My Entire Children's Book Illustration Process

This is my full process for illustrating a children’s book from start to finish in procreate! If you’d like to see the video at a slower speed I’ve uploaded the entire process video shown here to my Patreon.
/ carliannecreates
Get my book, “How to Draw Adorable: Joyful Lessons for Making Cute Art” as an ebook or softcover at
www.carliannecreates.com
Timestamps
00:00 - Intro
01:00 - Three Things To Know before you start drawing
02:35 - Paginate in Adobe InDesign
05:33 - Thumbnails Sketches
06:42 - Character Designs
07:45 - Concept Sketches
09:55 - What I Send to Clients
11:22 - Clean Line Illustrations for Client's Approval
14:10 - New Rough Sketch after Client's Feedback
14:35 - Color Process
16:17 - Page Files Set Up in Procreate
17:12 - Final Reveal
17:40 - Outro
My digital art set up, books I love and other affiliate product links:
Wacom tablets: wacom.pxf.io/y26mzb
www.amazon.com/shop/carlianne...
Find me here!
-----------------------------
▶ Instagram @carliannecreates: carliannecreates
▶ Shop Prints/Stickers: www.carliannecreates.com

[@amandaborsattispagnolo4793]

I'm a college student and I'm working for the first time in a book illustration, I'm so excited but also so lost that I was searching for some help. And all I can say is thank you for this amazing content, it was exactly what I needed, I love your creation process and the way you explain it, I'm a fan now!

[@CarlianneCreates]

I'm so glad it was helpful!!

[@tiffanymickens3882]

Thank you for this video. It was very very informative and decreased my anxiety about self publishing my first children’s book.

[@nurventura]

Thanks for sharing your process, it's super helpful to see how other artists plan and illustrate their books!

[@ek2579]

I'm currently an art student and I hope to work as a children's book illustrator. This video was so helpful and I learned so much. Thank you!

[@CarlianneCreates]

I'm so glad!

[@brianaluanamarie]

Do you have any samples of your work? Looking for an illustrator!

[@ElizabethCharest-qu5hz]

Thank you!

[@FilomenaJackStudio]

Thank you so very much! I'm SOOOO happy to see this happen in Procreate!

[@francinedrawings]

Thank you for sharing, this video is amazing! ❤

[@JustinWilcott]

This is so helpful!!

[@euphoria8027]

This is soo cute!

[@abbywillart]

Thanks so much!!!! ☺️

[@asiabradley-stephens5320]

This breakdown is excellent thank you!

[@CarlianneCreates]

You’re so welcome! 🥰

[@carolynbm]

I have your book and I love it ❤

[@alirazalael8414]

This was informative and helpful video. Thanks for sharing.

[@cristiane.1612]

direct to the point, your video is helpful for those curious artist and new illustrator. Thank you so much!

[@CarlianneCreates]

Wonderful!

[@dominicschaefer8738]

You're very talented! Great work! :)

[@windyhutabarat3349]

This video is very helpful and I'm glad I found your channel!

[@CarlianneCreates]

Yay!

[@SerenaTravis]

Thank you for sharing! You and your style are simply charming ❤ I am amazed at how much redrawing is required!

[@CarlianneCreates]

I find it actually takes less time to draw it a few times loosely rather than go straight from sketch to clean. Isn’t that weird?

[@sharondavis3535]

Like your artistry. 🥰

[@CarlianneCreates]

Thank you! 😊

[@nellibespal3919]

Ms.Carlianne! Your video presentation is absolutely fabulous. I learned so much quickly. It helped me to solve a problem of teaching illustration to teens in a public school. Thanks a lot!!!

[@fakihaakhtar5300]

Hey nelibespal I am also Children book illustrator I want to work for You can You contact with me

[@erinrichardson95]

Thank you Carlianne!!! This is invaluable. Now I feel ready to tackle starting my book dummy project I will be working on to get ready for conference coming up this fall :)

[@CarlianneCreates]

Ooh yay!!! Excited for you! 💛✨

[@user-my5zc3mp5g]

This got my subscription

[@shaoppears]

Thank you for showing your process. I've always wondered how it was. :)

[@CarlianneCreates]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Boom_112]

One happy soul spreading positivity like confetti 🎉

[@user-uk8lu6rq9i]

可愛い絵❤

[@sallyliali7813]

I’m going old school no computer pencil water color ink

[@allhavesaidtheirprayers3434]

Totally agree. Colored pencils are invaluable for texture and shading, especially for us old schoolers.

[@VeroDeDream]

Exactly 💯 but interested to learn all forms as a newbie

[@Ephunker89]

I've drawn mine in pencil, but unsure what my next step is. Do I ink them or not

[@LogenBogen]

That is interesting too!

[@joyfulsound2699]

I’m doing the same and stumped

[@elizandranara3519]

Saving up to get your book, how to draw adorable, I struggle with drawing consitant styles, and would love to draw something cute!

[@sheriffopossum]

I just found your channel yesterday and I am SMITTEN with your art!!! It's so soft and whimsical like cotton candy. I absolutely adore how you use lineart in your illustrations--I've noticed a lot of children's book illustrators use a lineless style so it's refreshing seeing lines (not knocking on lineless at all--I just like lines!) I do have a question though: how did you discover/create your art style? Could you talk to us about your process on procuring a style? I'm a graphic designer but I love making silly fanart illustrations on the side. I'd love to expand and develop my style but sometimes it can get overwhelming looking at other styles without just straight up copying them. Do you have any tips on what to do there? Thank you so much!!! 🤠⭐

[@janedoe5229]

I really enjoyed this and I learned a lot. Thank you so much. :)

[@CarlianneCreates]

You're so welcome!

[@user-us2id5bq1h]

Thank you so much for sharing your illustration process for children's books. After you finish your artwork in procreate, do you then export it to a program like photoshop, indesign or illustrator? Or do you send to the client straight from procreate? Also, do you set your canvas with RGB or CMYK color since the book will be going to a printing press? I am really curious about that part of the process, since I am not sure if I can create an entire book just from using procreate. Thanks!

[@amiloulew]

Thanks for this video! Really useful to imagine how I can possibly illustrate my book (as I'm still on the text)!

[@PeachyxLemonXx-ku9mo]

I know this video was posted ten months ago and I may be a bit late, but THANK YOU SO MUCH! It has been my dream to become a children's book illustrator and I really want to pursue that! You broke it down so well and this is going to help my future career so much!

[@CarlianneCreates]

I am so happy it was helpful!!

[@felishiarae332]

This is so helpful! Would love to see how you edit these in Adobe (if that’s what you use) for printing and the actual page set up with the text in there but this was so great! Dabbling into the world of children’s book illustrating and it’s so fun! These videos definitely make the process of learning how to do it much smoother. So thank you!

[@CarlianneCreates]

I'm so happy it's helpful!

[@nanetterandall4214]

Me too, old school

[@JoyceStephenAustin]

very helpful! thank you so much. I'm trying to do a family story for my grand daughters. I use photoshop and am just learning procreate. Have never used pages in photoshop! I'll look up how to do that. After you do all the correctly sized page layouts in photoshop do you load the entire file into procreate to create the pages there? I use photoshop on my PC and will have to figure out how to download to procreate. I guess via the cloud. Thanks again for your process. I will look at your book for cute characters too!

[@alvirosy]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing. :)

[@Underversefanforlife]

Ty , in im sarinashamsa in 15 years old and my aunt is writing a book, and told me to help with Illustration since i can draw, i hope i can do this TvT i will update when it worked :D

[@audiovisualdesignprint]

Thank you for that interesting tutorial. I am hoping to might help me with the process to present my illustrated book into an ebook where my pages a full landscape and portrait. How does this work without having the reader having to turn there electronic pad from landscape to portrait? What is your best advice?

[@twoadventureus]

Great video! super helpful. Couple questions. What is a good pixel size canvas to draw most illustrations for a children's book so that the resolution is high enough for most printing needs? Also for the poor among us . . . would you have any alternative recommendations to InDesign? like Scribus? or something else? Thanks! :)

[@CarlianneCreates]

I just filmed a response to this it will be up next week 💛

[@user-xp3jt6yk5r]

This was the best video I've ever seen that really explains the process for a children's book illustrator. But what book were you illustrating? I know someone that would love to buy a book that has such cute and well made illustrations. And the story also seemed cute too. 😊

[@WhimsyShadesofCrochet]

This is such an amazing video thank you!! I would love to know which procreate brushed you used if possible!

[@CarlianneCreates]

I created procreate brushes and they are at carliannecreates.com the everyday brush pack is good to start ☺️

[@sunny99179]

I really loved to see your process to make this book. I loved your style so much, 2 years ago i planned launch an book for kids but i did not, i wrotte all the story and this year i returned to draws planning do something with manga style but after see your art so cozy and cute, it really make me want to continue my idea. I want to know how you really know or feel satisfied about the level of complexity of objects/visual elements on each scene ? I like much do scenarios but i am very bad planning on 2d, on 3d i could plan it very better so i want to focus on do it better on 2d because the planning side starts on thumbnails and storyboard as they are 2d and an more fast/practic way to do. Another question i ask myself and i would love to know about you is: what maded you decide publish it as an book instead of an main digital product like webtoon or maybe visual novel?? Thank you so much

[@venuswong1302]

Wonderfully detailed video! I am a complete beginner and I was wondering what program you would recommend as the most user friendly to start with digital illustration? Thanks for any help!

[@CarlianneCreates]

Please check out my beginner vs pro digital art setup video!

[@kadyshaillustration3933]

Hi Carlianne! thank you for sharing all your experiences with us, this is VERY helpful. I want to try Procreate too, wich iPad do you recommend?

[@CarlianneCreates]

I recommend watching the video I created on beginner vs pro digital art setups 💛

[@kadlacdixon-thedrawmylifep3293]

Hello, I'm about to attempt to do my first set of illustrations for a book for someone...I am an excellent artist but so super nervous to take on this type of project... Thank you for this content...

[@CarlianneCreates]

Good luck!!

[@annaguettabi3974]

It was interesting, thank you! What is the resolution that you set? That’s a loooot of layers in one file! 😄

[@CarlianneCreates]

300 dpi!

[@emilyzubanov8729]

I absolutely LOVED this video! So helpful and this book is sooooo cute I loved the 1940s style. What is the books titles if I may ask?

[@Lana-oz7np]

That’s so cool I wonder how you could do that in procreate 🤔

[@illustratorminemutlu]

thank you so much ❤I am also illustrator ❤

[@alenaaiapergenova8983]

Whatttt you can use page assist and layers at the same time?? For me when I create a new layer that just becomes a new page and backwards I think! But I ll check!

[@CarlianneCreates]

Use groups to make each group a page!

[@nattviktoria]

This was so inspiring and delightful to watch❤ I want to become a children’s book illustrator, and i’m considering studying illustration next fall. But i have as a goal to pitch a children’s book to a publisher(or several publishers) before that, and since i am working in procreate i wonder: what pixels should each of the images be that i send in?? like print size, so something between 3000x5000 pixels or??

[@CarlianneCreates]

300 dpi and then the page size of your book plus 1/4 in on the edges

[@nattviktoria]

@@CarlianneCreates Ok thank you !

[@Christy-yn2bm]

What technology and programs do you use? Is there an inexpensive way to get started until I start making money?

[@mindofdaisy]

Do you format or add text to the books? Especially for self- published authors.

[@CarlianneCreates]

I do because it’s what I had to do for the first 5 years of my career and now I need it for my sanity 🥲 but honestly I feel like it helps ensure you have room for the text

[@GKK313]

Your explanation is great! Could you pls tell is that Ipad and we can use adobe illustrator on ipad? What version is it? After illustrating how do we convert our work into a book? Thank you

[@CarlianneCreates]

I believe I answered this in the technical questions video?

[@bella-rd1ne]

hi! what brush(es) are you using in procreate, like for the initial sketch, and then for the final line art?

[@CarlianneCreates]

I have procreate brushes that I use available at Carliannecreates.com I recommend the everyday brush pack 💛

[@artbylisaharrington]

Thanks for sharing this! I am just beginning a book. A 32 page book starts om page 3, (after cover, inside cover and title,) so 29 pages for the story? Or 28 so there's a back cover as well?

[@carolynsue1833]

Which color profile do you use on procreate ? RGB or CMYK ?

[@CarlianneCreates]

It depends, but mostly CMYK. I explain further in the video I’m posting next week 💛

[@designcrft]

I'm learning how to do this now! How long does it usually take you to do one page, from sketch to final product?

[@CarlianneCreates]

Hi! I answered your question in the video I just uploaded 💛

[@gwenlopez6774]

Hi. I really loved your illustrations and your explanation and process. I wrote a children’s book and will like to know how much do you charge.

[@raymondfox7583]

Wow! That was so insightful. Thank you. So, you use InDesign to lay out the book, and Procreate on your iPad Pro (I’m assuming). Where does Photoshop fit into your process?

[@CarlianneCreates]

Some times I do the painting all in photoshop and sometimes I just use it at the end for final touches. It’s easier to do layer adjustments in photoshop

[@raymondfox7583]

Excellent! Thank you so much. It was a treat to see your process.

[@semeregashaw4456]

What is the software you usually use to illustrate the children book?

[@CarlianneCreates]

Photoshop or procreate

[@NatalieNumie]

Is this on photoshop? What app do you sketch on?

[@sramaxhiku]

Thank you for this great video. I'm desperate for professional advice: Can I illustrate a children's book in Sketchbook Pro instead of Photoshop? Thank you.

[@CarlianneCreates]

I’ve never used sketchbook pro so I couldn’t say from experience. I would make sure that you have layers, can work in 300 dpi at the page size needed

[@sramaxhiku]

Thank you very much for the advice.@@CarlianneCreates

[@thouseable]

Thank you Carlianne. I have been looking for a video that explains how to do this. I am an author and I am teaching myself to illustrate my own children's books.( from drawing and learning Procreate) If you don’t mind answering a question. Illustrating a 8.5 x 8.5 book The spread size is 16.75 x 8.5 (I think I have that size calculated right for KDP.). How do you illustrate the spread? Do you create the 17.25 x 8.75 size in Procreate ( bigger than actually needed) and then draw each half? Thank you.

[@CarlianneCreates]

Yeah. Especially because sometimes the illustration is a full spread which is an illustration that goes across both pages

[@thouseable]

@@CarlianneCreates that’s what I am asking. How do to the spread. You draw each side? If so how do you make sure both sides match in the middle? Thank you

[@CarlianneCreates]

@@thouseable I just make all of the pages I’m illustrating the full spread size 8.5x17 plus bleed and I draw a line down the center to show where the different pages are. I think KDP allows you to upload spreads

[@thouseable]

@@CarlianneCreates Thank you so much. You are amazing. I truly appreciate your help.

[@imaginetales_books]

What file should we save the illustrations, png or jpg?

[@CarlianneCreates]

I prefer PNG they're higher quality

[@imaginetales_books]

@@CarlianneCreates Thank you!

[@imaginetales_books]

What about psd files vs png?Which do you typically use ?

[@sjbrueck]

what ap are you using to actually draw the little dog, little girl etc..I really could use your help..

[@CarlianneCreates]

I’m using procreate on an iPad. Checkout my digital art set up video for more details 💛

[@docgallery]

Is there a difference in the terminologies - bleed and spread.. is bleed same as vignette or is bleed same as full spread

[@CarlianneCreates]

I just uploaded a follow up video and answered this question for you! 💛

[@docgallery]

@@CarlianneCreates thanks

[@ReneePortillo-ls3po]

Where do you upload your images?

[@CarlianneCreates]

What do you mean?

[@sabrinaterry269]

Can you give a tutorial on how to draw people? I’m learning how to illustrate my own work.

[@CarlianneCreates]

I would checkout my book, “how to draw adorable” because it’s such a big topic but I have a lot of character stuff in there

[@sabrinaterry269]

@@CarlianneCreatesI will check it out. 😊

[@niharikarai1377]

Nice video. Can u tell me how did u learn this? Is a degree required for this?

[@CarlianneCreates]

A degree is not required however I did go to school for illustration. I did not learn book illustration there 😅 I recommend checking out SVsLearn and SCBWI for resources

[@kaicastle.]

12:55 Aahh, found someone with the same reasoning.. 😅

[@musicvids1175]

Is it true that ..when drawing and designng childrens book.they didnt go for black line art???

[@nathaliesauve5912]

Its all done on Procreate ?

[@CarlianneCreates]

This one was! I also use photoshop. I just uploaded a video addressing technical questions like this 💛💛💛

[@elizabethbaker3162]

There's not much reference to the technical stuff that's needs. The soft wear it can be very overwhelming if you're not tech savvy. So did I get any information? No got lost and couldn't keep up😢

[@emilyzubanov8729]

Did you go to art school before you became an illustrator? I really want to be an illustrator (I am still in high school, but I draw alll the time and my art style is very similar to the style in this book) any ways, I want to be an illustrator, but I do not have the money for going to any art school, is it possible to be an illustrator with out going to the school? If any one else knows about this topic please feel free to respond to this comment.

[@CarlianneCreates]

I did! I posted a video about my illustration journey ☺️

[@hyzenthlay713]

What is the name of this book? I tried to search up books you illustrated and did not author, but I could not find anything.

[@CarlianneCreates]

It was a self published and a just a gift to a family so it’s unlisted 💛

[@hyzenthlay713]

@@CarlianneCreates Are there more books you have illustrated that are listed? Aside from the one you authored and on your website.

[@sistermeera]

I'm surprised. I only got like almost a month fr my deadline ☠️

[@Diana123-yw7qx]

I am a potential client. How can I get a hold of you?

[@CarlianneCreates]

There's a contact form on my website www.Carliannecreates.com