I have developed a series of templates I use for my picture book thumbnails. I keep them in my computer and print one out when I start a new book. I have a square book format as well as a vertical book format. I like to have the page numbers showing when I work. I tend to move back and forth among the spreads. I add information from one and correct the information in another as I work out the page flows. I like to print the text in page break pieces – approximately to scale – and tape them down on the thumbnails to see how the final pages with the copy might look. And to make sure I leave enough room in the image later when I paint it so the text isn’t crowded.
Below is the initial rough thumbnails I sent to the publisher for comments. Not everything is in scale, nor finalized. I wait to do the details during the second phase of the book layout, after I have gotten commentary from the editor and the art director.
As you can see, my sketches are more detailed than some other artists’. The important thing at this stage is to make sure the action is legible and someone viewing the thumbnails for the first time can get a general idea of what your plan for the book is.
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I am author-illustrator of a picture book. I am a professional artist and have a problem with my 5″x 5″ dummy.
It has 850 words and using 12 pt. text there is no room for illustrations. I am confused.
I have a children’s book self published. I am not happy from the outcome of my book. I would like to how I can have an agent, editor, illustrator or publishing company. I DONOT want to self published. I have more manuscript for picture book. I would like to find editor, illustrator for my new books.help publishing my books.
Current word counts are below 300 for picture books. Revise. Revise. Revise.
Hi! I’ve just finished illustrating my first book. We will be self-publishing with an online, print-on-demand company. I’m a little confused about something that was mentioned in the print requirements.
Most of my illustrations are full spreads with bleed. They say to add 0.25″ to both height and width to allow for trimming. How does this work with a full spread? They also say that full spreads need to be saved as two single pages. I would hate for the spread to not line up properly in the final book.
I’m very confused right now!
Thank you in advance!
You have to “slice your spreads into 2 pages. Each page needs extra color outside of the trim size of your book. It needs this on all 4 sides. Say you have an 8.5 X 11″ book. Adding a .25″ bleed means the final are will be 9 X 11.5″ with bleed.
In order to get correct bleed for the inside edge of each side of the spread, you will need to include the +.25″ from the other side of the painting. Left hand side would use .25” from the right hand center portion of the painting and vice versa for the right hand side. This way the painting will be duplicated inside the gutter, and the image will look correct in the printed book.