12 terms you need to know as a children’s book illustrator

Children's book illustrators are constantly faced with professional language. Lingo of the industry can sometimes be confusing, so take a look at a few terms you should know if you are planning on becoming a children’s book illustrator. 

1. Manuscript

This is the final story text, usually edited and proofed. 

2. Endpapers 

Are plain or patterned pages at the beginning and end of the book. They are often used as a part of the story, adding value. There are two main types of books. A self-contained 32-page book is where the end papers are a part of these 32 pages, and a separate-ended 32-page book is where end papers are not a part of these 32 pages. 

3. Pagination 

Pagination is the art of arranging pages in a way that makes sense. It's all about the story flow and capturing that perfect page-turn moment. It is a process which helps you plan ahead. This is also a critical part of the process, where we decide on the layout of the book. 

4. Spread

Spread is two pages facing each other. A full spread is when an illustration spreads across both pages. When drawing a spread, avoid having essential characters in the middle, where the book is bound. 

5. Gutter

The gutter is the middle part. It is where the two pages of the book are bound. Most illustrators either fear or have high respect for the gutter. The main advice I can give you is - do not put anything paramount into the gutter. Avoid drawing faces or any intricate details, as they will be lost once the book is bound. 

6. Thumbnail

A thumbnail is the smallest spread on a storyboard, which is essentially a collection of thumbnails that outline and show the pages of a picture book. A small spread or a sketch is rough and quick. It maps out the composition of the pages before you create final sketches.

7. Dummy book

A dummy book is essentially a rough or mock-up version of an illustrated book. It is a sequential layout of every page or spread in the book. 

8. Trim size

This is the physical size of the book after it was printed. It is provided by the client or publisher, and you must design illustrations specifically for that size. Trim size should be determined before you start illustrating the book. 

9. Bleed

Bleed is a term for a certain amount of space (3 mm to 5 mm - largely depends on the printer) that extends beyond the trim size. The illustration should extend beyond the trim size to prevent white borders when the book is cut during printing. 

10. RGB or CMYK 

These two can be a blog post on their own, and I can guarantee you that every illustrator had a difficult time with RGB and CMYK at the beginning of their career. RGB (red, green, blue) is for screen, and CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) is for print. Have you ever draw something in vibrant colours only to realise those colours are not as vivid as when you print the art out? That is because your illustrations were not in the right mode. The files you hand in should be in CMYK. Managing your colours is one of the most important things you can learn as an illustrator. 

11. DPI

DPI is a technical term for dots per inch. There is not an illustrator out there who didn't have a problem with DPI before. I had a few instances where I started drawing a detailed illustration only to realise my DPI was not at 300. There is not much that a good cry and chocolate can't fix, but still make sure your illustrations are at least 300 DPI for print. 

12. Style guide

A style guide is a very crucial document usually provided by the publisher. Consider it as a set of rules you must follow. It entails notes about colour palette, how characters should look, visual tone, etc. This document ensures visual consistency throughout the book.