Every illustrator has their own unique way in making a picture book. Using my latest book "Down at the Dino Wash Deluxe" as an example, here is a short summary of my own art process.


1. Thumbnail sketches.First, I read the author's manuscript. Then, I put together very rough thumbnail sketches of how I envision the book to look. They're all very loosely drawn for ideas and not really meant to be shown to anyone.

2. Research.Photo references are a very important part of my art process. Here, I use my nephew, Tyler, as the book's main character. They're not necessarily meant for me to draw exact depictions, but to get the "feel" of the character. Naturally, I also collected dinosaur references for this book.

3. Sketches. At this stage, there is usually a bit of a back and forth between me and the art director. Ideas are exchanged and revisions are made before the final sketches are approved and I can finally paint them. 

4. Final Art. Below is the book's opening spread with thumbnail and pencil sketch. I make sure to leave space for type. This way, kids can enjoy reading the book and look at the pictures easily.

5. Bonus: Cover ArtAnd here's another example with the Cover art. You can see two sketch versions on the upper left. The book designer and I also toyed with the idea of having a 1950's design for the word "Deluxe," but we later ditched the idea.



 I hope you enjoyed the tour!
"Down at the Dino Wash Deluxe" written by Tim Myers is now available online and in stores.