JOB CALL: Illustrator for Children's Book Series

About you/about the project:
Edmonton-based emerging writer Lorna is developing The Kindness Princess: That’s Me!, the first in a planned children’s picture-book series exploring kindness, empathy, belonging and emotional growth through playful storytelling. The story centres a Black girl protagonist and a multicultural cast of children, with an emphasis on joy, imagination, humour and expressive visual storytelling.

What type of work are you looking for:
Children’s picture-book illustration and character design. Looking for warm, expressive, contemporary artwork with strong facial expressions, movement, personality and visual storytelling across sequential scenes.
2D animation/storyboarding experience is an asset, as there may be opportunities to bring the characters to life through animation in future phases, but the current project is picture-book illustration.

Payment/compensation:
Up to $5,000 CAD for the picture-book illustration project, with final fee and deliverables to be agreed based on scope and experience. This is a paid professional opportunity.

Cultural Background Requirements:
This series centres a Black girl protagonist and a multicultural cast of children. We are specifically seeking Black illustrators living and working in Canada, and welcome applicants to share the cultural or lived experiences they would bring to the project. Alberta-based artists are particularly encouraged to apply.

Length of contract:
Approximately 4–6 months, with specific milestones and schedule to be agreed with the selected illustrator.

Starting date of contract:
Anticipated 2026/2027, subject to project funding and final agreement with the selected illustrator.

Description of duties for contract:
Collaborate on the visual development of the book, including character design and development of a cohesive visual style; create narrative illustrations across the manuscripts; maintain character consistency across scenes; and collaborate on revisions and final artwork.
Exact number of illustrations/spreads and deliverables will be established before contracting.

Skill/technology requirements:
Strong illustration and character-design skills, particularly expressive children and sequential visual storytelling. Experience with picture books, comics, storyboarding or other narrative illustration is desirable. 2D animation skills are an asset but not required.
No specific software is required at this stage.

Requirements for application:
To apply
Please submit:

• Portfolio/website showing your overall illustration work.
• Character examples showing emotion: Please include or link to examples of children/characters expressing a range of emotions and interacting with others—not only posed character designs. We are particularly interested in subtle facial expressions, body language, warmth, humour and emotional storytelling.
• Sequential storytelling: Examples showing the same character across multiple scenes, pages, panels or storyboards, where available.
• Brief introduction: Tell us a little about yourself, your cultural/lived background, and why this particular project interests you.
• Relevant experience: Please share any experience creating children’s media, working with children, or other experience that informs how you portray children and their emotional worlds. Published picture-book experience is welcome but not required.
• Location: City/province and confirmation that you live and work in Canada.
• Animation/character design: If applicable, include examples of character design, storyboarding, 2D animation or a demo reel.
• Availability: Your general availability for a project anticipated to begin in 2026/27.

What we’re hoping to see
Above all, we’re looking for an artist who can make children feel alive on the page—expressive faces and body language, distinctive personalities, believable interactions, movement, humour and emotional nuance.
The series centres a Black girl protagonist within a multicultural cast, so the ability to portray Black children with authenticity, individuality and joy is particularly important.
We hope the submission itself will give us a strong sense of both your artistic fit and your connection to the project. Shortlisted artists will then be invited to a conversation before any selection is made.

Preferred method to contact you:
Email: mlollipop22@yahoo.com
Closing date of application: September 18, 2026