Illustrator for Ready Picture Book Manuscript

This will be for a childrens book, but it is intended just for family use and only one or two copies will be made. Visual direction. Warm, nostalgic, hand-painted children's picture-book art with soft watercolor/gouache texture. Oma and Papa should remain recognizable from family photographs without becoming photorealistic. Early spreads should feel adventurous and joyful; the final section can become softer and gently magical as the story moves into memory, Heaven, and signs. Recurring visual motifs. Ladybugs and warm pretzels connect to Oma; planes and shiny coins/dimes connect to Papa. These can appear subtly before they are explained, creating small details for children to find on repeat readings.