The best book illustrators for hire in the United States

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Ashley 5 star rating

Portland, ME, United States

I'm an art director, graphic designer and illustrator that loves book design, typography and the interplay of graphics and text.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Nature, Home & Garden, Middle Grade, Education & Reference, and Middle Grade Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • HarperCollins Publishers
  • Macmillan Children's Books
  • Sellers Publishing, Inc.

Talitha 5 star rating

Fort Wayne, United States

Experienced award-winning illustrator and designer. I can help with your next book concept!

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

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Hokyoung 5 star rating

New York, United States

I am an illustrator interested in making images with strong moods and narratives.

Genres: Action & Adventure, Fiction, Classics, Mystery & Crime, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ Fiction, Literary Fiction, and Short Story.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Dana 5 star rating

Kansas City, Missouri, United States

I have illustrated children's books for Scholastic, Random House, Penguin, Grosset & Dunlap, HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster.

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

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Hallmark Cards

Penny 5 star rating

Holbrook, United States

I have been lucky enough to work as a Children's Book Illustrator since 2007.

Genres: Picture Books, Children's, Fiction, and Middle Grade.

Work experience:

  • self employed

Annemieke 5 star rating

Seattle, WA, United States

Hi! I'm a cover designer with 10 years of experience, specializing in YA fiction. Clients include HarperCollins and Galison/Mudpuppy.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Architecture, Non-Fiction, Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Design, Literary Fiction, Women's Fiction, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Jake 5 star rating

Blacksburg, SC, United States

With 2k covers and counting, I design genre specific covers that help authors look professional and convert browsers into buyers.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Print Depot
  • Self-employed

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Ricardo 5 star rating

Philadelphia, United States

I'm illustrator and Graphic Designer. I love the freedom children's book illustration brings. I love small details just kids can understand.

Genres: Picture Books, Children's, Fiction, Nature, Non-Fiction, Middle Grade, Life Sciences, Math & Science, Fantasy, and Action & Adventure.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Lauren 5 star rating

Baltimore, MD, USA

A book illustrator and cover designer balancing graphic edges with a painterly touch.

Genres: Comics & Graphic Novels, Fiction, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Middle Grade Fantasy, Children's, Poetry, and Middle Grade.

Work experience:

  • Freelance: Jenny Carson and Beth Burke
  • Freelance: Frances Schoonmaker
  • Freelance: Gabriel Carter
  • Self-employed

Candice 5 star rating

Iowa City, IA, United States

Award-winning illustrator with completely hand-made cover design. I read your book and provide the marketing assets you need to stand out!

Genres: Magical Realism, Literary Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Children's, and Middle Grade Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Bovard Studio, Inc.

Keith 5 star rating

Indianapolis, IN, USA

Illustrator and designer specialized in games and children's media, creating energetic and fantastical art.

Genres: Picture Books, Children's, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Humor & Comedy, Gaming & LitRPG, Sports & Outdoors, Non-Fiction, Christian Non-Fiction, Religion & Spirituality, and Christian Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • MegaCon Games
  • Penguin / DK Publishing / BradyGames
  • Indiana Wesleyan University

Jerry 5 star rating

Philadelphia, PA, USA

Designer, Art Director and Illustrator. I specialize in Big, Bold Thrillers and True Crime.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Action & Adventure, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, True Crime, Mystery & Crime, Psychological Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, and Medical Thriller.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • St. Martin's Press

Amanda 5 star rating

Honesdale, PA, USA

Creative and collaborative senior book designer with nearly 15 years in children's publishing. Skilled from concept to print-ready files.

Genres: Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Education & Reference.

Work experience:

  • Highlights for Children

Michael 5 star rating

Oakland, CA, USA

Illustrator and cover designer specializing in fun, colorful, character-driven imagery for middle grade and genre fiction.

Genres: Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Middle Grade Fantasy, Picture Books, Humor & Comedy, Steampunk, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Heather 5 star rating

Chicago, IL, USA

Experienced cover designer of adult fiction and non-fiction genres. Let's make your book a best-seller!

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, Coming of Age, Historical Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Psychological Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, Magical Realism, and Literary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Sourcebooks

Elia 5 star rating

Oakland, CA, USA

Illustrator with robust experience who loves crafting vibrant picture books with engaging and dynamic characters. Based in California!

Genres: Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, and Picture Books.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Local Language
  • Local Language Art

Keyla 5 star rating

Kissimmee, FL, USA

Comic Cover artist for Boom, IDW, DC & more. Creative Director for The Artist Bullpen agency & Graphic Designer with 15+ years of experience

Genres: Comics & Graphic Novels, Fiction, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Gaming & LitRPG, Fantasy, Dark Romance, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Women's Fiction, and Action & Adventure.

Work experience:

  • THE ARTIST BULLPEN
  • CENTRIC BRANDS
  • COLLEGE FOR CREATIVE STUDIES
  • POLO RALPH LAUREN

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Hire the best book illustrators in the United States

Whether you’ve written a picture book, chapter book, or technical book, you’ll need a stellar illustrator to bring your project to life. Of course, one of the great things about illustration is that there are so many different styles to choose from — but that can also make the process of selecting an illustrator rather difficult. From cartoon-like illustrations to more realistic drawings to simple line art, how can you decide which illustrator’s style is right for your book?

You may already know how you want your illustrations to look, especially if you’ve flipped through other books in your genre and can envision similar art alongside your story. However, if you have no idea what kind of illustrations you want, looking through professional illustrators’ sample galleries is the perfect place to start. You’ll be amazed how your ideas begin to take shape once you’ve glanced over just a few artists’ work.

That’s why, if you’re seeking a book illustrator for hire in the United States, you can’t go wrong signing up for Reedsy. Not only do we have tons of experienced professionals all over the USA, but you can start looking through their portfolios today — for free. You can even request quotes from the illustrators you love, so the two of you can begin creating a beautiful book together as soon as possible.

How it works

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Step 1

Apply filters

Reedsy is home to thousands of professionals. Select the specific services you need and narrow your search based on your book’s genre and requirements.

Step 2

Browse

Then, browse professional profiles to find out more about their personalities and past projects.

Step 3

Request quotes

Request quotes from up to five freelancers at any time. They’ll look at your sample pages to give you a tailored quote as well as a sense of how they work.

Step 4

Collaborate

Once you agree on terms and a timeline, you’ll start collaborating using the many communication and editing tools available on Reedsy.

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