It is one of the first questions every author asks, and the honest answer is: it depends on your book. Two picture books with the same page count can need very different amounts of work. Understanding what goes into a quote helps you plan, compare offers fairly and avoid surprises.
What shapes the price of illustrations
Number of illustrations
The biggest factor is simply how much art is needed. A full-colour spread on every page is a very different job from a few spot illustrations. Count the spreads, single pages and small pieces you imagine, including the cover.
Level of detail and style
A simple, bold cartoon style usually takes less time than a richly detailed painted scene with full backgrounds. Busy crowd scenes, complex settings and intricate textures all add hours.
Number of characters
Every new character needs to be designed and then drawn consistently on every page. A story with one hero and a pet is quicker to illustrate than one with a whole class of children.
Cover and extras
Front and back covers, title pages, end papers, chapter headers and marketing images for social media can be part of the same project. Decide early which ones you need.
Revisions
Good projects include agreed revision rounds at the sketch stage, where changes are easy. Make sure you know how many revisions are included and at which stages.
Rights and usage
How you can use the artwork (print, ebook, merchandise, marketing) matters. Clear artwork rights, stated in writing, protect you and avoid misunderstandings later.
Timeline
A rushed deadline can affect price and quality. Giving your illustrator a comfortable schedule usually gives you a better book.
How to get an accurate quote
- Share your finished (or nearly finished) manuscript and target age group.
- List the number of pages and roughly how many illustrations you picture.
- Collect a few examples of styles you like.
- Mention whether you also need cover design, layout or publishing help.
- Tell us your ideal timeline and any launch date you are working towards.
Watch out for
- Quotes that don’t say how many revisions are included.
- Unclear ownership of the final artwork.
- Prices that seem far too low for the amount of work, which can mean reused or inconsistent art.
The best quote is one that matches your story, your goals and your budget, with every milestone written down.
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Get a price that fits your book
Share a few details about your story and we’ll send a custom, no-obligation quote with milestones and artwork rights spelled out.
