Styles
Nine signature styles for children's book illustration.
The same scene, painted nine ways — so you can see the style itself, not a different book each time. From €199 per finished spread; a typical picture book runs 12–14.
Bold & Playful
€199 / spread
Energetic, expressive, made to be read aloud.
Signature tier
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Soft Pastel Storybook
€249 / spread
Gentle, glowing, and tender.
Painted tier
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Classic Watercolor
€249 / spread
Loose brushwork with room to breathe.
Painted tier
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Magical Fantasy
€349 / spread
Starlit, painterly, a little bit cinematic.
Atelier tier
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Loose Ink & Watercolor
€199 / spread
Quiet, lyrical, and beautifully sparse.
Signature tier
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Outline & Watercolor
€249 / spread
Sketchy outlines, warm washes, vintage warmth.
Painted tier
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Watercolor Illustration
€349 / spread
Lush, watercolor with depth and warmth.
Atelier tier
Start a book in this style
€199per spreadSignature
Confident line, flat colour, quick to read.
€249per spreadPainted
Layered washes and softer blending.
€349per spreadAtelier
Atmospheric light or dense hand-worked texture.
Prices are per finished spread and reflect how long a style takes to paint, not how good it is — a €199 book is not a lesser book. A typical picture book runs 12–14 spreads. Tell us about your story and we'll suggest the match.
Choosing a look
Each style invites a different reader.
Children's book illustration isn't one look — it's a whole landscape of them. Chalky cartoon. Soft pastel storybook. Traditional watercolor. Atmospheric fantasy. Loose ink and wash. Sketched outline with color. Flat opaque gouache. Pick one that fits your manuscript, or tell us about your book and we'll suggest the match.
Bold & Playful
Energetic, expressive, made to be read aloud.
Chalky textures, confident brushwork, and primary colors that leap off the page. For stories that are loud, warm, and full of character.
Soft Pastel Storybook
Gentle, glowing, and tender.
Painterly pastel washes, glowing light, and softly rounded characters. For quiet, tender stories that feel like being tucked in.
Classic Watercolor
Loose brushwork with room to breathe.
Transparent watercolor washes with visible brushstrokes and generous white space — the traditional look of beloved picture books.
Magical Fantasy
Starlit, painterly, a little bit cinematic.
Atmospheric painterly illustration with dramatic light and a sense of wonder. For fairy tales, myths, and anything that happens by moonlight.
Loose Ink & Watercolor
Quiet, lyrical, and beautifully sparse.
Ink-washed and minimal, with lots of breathing room around a single expressive character. Contemplative, award-quality restraint.
Outline & Watercolor
Sketchy outlines, warm washes, vintage warmth.
Sketchy ink outlines filled with transparent watercolor — the classic busy scene that rewards re-reading. Endless small details to discover.
Watercolor Illustration
Lush, watercolor with depth and warmth.
Rich, deeply saturated watercolor illustration with layered washes, botanical-style detail, and a warm, crafted feel. For picture books with emotional resonance.
Vintage Illustration
Golden-age children's book warmth, aged to perfection.
Warm, detailed illustration with the visual language of golden-age children's books — cross-hatching, muted earth tones, and the feeling of a well-loved library book.
Modern Gouache
Opaque, matte, and confidently flat.
Opaque body colour in flat, deliberate shapes — matte surfaces, clean edges, and a mid-century palette. For contemporary stories, board books, and anything that should look designed rather than painted.
Choosing a style
How we match a style to your story.
Three questions we ask at the start of every project — borrowed, with gratitude, from decades of children's publishing tradition.
Start with the reader, not the style.
A board book for a two-year-old wants bold shapes and high contrast. A gift book for a seven-year-old can hold quieter, more detailed work. Age-band first, aesthetics second.
The cover sets the contract.
Whatever style your cover promises, every spread inside has to deliver. A playful cover on a quiet book confuses buyers and booksellers. Consistency wins.
Texture carries feeling.
Chalky brushwork feels warm. Flat digital feels modern. Ink-and-wash feels timeless. If you can't decide, ask what feeling you want the parent to have as they close the book.
Start your book
Still unsure which style fits?
Send us your manuscript (or a paragraph summary) and we'll suggest the two styles most likely to suit your story, with reasoning.