Blog · Illustration
Blog: illustration.
Articles on children's book illustration, working with publishers and self-publishing authors, briefs, colour and composition. Notes from the Bujnowłosa studio.
Illustration · 12 min
How to publish a children's book - the complete guide
What you need to know to publish a children's book - publisher vs self-publishing, editing, illustrations, print, ISBN, distribution and promotion. Step by step.
Illustration · 11 min
How to prepare a brief for an illustrator - a guide for authors
The brief is the foundation of working with an illustrator. What it should contain, what to avoid, how to describe characters and scenes - a practical guide for children's book authors.
Illustration · 10 min
The psychology of colour in children's illustration
How colours affect children's reception of illustrations. Warm and cool tones, contrasts, a palette by age - a practical guide for authors.
Illustration · 9 min
The 5 most common mistakes when commissioning book illustrations
Commissioning illustrations is a process full of traps. The 5 most common author mistakes and concrete solutions - from the perspective of a children's book illustrator.
Illustration · 12 min
The process of creating book illustrations - from sketch to final version
The whole book illustration process in 7 stages - from immersion in the text to final print files. Why good illustrations take time.
Illustration · 14 min
How to choose the ideal illustrator for a children's book - 6 criteria
Choosing an illustrator is one of the most important publishing decisions. 6 evaluation criteria, a practical checklist and traps worth avoiding.
Illustration · 10 min
How illustration differs from painting - a guide for beginners
Illustration vs painting - two art forms, two different goals. What connects them, what divides them, where the boundaries blur. A practical guide.
Illustration · 9 min
How I illustrate a book - my step-by-step process
The whole book illustration process in my studio - from the first conversation with the author, through sketches and revisions, to print-ready files.
Illustration · 9 min
How a book is illustrated
The stages of illustrating a book in my studio - conversation, sketches, revisions, clean painting, cover and print preparation. A practical guide.
Illustration · 8 min
Organising the workspace through an illustrator's eyes
How to organise an illustrator's studio in a small flat - separating work from rest, desks, cabinets, lighting. Practical tips from experience.
Illustration · 7 min
Illustration is a field of art
Is illustration an art equal to painting? An illustrator's subjective view on why illustration deserves to be called a work of art.
Illustration · 8 min
Original gifts for Mother's Day
Personalised Mother's Day gifts - hand-painted mugs with a portrait, portraits for framing, custom illustrations. Ideas from my studio.
Illustration · 8 min
Types of illustration - part II
The second part of the guide to types of illustration - pictograms and icons, book illustration, standalone artistic illustration. Focused on art.
Illustration · 8 min
Types of illustration - part I
The first part of the guide to types of illustration - photography as illustration, realistic illustrations, diagrams and technical illustrations.
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I make art that stays - with emotion and attention in every project. Children's book illustration delivered worldwide, wedding and B2B event live painting across Poland - every project starts the same way: an inquiry, a conversation, a decision. Write to me directly. The Bujnowłosa studio is me and a decade-plus of practice.