composition skills are just as important as illustration ability. To Apply Please include: Portfolio Children's publishing work Activity books or workbook examples Editorial layouts Interactive journals Educational publishing projects In your proposal, please answer these questions: Which project in your portfolio is most similar to what we're creating? How would you describe your illustration style? Have you designed interactive journals or educational workbooks before? If selected, what ideas would you bring to make this journal memorable for young readers? Bonus Experience Experience with any of the following is a plus: Children's education Social-emotional learning (SEL) Youth development Educational curriculum STEM-inspired design Brand identity systems Print production Project Notes This is more than illustrating pages. We're looking for someone who can help build a complete visual identity for The Black Boy Blueprint. We value collaboration, creativity, and thoughtful design. The right person will become a creative partner in shaping a journal that young readers will return to again and again.