Currently only the following subpages are available in two languages
Illustrations Services
Have you written a children's story and need a cover or interior illustrations? Then write to me at [email protected]
Values
I concentrate on supporting stories that are about
- uplifting one another
- personal growth
- coping with emotions
- sparking curiosity
- dream worlds
- sustainability focused
- supporting the portraying of all genders, ethnicity, body types and disabilities
Focus
I create
- Children's books
- Picture book
- Chapter books
- Vignettes
- Spots
- Single pages
- Spreads - Book covers
- Editorial Illustrations
- Calender
Process of my work
Note: The process of children's book illustration described below can also be applied to the conception, illustration and design of city light posters, flyers and other materials (minus the character design).
The getting-to-know-you phase - from briefing to contract
The first brief will ideally include details about the project, such as
- Target audience (age, profession, etc.),
- Vision and visual direction (mood board, color palette; inspirational images; style you prefer; if it's a book - what books you love visually, I'd love to include illustrations of mine that you think would be great for your project too),
- How and where you want to publish it
- Canvas size (also framework that may come from the publisher/printer)
- What success means for this project
The first conversation will clarify any open questions you and I have. It will also discuss the workflow and the relationship we want to build.
Questions like: How involved do you want to be in the process?
How do you prefer to communicate with me?
The goal is then to sign a contract to secure both parties and work on the project can begin.
Lets go - finding a style and first sketches
As soon as the contract is signed by both parties, I start the actual work.
From here, it is important that the following parameters are set
- Book format
- Printing company (each has its own specifications that I have to take into account from here)
- Text
Based on the first call and the information provided, I then create 2-3 sketches with very different styles for you to choose from. If you don't like the offered styles, we can always talk and revise. I want to make sure that my work serves your project and product.
Rough Storyboard
Once the style is decided, I go through all the text, highlighting what catches my eye or what I can use/visually pick up later in the illustration, and looking for symbols or themes lurking beneath the surface. Depending on the book, I also create an emotional timeline with colors, which helps me create the right color palette later.
Then I create rough sketches - a storyboard of your entire book. This allows me to plan the best layout, make sure it's dynamic and consistent, and that you like it! Usually it's 2-3 sketches per target illustration with very different compositions in one storyboard. Big changes to the illustrations are possible during this phase. Once you've found your favorites for each target illustration, it's on to the next phase.
Charakter Design
After the storyboard is approved, we move on to character design. Since your character(s) is one of the most important aspects of your story, I dedicate an entire step to perfecting it.
Cover-Design
If the cover is part of your price package with me, I need the following information to be delivered and set by this phase :
- Complete cover format (width and length + book edge)
- Is there a standard font for your book?
- Blurb
- Title
- Logos that should be on the cover (where)?
- What is important for you to show on the cover?
- Barcode
- Author names
Detailed sketches
Then I move on to detailed sketches, fully fleshing out the rough storyboard sketches in the agreed final format. For illustrations that work primarily with color, I sometimes start creating the details in color already.
To get a feel for how your words interact with the illustrations, I'll show them from here on in a dummy book, which you can view as a PDF. Here I need feedback on the detailed sketches, text placement, and color palettes I present.
Here i already like to include information pages such as the imprint, dedication and about the author.
Colour and many details
Once you have approved the detailed sketches, I color the illustrations using the approved color palette and add the final details. Again, you can give feedback for final changes to make sure you like your illustrations!
Besides the book interior illustrations, this is where the cover is discussed (if it is part of your pricing package). I think about and collect ideas in previous phases, but from this point on I have a full sense of what makes the book and how the cover can attract the most readers. As with any illustration, I offer different compositions for the cover and it goes through a few rounds of feedback.
This is where you give me feedback on smaller details that were not noticed before or should be highlighted more in color. I also prepare this phase for you in a dummy book, delivered as a PDF.
Delivery of your illustrations, ready for publication
I will create the final file and deliver your illustrations in the format you want and ready for printing or for your e-book.
If you would like me to share the product on my platforms and website, I am happy to do so.
Testimonials
Illustrator for a children's picture book
5 projects since 2021
"Yasmin is AMAZING! She is a gifted artist and is committed to making her clients love her projects. She is honest, kind, generous, and a great communicator. Hire her! You won't regret it." - Marcy Pusey
Illustration and graphic design work for a business planner
Project Aug 12, 2021 - Sep 16, 2021
"Yasmin is the BOMB! She understood my vision and executed it very, very well. Her art style was exactly what I was looking for. And she did not disappoint!"
- Syreeta Berry
Infographics, posters, flyers
forEine-Welt-Landesnetzwerk Mecklenburg-Vorpommern e.V.
7 projects since 2020
"It is always a pleasure for me to work with Yasmin. She is reliable, creative and very artistically talented. Her designs are very individual and even if I sometimes had no concrete ideas about how to execute my graphic idea, she conjured up something great at the first meeting. The communication always works great. For me, Yasmin is still number 1 for all the creative projects that I implement as part of my work."
- Kaike Brandt