How we make illustrations for the book

We hope to complete the current phase of our children's book project by the end of this week. Our aim for this phase is to produce an expanded version of the text and to design 14 double-page spreads showing the finished illustrations and the position of the accompanying text. For now, the text writing is complete and we only have a couple more illustrations to complete. 

We thought it would be interesting to give you an insight in to how we develop the illustrations so we have posted images showing three stages of process. 

Each image starts life as a thumbnail sketch only a few centimetres across. It communicates the basic information from the narrative and is used as a starting point to develop further sketches that include more details and how we intend to use light.

The more detailed sketches are approximately 20cm x 20cm and are a combination of pencil drawing and indian ink that are edited in Photoshop. The sketches are used as a guide when building the models and shooting the photos for the finished illustrations.  

Where necessary, the photos are edited in Photoshop, although we prefer to get the photographs just right and minimise post-production. 
This particular illustration shows the main character of the story trying to sleep.

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