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Create a publication-ready PDF brief for your children's book illustrator — with character profiles, art style guide, and page-by-page notes. Fewer revisions, better results.
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The Kidillus Illustrator Brief Generator helps children's book authors create clear, professional documents to share with illustrators. Whether you're hiring on Fiverr, Upwork, or working with a private illustrator, a structured brief ensures your vision is communicated clearly — reducing costly revisions and delays.
Most illustrators charge $30–$100 per revision round. A clear brief eliminates miscommunication before drawing starts.
Define your color palette, mood, style references, and background style — all in one place for consistent results.
Download a formatted, professional PDF brief that any illustrator will immediately understand and appreciate.
Creating a strong illustrator brief is the single most important thing you can do before starting your children's book project. Here's what to include:
Start with the basics — title, author name, trim size, and page count. For Amazon KDP picture books, the most common size is 8.5 × 8.5 inches or 8 × 10 inches with 32 pages.
The art style is the most important section. Instead of vague terms like "cute", use specific language: "Watercolor with soft edges, warm earth tones, reminiscent of Eric Carle's collage style but more detailed." Include reference book titles whenever possible.
Every named character needs a profile. Bad example: "A little girl." Good example: "Lily, age 5, shoulder-length curly red hair, freckles, always wearing a yellow raincoat with star buttons and pink rubber boots." Character consistency across 32 pages is one of the hardest things for illustrators — your brief makes it achievable.
For each page or spread, provide: (1) the story text that will appear, and (2) a visual description of what the illustration should show. Include camera angle, character expression, action, and setting details. The more visual your description, the less guessing the illustrator has to do.
An illustrator brief is a document that describes how your book should look visually — including character appearances, page-by-page art notes, color style, and overall mood. It serves as the blueprint between your written story and the final illustrations.
Yes, completely free. No account, no subscription, no hidden fees. The PDF downloads directly to your device.
Yes. Your brief is automatically saved in your browser's local storage. Whenever you return to this page on the same device, your draft will be restored exactly as you left it.
Absolutely. The PDF format is professional and structured — exactly what freelance illustrators expect. Sending a formatted brief signals that you are a serious author and typically results in faster, more accurate quotes.
Unlimited. You can add as many character profiles and page instructions as your book requires. For a standard 32-page picture book, you'd typically add 24 story pages (the remaining 8 are front/back matter).
Yes! Kidillus provides professional children's book illustration, cover design, and KDP formatting. Use the "Hire a Kidillus Illustrator" button after downloading your brief to get a free quote.
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