The Dos and Don’ts of Using Illustrations Services

If you’re not a professional artist, don’t try to illustrate your book yourself. If you don’t have particular illustration services in mind for your book, you don’t need to find one before submitting your manuscript. Publishers often have illustration services they like to work with, and a filing cabinet full of the portfolios of many more that they can contact to illustrate your book if it’s accepted.

Now, if you’re an illustrator without a story to tell, you can submit color photocopies of two or three of your best works to the art directors of houses that might use artwork in your style. Don’t give up after one mailing. If you haven’t heard anything in six months, send out another package.

If you’ve never illustrated a book before, it might help to compare your work with some professional book illustrators with illustration services to see if your work measures up. Again, with the right mix of talent and determination, you will be able to find a market for your work.

If you are both the author and the illustrator of your work, you might want to add a note to your package letting the publisher know that the story and artwork can be considered separately. That way you won’t lose out if they love your story but not your illustrations, or vice versa.

Check out my favorite publishing company that gave me my first shot with my first book.  They also have in-house book illustrators that are willing to work with you too.  Visit www.mountainvalleypress.com.

Tagged with: book illustration • book illustration services • book illustrators • books illustration • freelance illustrations • illustration authors • illustration portfolios • illustration services • service illustrations

Filed under: Uncategorized

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!