Work from an approved brief, bring original artwork or choose optional image assistance, and review every illustration against the manuscript it is meant to enrich.
A scene brief describes a mood but leaves the actual story moment, audience and image purpose unclear.
Character references and intentional changes arrive in separate files, so a convincing image can still break the book's continuity.
Approved artwork gets separated from captions, accessibility information and the spread or chapter where readers will meet it.
Define what the picture adds, which moment it depicts and what must remain unrevealed. Keep the author-owned brief close to the project. Reviewing or selecting guidance is separate from deciding to send it to an AI provider.
Explore this capability →Upload original illustrations or reference artwork and keep the purpose clear. A character study, an object reference and a finished spread do different jobs. Uploaded work still needs review and deliberate placement; using the illustration workflow does not require generating images with AI.
Explore this capability →Review approved character and scene references alongside the current story state. A changed pose, mood or coat may be intentional; a changed identity may not. Inspect the result rather than assume a repeated reference guarantees visual consistency.
Explore this capability →Plan the words, image and page turn together. Let a picture carry a discovery when the prose can leave it unsaid. A dramatic image should still leave appropriate space for text and communicate at the size of the prepared edition.
Explore this capability →Keep placement, captions and useful alternative text with the selected image. Check cropping and visual meaning in the actual EPUB or print proof. Confirm permissions and destination requirements before commercial handoff; a saved asset is not automatic publication approval.
Explore this capability →Confirm the audience, image purpose, visual approach, required references and review decision-maker. Use only material you are authorized to share. Agree any external commissioning terms and permitted uses separately rather than treating a platform upload as a rights agreement.
Bring original artwork through upload, prepare approved references or choose optional AI generation. If you use assistance, review the selected material and consent before sending it. Keep the author or illustrator's intention visible throughout the process.
Compare the candidate with the brief, approved references and current manuscript. Check people, objects, setting and intentional changes. Select the image that serves the story; reject an attractive alternative when it depicts the wrong event or reveals too much.
Approve the artwork separately from its placement, add the supporting information the reader needs and inspect the prepared spread or chapter. A print proof and an EPUB reading view may reveal different cropping, scale or reading-order problems.
Useful book illustration workflows begin with the reading moment. Which action must the picture make clear? What does the reader already know, and what should remain a surprise? Agree the scene, viewpoint and purpose before polishing a candidate. A beautiful image can still be the wrong image for the page.
Keep approved character and setting references close to the brief. Distinguish a lasting feature from a temporary expression, costume or lighting choice. When a detail changes, record the reason rather than silently replacing the reference. This gives the author and illustrator a shared basis for reviewing the next scene.
Check an illustration alongside the passage it belongs to, not only as a separate file. Consider the page turn, available space, reading direction and the details a small screen or printed spread can actually show. Add useful alternative text and review captions in context. Layout and a final proof remain important even after the artwork is approved.
Work from your own artwork, supplied references you have permission to use, or optional AI-assisted candidates. Agree ownership, permitted uses and approval responsibilities before production. Retain the approved version and its placement notes so that a later edit does not quietly bring an earlier, rejected picture back into the edition.
A good brief tells the illustrator what the image must accomplish while leaving room for visual judgment. Separate the facts that cannot change from the choices that are still open. A character may need a recognizable silhouette without every composition repeating the same pose.
Identify the action, viewpoint and information the reader should discover in the picture. If the scene takes place before a character loses an object, the object should still be present. Resolve those relationships before spending time on texture, lighting or small decorative details.
Inspect approved artwork beside its text and neighboring pages, not only as a large isolated file. Check the crop, text space, sequence and descriptive information. Keep the original artwork and the selected version identifiable so a later layout change does not quietly substitute an earlier candidate.