How can I find an inexpensive illustrator?

You've found me! 

All joking aside. My illustrator friends and I do offer quality and affordability. Most authors and/or publishers ask: "What's the ball park price to illustrate a 32 page children's book?" A typical response is: "One thousand dollars per page."

The author and/or publisher stumbles backwards, stutters, then mumbles, "I could never afford you!"

This quote is worst case scenerio before I review a project. As a professional I request to read the story, ask for a marketing plan, the budget, and then quote the project. Projects are priced on number of illustrations required not page count.

If a book has a spread, one illustration spanning 2 pages, it's considered one illustration. Therefore a 32 page book may only require 16 illustrations. The book may be 32 pages, however the illustrations don't equal the page count.

This is why my friends and I may be the inexpensive illustrators you're seeking.

Mark Wayne Adams
Award-Winning Illustrator of The Belly Button Fairy

Requesting a Printing Quote

The success of any publishing project is accuracy in budget, materials, and time. Every member of the production team works more efficiently having accurate print specifications. Provide or require this list of information in a printing quote. Share the quote with the team prior to starting the project.

1. Date of quote:
2. Title of book or project:
3. Printer Name:
4. Printer Contact Name:
5. Printer Address:
6. City, State Zip:
7. Email Address:
8. Phone:
9. Website:
10. Book trim size: (Examples: 6" X 9", 8.5" X 11")
11. Page Count: (Which is usually in 8 page signatures or 4 page half signatures. Children's books are generally 32 pages.  Examples: 16, 24, 32, 36, 40, or 48 pages.)
12. Quantity: (Larger press runs yield lower unit cost which can provide a greater return on the net sales for the project.)
13. Paper type: (Gloss, matte, or recycled papers give different appearances when printed. Example: Covers or body pages printed on matte paper show scuffing more easily.)
14. Ink: (Full color pages [4/4] verses one color [1/1] or two [2/2] color books.)
15. Bleeds: (Bleeds are images that print to the edge of the page. Body pages often require 1/8" [.125"])
16. Cover: (Soft or hard cover book. Printed, materials, and weight.)
17. Jacket: (Four color [4/0], metallic, embossed, and finish.)
18. Spine: (The Spine is center of the Cover. The dimensions are usually calculated based on page count and material thickness.)
19. Binding: (Perfect bound, smythe sewn, or specialty binding.)
20. Files to Printer: (Application file: InDesign, Quark, etc. or Press PDF's. Date of print file submission. Type of file transfer: FTP or via disk. Proofing requirements: printed, PDF, or color correct proofs.)
21. Shipping: (Provide the shipping destination for the final product. Determine the size of vehicle delivering the books, will fork lifts be required, number of pallets, number of boxes, weight of each case, and number of books per case. Provide/request a printed decal on each box. Decals should include: ISBN#, book title, author, publisher address, quantity per case, weight, and any other information a distributor may require.)

Use these guidelines when requesting a quote for your next book project.

Mark Wayne Adams
President Elect, FAPA (Florida Authors & Publishers Association)

Are Editors an Illustrator's Friend?

Professional editors are much like professional illustrators. Each wants a book to reflect his/her personal style and attention to detail. Working as a team from start to finish, creates a cohesive project. Illustrators must acknowledge editors input as the reader's perspective.

A professional editor has his/her own pricing structure and should commit from first edit to press proofing. Editors assist with: page count, layout recommendations, proofing, and of course text edits. Professional editing services are well worth the investment!

As an illustrator, demand the final edit before beginning illustrations. Have authors write a brief description of how they envision each page. Illustrators write a description of how you envision each page. From these written ideas a storyboard is created through words, rather than hours of drawing time. Thus minimizing sketch time and optimizing illustration time.

My favorite professional editor to date is Jennifer Thomas, Beyond Words Editing. We have worked on several award-winning books together.

Mark Wayne Adams
CEO, MWA, Inc.