A studio service
A watercolour picture book with your child's name in it.
A commissioned picture book for one child aged 3–8: watercolour spreads, a character art-directed to look like them, and their name set into the cover and carried through the story text on every page.
One book. One child. Made to keep.
The personalisation
Type a name. Watch it land.
This is the real watercolour cover, illustrated with its top third left as empty paper. The name goes into the design rather than on top of it — and the same name is set into the story text on every interior spread.
Put their name on the cover
Type a child's name and watch it set itself into the cream band. This is the same font and ink list our compositor uses when the finished cover goes to print.
Up to 34 characters — try “Happy Birthday Haiqa”. Long titles shrink and wrap to two lines.
Short curls, deep brown complexion. The cover updates as you choose — and we adjust the character further to your child from photos.
Every book is illustrated and art-directed to order — tell us about the child and we'll come back with a scene plan and a quote.
N° 01Kinds of personalized books
Books made for one reader.
01
Name-and-likeness books
Your child as the main character across every watercolour spread. We work from 3–5 reference photos and build a character sheet before starting spreads.
02
Family story books
Real family stories illustrated as picture books — the day we adopted you, how Grandma came to be called Nana, the holiday we still talk about.
03
Milestone books
Birthdays, new sibling arrivals, first day of school, moving house. Books that mark a specific moment in a child's life.
04
Memory books
For grandparents, lost pets, or distant family. A book the child can keep and re-read as they grow.
05
Custom stories from scratch
You write a short story about your child; we illustrate and bind it. Full creative collaboration.
06
Template-plus-custom
A pre-designed story with your child's name and likeness added throughout. Faster, lower-cost, still beautiful.
N° 02How it works
From a few photos to a finished book.
You send us 3–5 photos of your child (clear, well-lit, different angles), any specific details you want captured (a favourite stuffed animal, a bedroom layout, a pet), and the story you want to tell.
We build a character sheet first — an art director works from your photos and adjusts hair, skin, eyes and features until the child on the page is recognisably yours, and stays that way across every spread. It's a person making those calls, not an automatic likeness filter.
The name is typeset into the book's own lettering when the files are made, not pasted over finished art: the cover leaves its top third as clear paper for it, and the same name is set into the story text on the interior pages.
We output print-ready files — 300 DPI, bleed and trim marks, cover and interiors — and printing and shipping run through the studio's own print partners, so a finished hardcover arrives at your door and you keep the files for reprints.
N° 03Written for ages 3–8
Watercolour, and read aloud.
The whole line is watercolour: soft edges, warm cream paper, generous white space. It's a style that holds up to being read four hundred times and to being carried around by a three-year-old.
Text is pitched for ages 3–8 — short sentences a grown-up reads aloud at the younger end, and a child reads themselves at the older end. Roughly 30 to 60 words per spread, with the name recurring often enough that a new reader starts recognising it.
The reserved band on each spread means the type sits on quiet paper, never over busy paint, which is what keeps it readable at bedtime lamp brightness.
N° 04What we do — and don't
Made with respect.
We illustrate children of all skin tones, hair types, and family structures. We don't default to any particular visual template — your child is the character, however they actually look.
We don't create religious book personalizations and we don't take on ethically problematic content. Every book stays secular and focused on universal children's-book themes — courage, friendship, adventure, everyday life, bedtime.
If you'd like specific cultural dress, modest clothing, or family traditions reflected in the illustration, that's discussed up front — nothing is assumed, nothing is added without your approval.
N° 05Investment
Three ways to work together.
Template keepsake
From $480
A pre-designed story with your child's name and appearance worked into an existing illustrated template.
- Name throughout the book
- Character drawn to match your child
- 12-page illustrated story
- One printed hardcover copy
- Digital files for reprints
- 1 round of revisions
Custom signature
From $2,200
A fully custom story illustrated around your child.
- Full character design from your photos
- Up to 16 illustrated spreads
- Your chosen story or our templates
- 2 printed hardcover copies
- Full digital files
- 2 rounds of revisions
- Endpapers and dedication page
Heirloom
From $4,800
A full keepsake book with original story, cover, and heirloom-quality print.
- Bespoke story illustrated from scratch
- 24 illustrated spreads
- Premium hardcover printing
- 5 printed copies
- Full digital archive
- Unlimited minor revisions
- Optional embossed slipcover
N° 06Questions
The answers we give most often.
- Can I change the child's name?
- Yes — the name isn't baked into the artwork. It's set in the book's own lettering when the print files are made, so any spelling works, including diacritics and any alphabet the typeface carries. Tell us the exact spelling and we'll show you the cover before anything goes to print.
- Can the character look like my child?
- That's the point of the character sheet. Send photos, pick the study closest to your child as a starting point, and we art-direct from there — hair, skin, eyes, freckles, glasses, the gap in the front teeth. A person makes those adjustments and you approve the sheet before we illustrate a single spread.
- How many photos do I need to send?
- Three to five clear photos showing your child's face from different angles — front-on, three-quarter, and side if possible. Plus full-body if you want clothing or proportions captured accurately.
- Is this suitable for a three-year-old?
- Yes — the line is built for ages 3–8. At the younger end it's a read-aloud with short sentences and big watercolour spreads; at the older end a child reads it themselves and recognises their own name on the page.
- Can multiple children appear in the book?
- Yes. Siblings, cousins, or a whole family can all appear. Each additional child adds roughly one week to the character design phase (a sheet has to be built for each).
- Can you illustrate a pet?
- Absolutely — pets are some of our favorite subjects. Send photos the same way you would for a child, with a clear shot of the face and body.
- Is the story confidential?
- Yes. Personalized commissions stay private by default — we don't show them in our public portfolio unless you explicitly approve it. Most families keep them private.
Start your book
Make a book about your child.
Tell us about your child and the story you want to tell. We'll reply within two working days with a proposal and a draft character sketch.