The General Illustration Guideline

This guide was created based on all the mistakes past illustrators had made. Please read it and avoid the same mistakes.

🧭 Part I: The Purpose of Illustration at StoryBee

At StoryBee, illustration is not ornamentation—it is education. Our goal is to simplify complex knowledge for young learners by transforming abstract ideas into visual stories that are clear, emotionally resonant, and beautiful. Illustration is your tool for:

• Guiding comprehension

• Creating emotional connections

• Providing context beyond the words

• Inspiring a lifelong love of learning

Your illustrations should do what the text cannot—create atmosphere, drama, pacing, clarity, and delight.

✏️ Part II: Essential Drawing Techniques

1. Line Quality & Line Variation

“A flat line makes a flat world. A varied line brings life.”

• Do not use a single line thickness. Use a hierarchy:

  • Thick lines for outer contours of main characters or objects in the foreground

  • Medium lines for secondary elements

  • Thin lines for details, textures, and background

• Pressure variation makes your sketch dynamic. Practice tapering strokes.

• In digital illustration, use brushes that respond to pressure sensitivity.

• Use broken lines or sketchy lines for soft textures like clouds or fur.

2. Perspective: Building Believable Spaces

“Good perspective is invisible. Bad perspective ruins immersion.”

• Use:

  • 1-point perspective for symmetrical, head-on views (great for rooms, corridors)

  • 2-point perspective for dynamic outdoor scenes and buildings

  • 3-point perspective sparingly to dramatize tall buildings or deep canyons

• Keep a horizon line and vanishing points even in stylized art

• Avoid placing all items on the same plane—stagger depth

• Characters should scale correctly as they recede (don’t forget foreshortening!)

3. Depth & Layering

• Divide each scene into foreground, midground, and background

• Apply:

  • Detail priority: Details in foreground, simplification in background

  • Color priority: Saturated in foreground, faded in background (aerial perspective)

  • Line sharpness: Crisp lines up front, softer behind

• Overlapping elements is key—layer trees, buildings, characters

• Use atmospheric lighting or haze in deep scenes

🧩 Part III: Composition & Layout Principles

4. Focal Point & Visual Hierarchy

“Direct the eye as a storyteller, not a decorator.”

• Determine your primary subject per spread. Use:

  • Contrast (light vs dark)

  • Size (larger = more attention)

  • Isolation (white space or separation)

  • Color pop

• Avoid overcrowding. Use negative space strategically.

5. Balance and Asymmetry

• Symmetrical layouts can feel formal or static

• Asymmetry creates movement and interest—but keep visual balance

• Avoid clustering all elements in one area

• The “Rule of Thirds” helps guide pleasing placements

6. Shape Language & Silhouette

“If you can recognize a character from their shadow, you’ve done your job.”

• Use distinct silhouettes for every character and object

• Shape suggests personality:

  • Round = friendly

  • Square = strong

  • Triangle = energetic or sneaky

• Avoid over-detailing inside shapes that are not readable at small sizes

👧 Part IV: Character Design & Consistency

7. Character Consistency Across Spreads

• Keep proportions consistent (head-body ratio, limb length, clothing shapes)

• Create a turnaround sheet: front, side, back, and expression sheet

• Avoid stiff poses—use gesture drawing to keep characters lively

• Maintain the same light source and lighting logic throughout the book

8. Facial Expressions & Body Language

“Children read emotions through the body even more than the face.”

• Draw a range of facial expressions: joy, curiosity, fear, surprise, determination

• Use posture and gesture to amplify emotions

• Younger kids need exaggerated expressions—subtlety can be lost

9. Proportion Control: Don’t Clone Characters

• Avoid same-size characters. People of different ages and species should differ

• Keep relative scale: a tree next to a child should make sense in size

• For fantasy or stylized scenes, use scale to support story logic or mood

🌍 Part V: Environment as a Character

10. Scene Setting & Background Storytelling

“A rich background is not cluttered—it tells a parallel story.”

• Don’t default to empty backgrounds. They should:

  • Anchor the character in a place

  • Reflect time of day and weather

  • Contain hints (props, signs, settings) that foreshadow the story

• Use repeating motifs in background elements for visual cohesion

• Create emotion through environment (dark shapes for fear, soft tones for warmth)

11. Lighting & Shadow

• Always decide on your primary light source (sun, lamp, etc.)

• Use cast shadows to anchor characters to the ground

• Use lighting for mood: warm and diffuse = cozy, sharp and blue = eerie

• Light can draw attention (use glow or vignette techniques)

🖌️ Part VI: Style, Color, and Finalization

12. Color Harmony & Emotional Impact

“Color is the emotional voice of your illustration.”

• Choose a limited palette per book for cohesion

• Warm colors advance; cool colors recede

• Complementary colors (e.g., blue and orange) add contrast and drama

• Use color to differentiate scenes (night/day, flashback/present)

• Don’t oversaturate everything—use neutrals to balance

13. Texture & Brushwork

• Use brush textures to create material realism (wood, cloth, skin)

• Avoid over-rendering—preserve readability for small screen formats

• Consistent brush style is part of your visual voice

14. Stylization & Clarity

• Aim for stylization with logic—a cloud can have a face, but must still feel airy

• Be mindful of visual literacy—is the image instantly readable by a child?

• Don't overly abstract if the concept is new to the child (e.g., a cell diagram or machine)

🧾 Part VII: Workflow, Exporting, and Delivery

15. File Structure and Best Practices

• Use clear layer names (e.g., “BG,” “Midground,” “Character1,” “Text-safe-zone”)

• Keep text-free versions in case layout changes

• Ensure your dimensions match StoryBee’s trim and bleed guidelines

• Export in high resolution (minimum 300dpi for print, 72dpi for digital)

• Double-check spelling and details if you’ve lettered any onomatopoeia or signage

16. Review Checklist Before Submission

✅ Do all illustrations follow the assigned perspective and lighting?
✅ Have I varied my line weight and avoided uniform thickness?
✅ Are character sizes consistent and expressions intentional?
✅ Does the environment support the story emotionally and logically?
✅ Is the file clean, layered correctly, and resolution compliant?

💡 Part VIII: Growth Mindset & Continued Mastery

You are not expected to be perfect—you are expected to observe, reflect, and grow. We believe in the iterative process, not personal perfection.

• Critique your own work: “What is clear? What is cluttered? What is kind?”

• Accept feedback with curiosity, not ego

Remember: At StoryBee, your illustration has the power to change how children think, feel, and see the world.

📌 Final Words of Wisdom

“You are not just making a picture. You are making a moment that a child might remember forever.”
Keep your lines alive, your forms clear, and your heart in every page.