A lot of children’s books at first glance may seem simplistic and easy to recreate. However, Illustrators need a lot of skills to create artwork for children’s books. A main one these days would be a good knowledge of digital illustration tools and how to effectively and skilfully use certain programs, such as InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator and many more. Along with that, children’s book illustrators also need to be skilled with traditional techniques such as pencil, pen, watercolour, paint, pastels. These techniques are almost always necessary as a lot of artists tend to merge both digital and traditional methods in their work. Watercolour, for example, is used a lot in works geared towards children due to its soft feel. Notable examples of this include Quentin Blake and Maurice Sendak. Collage is also a great way to engage the reader, using mixed media to allow your book to stand out from the crowd. Illustrators also have a wide range of topics that can help inform and inspire their work such as: the natural world, real people and their experiences, other illustrators, authors and real-world events.

A book illustrator goes through a specific process when working with a client. They would first read the manuscript sent to them and understand what it is they are needing to create. They brainstorm ideas, trying out different mediums to see what works the best for the designs, providing pencil sketches of layouts which are sent to the client for initial feedback. Communication is key with these briefs, making sure everyone is in the loop and updated. A style/look will be reached and greenlit, then the illustrator is left to their own devices to create the necessary art. It’s up to them to make sure they keep to their agreed upon time limit.

Timescales for these briefs would be varied and dependent on the project and the author's needs. Some deadlines can be a few months, whilst others a few years. A lot of it depends on not only the client's expectations, but the illustrator's usual work pace.

Every Illustrator's career starts with building a good body of work and creating a portfolio. This is used to present your work to potential clients and publishing agencies as you progress through your career. A lot of illustrator's start of with self-publishing, using things like social media to promote themselves and gain attention from potential clients.