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Colorful, creative artwork can capture a reader’s imagination and make your children’s book stand out. But it’s easy to forget about illustrations when you’re engrossed in crafting your story, only to realize that you have no idea how to find an illustrator when you’ve finished writing.
It could take weeks – or even months – to find the right artist and instruct them to illustrate your pages according to your vision. And how can you afford an experienced children’s book artist to do your writing justice if you have a limited budget?
Luckily, hiring an illustrator doesn’t have to be expensive if you use a top platform like Fiverr or Upwork. In fact, I found several freelance children’s book illustrators with prices as low as $5 per project.
Read on to see my top 9 picks and learn how to find the right artist to bring your words to life.
Fiverr and Upwork stand out as the best platforms for hiring children’s book illustrators. They both offer user-friendly interfaces and quick turnaround times, making it easy to find an illustrator that fits your vision and budget. Fiverr tends to be more budget-friendly, with thousands of illustration gigs at different price points, while Upwork features contracts for ongoing work and various freelance management tools. Both platforms are highly efficient, allowing you to connect with professionals instantly.
After sorting through dozens of highly rated illustrators, I narrowed my list down to the 9 best. These freelancers are experts that can help with:
Just click the Contact Seller button to start a conversation
With a 4.8-star rating and some of the most affordable children’s book illustration prices on Fiverr, WahdiTahirr is a great choice for authors on a budget. This freelancer also has Fiverr’s Level One Seller status, which indicates they’ve maintained at least a 4.7-star rating while delivering a minimum of 10 orders.
In addition to a basic $5 package – which includes an illustration of a single figure – WahdiTahirr offers a premium $20 package that features up to four figures.
Marina offers quality illustrations at an affordable rate
Marina is an illustrator with a Masters in Arts and more than five years of hands-on experience creating art for children’s books. She’s clocked in over 450 hours on Upwork alone. She has earned the Top Rated badge, which translates into quality work and stellar feedback. She has also managed to maintain a 100% job success score, which is pretty impressive.
Marina has delivered both hand-drawn and digital illustrations for several clients over the past few years. She’s versatile and easygoing, with clients noting her high-quality work and structured approach to more demanding projects.
Book RajGraphicMagic to work with a five-star seller
RajGraphicMagic is a Level Two Seller, which means they have delivered at least 50 orders and earned at least $2,000 through the marketplace. This freelancer has a five-star rating and excellent customer reviews that highlight their artistic talent and good communication.
RajGraphicMagic’s basic $5 package includes black and white line art only, while their $30 premium package comes with a full-page children’s book illustration featuring two characters.
Hire WonderDesign11 and you might become one of their many repeat buyers
Earning a five-star rating is an accomplishment for any Fiverr freelancer, and it’s doubly impressive when they have more than 400 reviews, like WonderDesign11 does. As a Level Two Seller, this illustrator has clearly delivered consistently great work over time.
Although they offer only a single $10 package, it has just about everything you could ask for, including a complete background, multiple revisions, and a three-day turnaround time.
Gabriele’s 2D illustrations are popular with Upwork clients
Gabriele is an illustrator with a distinctive style and years of experience under their belt. This artist specializes in 2D cartoons, caricatures, and character designs. They’ve completed projects for various clients and even won a prestigious award for their work.
If you want your book’s protagonists and villains to really pop up, this illustrator can help you bring them to life. Gabriele enjoys a 100% job success score and has received 5-star feedback from all the clients they’ve worked with.
Place an order with Moran2599 to work with a Top Rated Seller with a fantasy-inspired styleMoran2599 is a Top Rated Seller, which is Fiverr’s highest ranking, and which indicates that they’ve delivered at least 100 orders and earned $20,000 or more through the platform. This freelancer also has almost 500 rave reviews, a five-star rating, and a lot of return customers who appreciate their fantasy-inspired style.
For $60, you can book their basic package with a single figure, or for $180 you can upgrade to their premium package with three figures and a detailed background scene.
Karine is a super successful Upwork illustrator with over $100k in total earnings
Karine has over 20 years of experience and has illustrated pages for hundreds of books. She’s earned the Top Rated Plus badge, which means she has received stellar feedback for her work on large projects.
She works with clients from the concept stage to sketching, drawing, coloring, and even character digitalization. Like most Upwork freelancers, Karine gets paid by the hour and offers unlimited revisions of rough drafts and sketches. Clients commend her for her professionalism and surprisingly quick delivery.
Hire LuvBeautiful to illustrate part or all of your children’s book
Another Top Rated Seller, LuvBeautiful has a five-star rating and almost 100 excellent reviews. While many other sellers make vector or freehand digital art, this illustrator uses watercolor and ink to create original artwork.
Although their packages take significantly longer than many others, it’s worth the wait if you want something completely unique. Packages start at $250 for five illustrations, or you can pay $995 for 20 illustrations, which may be enough for your entire kids’ book.
Order PaulVirlan’s gig to work with a verified Pro illustratorAs a verified Pro Seller, PaulVirlan has completed Fiverr’s manual vetting process and is considered one of the top creators on the platform. Although their pricing is significantly more expensive than other options on this list, this seller’s skill, experience, and professionalism explains the added cost.
Unlike most freelance creators on Fiverr, PaulVirlan offers a single package including 15 illustrations, unlimited revisions, and image files formatted for printing.
How To Hire a Children’s Book Illustrator on Fiverr
Hiring a children’s book illustrator on Fiverr is pretty straightforward. Follow these six steps to get started.
1. Head to Fiverr. Once on the homepage, type “children’s book illustrator” in the big search box in the middle of the screen. You can be more specific if you want – Fiverr will come up with a few suggestions. Hit Enter.
The more specific the search, the better
2. If you haven’t registered yet, Fiverr will prompt you to create a new account. You can sign up via email or connect with Google, Apple, or Facebook.
3. Fiverr’s advanced filters can help you find the perfect fit. For example, you can set budget limitations, exclude low-level sellers, or choose to work only with verified professionals. You can also filter by style, such as realistic or cartoon, or choose a technique like vector art or watercolor.Use the filters to narrow your search and find qualified illustrators4. Click on any gig to see more details. On the gig page, you can scroll through the seller’s portfolio (1), get a more detailed package comparison (2), contact the seller (3), and continue to checkout (4). There’s a brief gig (and freelancer) introduction further down the page.
Examine the gig well before you make your decision5. When you click the “Compare packages” button, you’ll get a full breakdown of each package’s deliverables. Keep scrolling to see the artist’s detailed score and client feedback.
Top ratings and reviews are indicators of quality and consistency
6. Once you’ve found a gig that suits your needs, head back to the top of the page. Click the “Contact me” button (3) to communicate directly with the freelancer. Most children’s book artists on Fiverr ask that you contact them before purchasing the gig to discuss your concept and avoid unnecessary delays.
7. Click the “Continue” button (4) to purchase the gig. Review the list of optional extras, such as faster turnaround time, another revision, or additional figures. Continue to checkout and complete your purchase by following Fiverr’s instructions.
As you can see, finding a children’s book illustrator for hire is a breeze – Fiverr and Upwork are super easy to use. But it’s not always easy to decide on the right artist, especially with so many options. Here’s what to look for:
Appealing style: Children’s book artists have a wide range of illustration styles, and it’s essential to choose one that speaks to you and fits with your concept. Take the time to look through artists’ portfolios and review their work samples to get a better sense of their style.
Appropriate format: Many illustrators produce digital images formatted for e-books. While this format is great for many children’s book projects, it may not work if you’re planning to print the book yourself or to send it to an agent or publisher. Double-check the gig details or contact the seller to confirm.
Ideal packages: Some gigs include single black-and-white illustrations, while others come with an entire book’s worth of full-color art. Before placing an order, make sure the gig you choose comes with the deliverables you want. Otherwise, ask the seller to create a custom offer that meets your needs.
Great reviews: Prior to investing funds in hiring an illustrator for a children’s book, it proves beneficial to familiarize yourself with feedback from other clients regarding the freelancer’s strengths and weaknesses. Take the time to go through their reviews, as this will provide you with insights into the collaborative experience you can anticipate.
Credentials: For a better chance at a good experience, look for creators with Top Seller or Level Two Seller credentials. Alternatively, look for freelancers with Fiverr’s verified Pro status if you prefer to work with a professional artist. On Upwork, keep an eye out for the Top Rated and Top Rated plus badges.
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Are You a Children’s Book Illustrator Looking To Sell Your Services on Fiverr?
If you want to offer your illustration services, Fiverr makes it easy to join the freelance marketplace.Get started by going to Fiverr.com and clicking the Join button in the upper right corner.
Joining the Fiverr marketplace is the first step to selling your services
Enter a username and your contact information, then set up your profile. Upload a profile picture, write a short introduction, and detail your experience. You can add skills, education, and certifications to your profile, too.
You can update your profile at any time from the upper-right menu
Next, you should create the gig you wish to sell. Generate an attention-grabbing title, select the appropriate category, and incorporate relevant search tags. Demonstrate your skills by including a few work samples, providing potential buyers with a preview of what to anticipate. Craft a comprehensive description that outlines all the elements of your gig. Finally, establish a price for your gig or present various pricing options with differing deliverables, thereby offering buyers a broader range of choices to select from.
As a new seller, you can create up to seven Fiverr gigs
To help you get started, we’ve put together a step-by-step guide on how to create a successful gig on Fiverr so check that out first. When your gig is live, buyers can purchase it or message you about it. Since Fiverr processes payments and gathers the information you need to complete a project, you can concentrate on creating great children’s book art.
To design the best possible gig on Fiverr, consider purchasing one first. That way you’ll see what it’s like to be a buyer and get practice dealing with some of the issues that could come up – such as communication problems and project delays.
Since you can purchase a gig for as little as $5, it’s a small investment for invaluable knowledge before building your Fiverr profile.
Get Children’s Book Illustrations That Fit Your Style and Budget
Whether you need a few images to make your children’s book fun and engaging or you want illustrations for every page, you can find the ideal creator for the job on Fiverr. The marketplace is home to almost 20,000 children’s book illustration gigs, so there’s certainly no shortage of options.
Using the platform’s powerful search engine, you can find artists with almost any style and for just about any price point. Since book illustration gigs start at just $5 on Fiverr, it’s easy to get custom art for your book, even if you’re on a tight budget, and as you’ve seen, there’s plenty of variation out there.
If you’re looking to hire an artist long-term for a large project (e.g., a book series) or ongoing work, Upwork is another excellent option. It’s easy to post jobs, interview candidates, and hire people. You’ll also appreciate the work diary, the time-tracking tool, and other management tools designed to help you keep track of your freelancer’s work.
FAQ
Do I need an illustrator for my children’s book?
Children’s books don’t require illustrations, but those with pictures tend to be more enjoyable for children. If you don’t have experience with children’s book illustration yourself, then it’s best to hire an artist who does. That way you can outsource high-quality art while focusing on aspects like writing and marketing instead.
How much do you pay an illustrator for a children’s book?
When you hire artists via Fiverr, you can pay as little as $5 for a children’s book illustration. Depending on the length of the book and the number of images you want, you could easily get an entire book illustrated for less than $100.
How can I find an illustrator for my children’s book?
Hiring artists on Fiverr’s marketplace is quick and easy. Just follow the 7 steps I’ve outlined above, and you’ll have your book illustrated cheaply and in no time at all. If you’d rather hire an artist for ongoing illustration work, check out Upwork.
What software do children’s book illustrators use?
When it comes to digital illustrations for children, book artists typically use programs from the Adobe Creative Suite like Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. Many also use the CorelDRAW graphics suite and QuarkXPress publishing software. Check out the profiles of my top picks for more details.
A writer and editor with experience across digital software, Alex has published over 50 product reviews and comparisons on Website Planet. He has tested website builders, email marketing services, freelance platforms, social media tools, credit card processors, AI software, and more. Before joining our team, he worked at an Australian agency where he explored everything from SEO and design to marketing automation and digital workflows. In addition to his work, Alex enjoys cooking and writing about games.
I LOVE Luvbeautiful's artwork! What a unique style!! That "old-style" reminds me of children's books from a bygone year. Highly skilled and imaginative.
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