My Hunt for an Illustrator

You know when you’ve curated the perfect outfit in your imagination – every detail just right – and then embark on what feels like an impossible quest to find it in real life? Well, that’s exactly what it feels like searching for the right illustrator.

Considering it took me a decade to write and rewrite, sculpt and shape my manuscript to the point of being ready to publish, I was more than a little worried about how long it would take to find an illustrator whose style matched the vision in my head.

It’s not like I could quickly churn out a sketch of my vision and hand it over to someone with artistic skills to bring to life. Why not? Because I cannot draw a stick figure to save my life!

So, what did I do?

I was determined to own the artistic direction of my book, so I researched the various styles: watercolor, cartoon, realism, minimalist.

As someone who’s read hundreds of books to my kids over the years, it was meaningful to better understand the artistry behind the stories we love.  

For example, Betsy Lewin used a watercolor-based cartoon style in Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin, and Oliver Jeffers also used cartoon in The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt to bring the characters to life. Both titles will forever be among the favorites on my kids’ childhood bookshelves. And Robert McCloskey’s Blueberries for Sal, gifted to my daughter at one of my baby showers a lifetime ago, is a cherished classic in soft, traditional watercolor.

Then, my daughter and I looked at our children’s book collection and visited a local bookstore to do some hands-on research. I needed to look at the illustrations to see what matched my internal vision.

That process led me to re-fall in love with Too Many Carrots, written and illustrated by Katy Hudson, which used whimsical watercolor in such a playful way.

I was equally drawn to Clovis Keeps His Cool by Katelyn Aronson, illustrated by Eve Farb, which used a vibrant digital cartoon-style illustration in a whimsical way. I purchased it, and a few others, to honor and show my appreciation of the illustrations that inspired me.

Here are just a few of the books I either already owned or purchased that helped inspire the vision for my debut children's book.

I was excited to discover the illustration style – or rather, a blend of them – that I felt were

best suited to bring my book to life.

But then came the hard part: finding someone with the talent to execute the vision.

As I said, I’m not a visually artistic person. But I’ve learned to trust the power of my network.

I put out feelers on my social channels and immediately received numerous thoughtful recommendations. I reached out to each one and had many meaningful conversations.

They were all excited about the project (please note I didn’t share my manuscript with them, rather, just high-level concepts) but not everyone felt their style matched my own. Others were generous with their time and sent me mock-ups to consider.

In the meantime, I explored Reedsy and discovered a talented global network of freelancers. I connected with several professionals – within the US, UK and France – but some were too expensive, while others didn’t match my timeline.

I can say with absolute certainty that passing on those potential partnerships had nothing to do with their skill. Every illustrator I spoke with was incredibly talented. They simply weren’t the right fit for my book.

As time went on, I started to worry I wouldn’t find the right collaborator. But I refused to settle. I owed it to myself and to the story.

Then, at book club, everything changed. I mean, really, when you think about it, book club always has the answer! Anyway, a friend mentioned a professional illustrator in her network and asked if I’d like an introduction. The next morning, I received Robin’s number via text.

I gathered my composure and crafted a simple text – introducing myself, mentioning our mutual friend, and asking if she’d be interested in learning more about my story.

To my relief, Robin responded encouragingly and immediately shared a link to review her portfolio: dozens of beautifully illustrated pieces for authors like me. We continued the conversation over email and soon made plans to meet in person.

Still, I needed to be sure she was the right fit. So often, Santa is portrayed in an overly goofy way with ruddy cheeks, jiggly belly and a cartoonish grin. That wasn’t the look I envisioned.

To help guide her, I sent Robin a photo my mom took of a man dressed as Santa on the Fourth of July in California, along with the books that reflected the illustrative style I preferred.

And when we met in person, Robin showed me her interpretation. It was uncanny – an absolute spot-on version of the Santa that captured everything I had hoped for.

In that moment, I knew she was the illustrator I’d been searching for. I finally found my "perfect outfit."

Finding the "right" illustrator is much like curating the perfect outfit in your head and trying to find it IRL. ... Or like finding a needle in a haystack!

Stay tuned for a Q&A with my illustrator next week.