Start with the finished result
“Illustration” can mean a folder of images, or it can mean a complete book with a cover, page layout, typography, print files, and publishing support. Neither model is automatically better. The important thing is knowing which one the quote covers.
If you plan to self-publish, write down every result you need: front cover, full paperback cover, interior pages, ebook when appropriate, source or editable files if required, and help resolving production-file errors.
Compare the same six things
- Page scope: Is the cover separate from the interior-page count? Are title, copyright, and other front-matter pages included?
- Visual direction: Is one style approved before the whole book is built? How will recurring characters stay recognizable?
- Revisions: How many review rounds are included, and what counts as a scope change rather than a revision?
- Deliverables: Which print, ebook, and image files will you receive? Are editable working files included?
- Rights and AI: What publishing permission is granted? Will AI-assisted material be used, and how should it be disclosed?
- Production support: Who corrects bleed, margin, font, cover-size, or export problems if the platform flags the files?
Finish the manuscript before production
Small wording changes can move text, alter page turns, and affect the illustration brief. A final, proofread manuscript protects the schedule and lets the illustrator design the pages around the text that will actually be published. Use the ready-to-illustrate manuscript checklist before requesting a production quote.
Look for continuity, not one beautiful image
A picture book needs the same characters, props, locations, palette, and visual logic across many pages. Review complete spreads, covers, and revision examples—not only isolated portfolio pieces. The Ducky and the Thumb case study shows how one direction carries through a finished book.
Put rights and AI use in plain language
Ask what commercial publishing use you receive and whether the artist may display the work in a portfolio. If AI-generated or AI-assisted material is part of the workflow, the illustrator should say so openly. AI elements may not qualify for exclusive copyright protection in every jurisdiction, so the agreement should avoid promising rights no one can guarantee. MyBookIllustrator’s approach is explained in the Rights & AI FAQ.
Choose the format before final art
Trim size, page count, bleed, binding, paper, and color choices affect the artwork and the cover dimensions. Choose the intended paperback format before final pages are built. If you are still deciding, start with the children’s-book size guide.
A clear, bounded option
MyBookIllustrator’s standard package is $200: one complete book with final client-supplied text, a custom cover, up to 32 designed interior pages, one trim size, one paperback edition, one approved visual direction, artist-directed AI visuals, revisions through final approval within scope, publishing files, and practical KDP support. Traditional or non-AI illustration and expanded books receive a separate quote.