What Does It Really Take To Be a Children's Book Illustrator?

There are always so many debates going on about illustrators charging way too low or charging way too high. At the end of the day, you get what you pay for. If you want your book to sell, draw attention and enhance your story, you need a professional illustrator that has the necessary skills to do the job. It's not enough to just be able to draw a picture.
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If you are looking for an illustrator or if you are a budding illustrator wondering what it takes or what you need to work on, focus on the following skills:

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1. Perspective: Do the elements in your illustrations fit correctly in space? Do your scenes look 3 dimensional. Do you know the difference between 1 point, 2 point, and 3 point perspective and what the use is for the different types?
2. Anatomy: Both Human and animal. Do you know how to draw a human or animal figure in any pose? Do you know the difference in proportion in a child vs an adult?
3. Character Design: Can you create an original and unique character that children can relate to and whose personality shows through and matches the story?
4. Consistency: Can you keep the characters looking the same in different poses all throughout the book? Is the style of the illustrations/ colors/ and theme consistent and matching?
5. Expressions: Can you accurately portray different expressions on the face as well as body language?
6. Color Theory: Do your colors trigger an emotion in the reader and express what is happening in the story?
7. Story Telling: Without reading the text, can you tell what's happening in the story just by looking at the illustration?
8. Composition: Can you direct your reader's eye to where you want it to go. Can you create a focal point on each page?
9. Communication: Do you understand how to ask the right questions to the author in order to bring their vision to life? Do you stay in touch and send updates frequently?
10. Time Management: Can you successfully manage your schedule and meet deadlines to not delay your client's book launch.
11. Humble: And lastly, can you take criticism? The only way to keep improving is to stay open to constructive criticism and to meet your client's needs.

Every day I am working on improving these core skills. As an illustrator, you never stop learning. Your work takes time, dedication, and patience. ​