My Illustration Process: From Sketch to Final Artwork
How a Children's Book Illustration Is Born
This is the question I get asked most often. Today I'll show you the entire journey — from the first pencil sketch to the finished book spread — using my project "Sigurd Fights the Dragon" as an example.
It's a Scandinavian legend about a warrior hero, dwarf blacksmiths, a magic sword, and a battle with a dragon. The project required creating a unique visual world — with dark mountains, underground forges, and dragon caves.
About the Project: The Book "Sigurd"
This little tale was commissioned by those who believe that every child has a brave hero inside. The Scandinavian motif came naturally — it fits perfectly into a world where dragons soar over mountains and dwarf blacksmiths forge swords from living fire. The book has only four illustrated pages, but each one is like a separate legend. Creating the story and illustrations took several weeks, filled with the search for the right mood and magic.
Stage 1: Color Palette
The first thing any project starts with is color. For each scene, I create a separate palette that conveys the mood of the moment. In "Sigurd," every chapter has its own color story.
The dwarf blacksmiths — warm earthy tones: olive, brown, gray. They create the feeling of an underground forge, heavy metal, and fire.
The dragon — deep purples, dark cherry, golden accents. Power, danger, and magic.
Landscapes and caves — cool blue-gray, lavender, steel tones. The world of Scandinavian mountains, mist, and stone.
I chose colors as if gathering light from mountain peaks and heat from the forge. The palette barely changed throughout the project: gold, red, and deep shadows remained the heart of every scene.
Stage 2: Sketches and Composition
A sketch is the framework of the future illustration. At this stage, I work out the composition: where the hero stands, how the reader's eye moves, how much space to leave for text.
For each scene, I create several composition variants before choosing the final one. Here's what that looks like:
Before the final drawing, I make two or three quick sketches to capture the right rhythm of the composition. I draw on a tablet, with thin lines, as if carving a story out of thin air. The dragon turned out to be the hardest — he had to be both fierce and beautiful.
Stage 3: From Lines to Color
The most magical moment — when a black-and-white sketch begins to come alive with color. This is the stage where characters come to life — light, volume, and atmosphere appear.
Watch the transformation — the same scene as a sketch and in its final version:
For coloring, I use digital brushes that create a soft glow and a sense of living texture. One illustration takes about three to four hours, until the fire, metal, and mist start to breathe. My favorite moment is when the light appears — and the scene comes alive, as if it's telling the story on its own.
Bonus: Free Coloring Pages for Kids
Every sketch is a ready-made coloring page. I've prepared 4 coloring pages from the "Sigurd" project — your kids can color the dwarf blacksmiths, the dragon, and Sigurd himself in their own colors!
Download for free as PDF — just print and draw!
⬇ Download Free Coloring Pages (PDF)
What You Can Learn from This Process
Every illustration in a children's book isn't just one picture — it's the result of dozens of decisions: about color, composition, character personality, and the mood of the scene. That's why book illustration isn't a quick process. It's a journey.
If you're planning to publish a children's book and looking for an illustrator who will pour their heart into every page — let's discuss your project.
Want to work together?
I'm available for children's book illustration, branding, and visual design projects.
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