Watercolor Children’s Book Illustrations

I’m creating a picture book and need a talented watercolor artist to breathe life into the pages. The look I’m after is unmistakably hand-painted: soft washes, visible brush textures and a warm, inviting palette. I want a moderate level of detail, clear character expressions, recognizable backgrounds and a few playful touches, without the visuals becoming so intricate that they overwhelm young readers.

The storyline follows our cats meeting each other for the first time, and their fears and insecurties because they are special needs.

Your job is to interpret each moment faithfully, keep the style consistent throughout the book and deliver artwork that is ready for print.

Deliverables
• Page-by-page or spread-based watercolor illustrations (exact count to be confirmed together)
• High-resolution CMYK finals (PSD or TIFF) plus web-ready RGB versions
• Clean 600 dpi scans or layered digital files for my designer’s layout work
• A simple colour palette and character sheet to lock down consistency

Acceptance criteria
• Genuine watercolor texture—no flat digital fills
• Consistent proportions and facial features across scenes
• Print-ready files that pass a pre-press check without colour shift or cropping issues

When you reply, please share relevant watercolor samples, especially anything showing aimals in real-world situations, and outline a timeline you’d anticipate for a standard 32-page picture book. I’m ready to begin as soon as I find the right illustrator and am happy to answer any questions about the manuscript or layout.

Pictures of our cats attached.