When it comes time to put the finishing touches on your book, the right art can be just what you need to bring your characters to life. For self-publishing authors that need an amazing book cover or illustrations for their manuscript, skilled book illustrations professional can make all of the difference.
Check Their Credibility
A lot of people can draw but not everyone can create professional illustrations that are worthy of being attached to a manuscript. If you are creating a book for children, it is even more important to hire an illustrator that has the skill to bring your story to life with their images. Always ask illustrators for examples of their past work. In addition to samples or a portfolio, check to see how well their past work was received in the market. Sometimes a story can amazing, but lackluster artwork can make the whole book fall flat. At the same time, great illustrations can take a simple story and transform it into a masterpiece.
Find A Illustration Style That Matches Your Genre
It is important to choose an illustrator whose art style not only matches your genre but also one that matches your style of writing. Your work targets a specific audience, so it is important your chosen illustrator also has the ability to capture the interest of the same target group. Good illustration styles will help to engage and encourage interest in your books and help to convince them to make additional purchases. You can get a good idea about an illustrator’s particular style by looking at their book cover design or illustration portfolio and past published work. With that in mind, many illustrators are more proficient at creating art for a specific niche. For example, realistic illustrators will not be able to create very good cartoon-style images, while those who excel in sketches may not be able to create highly stylized depictions.
Look for Illustrator Consistency
It is important to find an illustrator that is able to produce work at a specific level consistently. The more time a person spends in the field, the better their illustrations will be. Check to see that the level of their work either remains the same or has improved over the course of their careers. Everyone can have an off day, but overall an illustrator’s portfolio should be full of work that generally all display the same or better level of finished products.
Prepare A Budget
Your budget will play a big role in your hiring decision. Once you have finished writing your book, it is important to think about how many outside professionals you will need to hire in order to get it ready for publishing. This list should proofreaders, editors, beta readers, formatting specialists, and of course, illustrators. The more books you plan to publish and the higher number of people that will be helping along the way, the more you will need to expand your budget. You can save money in some areas, however, it is advisable not to skimp when it comes to hiring an illustrator.
Finalize A Contract
Creating a contract that clearly states the expected deliverables, estimated timeline, and a number of revisions are important. This will ensure that both you and the illustrator you hire have a clear idea of what is expected and when work should be turned in. Make sure to also clearly lay out remuneration expectations for the project including clauses for revisions, extra work, or bonuses. Make sure to also clearly lay out remuneration expectations for the project including clauses for revisions, extra work, or bonuses.