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The best book illustrators for hire in the United Kingdom

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Patrick

Patrick 5 star rating

Brighton, United Kingdom

With 30 years experience designing covers for the UK's top publishing houses, I also art direct, illustrate and do hand lettering for covers

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Action & Adventure, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Thriller & Suspense, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Historical Mysteries, and Science Fiction.

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James

James 5 star rating

Chester, United Kingdom

Simple, but fun pencil and pen illustrator. I love middle grade, chapter books, and non-fiction for kids and adults.

Genres: Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Middle Grade Fantasy, Business & Management, Health & Wellbeing, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Epic Fantasy, and Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • James Warwood Books
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Louise

Louise 5 star rating

England, United Kingdom

Hello, I am an Illustrator living & working in Somerset. My style is honest, inviting & brings the everyday to life.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Classics, Home & Garden, Weddings, Short Story, and Fashion & Textiles.

Work experience:

  • Ernest Journal - Tina Smith, Jo Keeling
  • Author Andrew Sutton
  • The Hunterian Museum & Glasgow University
  • Curator of 'Museum of memory', Kate McStraw,
  • Tina Smith, Dan Linstead -Immediate Media
  • Pretty Nostalgic
  • Another Escape
  • Upper Hand Press. (William Cass, Author & Ann Starr, Publisher)
  • Marbella Club Hotel & Smokes Creative
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Sarah

Sarah 5 star rating

England, United Kingdom

Specialist children's book illustrator and designer, creating beautiful and engaging books and content.

Genres: Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, and Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Pearson Education
  • John Brown Media
  • Redan Publishing
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Emma

Emma 5 star rating

London, United Kingdom

A freelance book cover designer with over 20 years of experience working across a wide variety of imprints at HarperCollins and LittleBrown.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Action & Adventure, Historical Fiction, Classics, Women's Fiction, Mystery & Crime, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Little Brown
  • HarperCollins
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Jason

Jason 5 star rating

Hassocks, United Kingdom

Book jacket design designer with over twenty years experience in the industry.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Political Science & Current Affairs, Humanities & Social Sciences, Philosophy, Mystery & Crime, Thriller & Suspense, and Technology.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
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Lukas

Lukas 5 star rating

London, UK

Experienced Illustrator and Book Designer, originally trained as an Architect. Main focus in Cities, Transport and Technology.

Genres: Architecture, Non-Fiction, Education & Reference, Geography, Humanities & Social Sciences, History, Transportation, Travel, and Technology.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
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James

James 5 star rating

Perranporth, UK

I'm an award-winning Art Director, Book Cover Designer and Children's Illustrator who freelances for publishers all over the world.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Poetry, Science Fiction, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Nature, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, and Biographies & Memoirs.

Work experience:

  • Orion Publishing Group (Hachette)
  • Vintage Books (Penguin Random House)
  • Oneworld Publications
  • Head of Zeus
  • Self-employed
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Zoe

Zoe 5 star rating

Dorchester, UK

Hi, my name is Zoe and I'm a freelance illustrator and designer with a passion for all things children's book related!

Genres: Picture Books, Children's, Fiction, Children’s Non-Fiction, and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
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Siski

Siski 5 star rating

London, UK

Children’s books are my passion! I love to bring stories to life with whimsical, joyful watercolour-based art. Communication+collaboration!

Genres: Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, Fiction, Middle Grade, Chick Lit, and Women's Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Little Steps
  • Clavis Publishing
  • Catch a Leaf
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Patricia

Patricia 5 star rating

Talsarnau, UK

Award winning illustrator and designer. I love illustrating magical and strange worlds. Let's start working on making your project sparkle!

Genres: Middle Grade Fantasy, Children's, Fiction, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Classics, Young Adult, Romantic Fantasy, and Romance.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Longman Group
  • Oxford University Press
  • Aberystwyth University
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Mark

Mark 5 star rating

Hamilton, UK

Hello! I can help give your book the cover that it deserves: bespoke, beautiful and bold. I've spent 30 years designing and illustrating.

Genres: Poetry, Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Anthologies, Picture Books, and Children's.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Waverley Books
  • Department of Medical Illustration, West Glasgow Hospitals University
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Neil

Neil 5 star rating

Harpenden, UK

Book cover designer and illustrator with 15+ years’ publishing experience, creating bold, story-driven and memorable visuals.

Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Design, Education & Reference, Sports & Outdoors, and Travel.

Work experience:

  • Sotheby's
  • Anova Books
  • Taylor & Francis
  • Self-employed
View Neil's full profile
Simona

Simona 5 star rating

London, UK

I craft timeless illustrations that pause the noise, evoke emotion and speak directly to your book’s audience.

Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Classics, Travel, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, and Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Fig Leaf Group
  • Imagine Learning
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Emma

Emma 5 star rating

Nottingham, UK

I'm an award-winning children's book illustrator and designer living in Nottingham, UK. I specialize in bringing children's books to life.

Genres: Picture Books, Children's, Fiction, Middle Grade, Middle Grade Fantasy, Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Education & Reference.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
View Emma's full profile
Philip

Philip 5 star rating

Exeter, UK

Illustrator skilled in both traditional and digital techniques. My work is inspired by vintage illustrations.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Classics, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, and Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
View Philip's full profile
Stephen

Stephen 5 star rating

Derby, UK

Picture Book Designer & Illustrator specialist in character led stories with humour and whimsy. No AI Art. Current avail: Jan 2026

Genres: Picture Books, Children's, Fiction, Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Humor & Comedy, and Middle Grade.

Work experience:

  • BCU
  • Self-employed
View Stephen's full profile

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Hire the best book illustrators in the UK

You’ve done the hard work of getting a story on paper. Now let us help you find the perfect illustrator to bring your words to life.

In many genres, particularly those for a younger audience, the words and the pictures will become intertwined. Both should complement the other perfectly. If you think back to your most beloved children’s books, chances are that you still vividly remember the art that brought the story to life in front of your very eyes. So whether you’re publishing a children’s book or a technical piece of writing, your story deserves the illustrations that can illuminate it and take it to the next level.

But how can you find the perfect illustrator for your story? It’s probably not a surprise that talented illustrators are highly in-demand. But it’s not enough to simply be gifted. The ideal illustrator should have previously worked in your genre and have years of experience in the industry. More importantly, their style of illustration must match with your own unique voice.

If you’re struggling to find the right book illustrator to fit this profile, Reedsy can step in. Our book illustrators have worked for the biggest publishers and the most prestigious illustration agencies in the UK. We rigorously vet and accept only the top 3% of talent in the industry to ensure that you’re seeing the best freelancers available. What’s more, our platform lets you browse each illustrator’s individual gallery, so that you can get a feel for their illustration style before you commit to a collaboration. So what are you waiting for? Simply sign up for a free Reedsy account today to meet the perfect book illustrator for hire in the UK who can breathe life into your story.

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