Dr. Seuss had his colorful characters. Shel Silverstein had his emblematic style. Even J.R.R. Tolkien had his immersive, world-building maps. While the illustrations in books may not be the main focus, sometimes they’re the thing that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.
The best book illustrators can add that much-needed “something extra” to take a book from good to great, or great to legendary. Here, we list our top book illustrators for hire now, to take your book beyond where the text alone can go.
The 10 best freelance book illustrators to hire in 2019
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Illustration or graphics
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Book cover
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Tattoo
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Other art or illustration
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Logo design
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Other design
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Poster
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Character or mascot
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Product packaging
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Product label
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Logo & brand identity pack
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Banner ad
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Other book or magazine
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Icon or button
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Web page design
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T-shirt
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Other web or app design
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Other packaging or label
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Other clothing or merchandise
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App design
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Infographic
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Facebook cover
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Email
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Clothing or apparel
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Card or invitation
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Illustration or graphics
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Character or mascot
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Book cover
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Other art or illustration
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Logo design
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T-shirt
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Icon or button
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Tattoo
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Other Graphic Design
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Other design
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Postcard, flyer or print
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Cup or mug
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Web page design
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Social media page
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Logo & social media pack
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Signage
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Other business or advertising
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Card or invitation
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Banner ad
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Other web or app design
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Illustration or graphics
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Postcard, flyer or print
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Other business or advertising
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Email
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Product packaging
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Brochure
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Logo design
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Other design
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Business card
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Banner ad
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Menu
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Product label
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Other art or illustration
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Infographic
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Typesetting
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Signage
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Poster
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Other web or app design
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Other packaging or label
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Other book or magazine
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Card or invitation
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Typesetting with imagery
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PowerPoint template
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Book cover
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Web page design
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Other clothing or merchandise
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Logo & business card
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Icon or button
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Logo & brand identity pack
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T-shirt
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Sticker
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Social media page
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Merchandise
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Brand guide
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Illustration or graphics
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T-shirt
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Character or mascot
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Book cover
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Logo design
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Other art or illustration
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Product packaging
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Other design
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Product label
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Other book or magazine
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Poster
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Other web or app design
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Other clothing or merchandise
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Clothing or apparel
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Merchandise
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Logo & business card
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Logo & brand identity pack
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Card or invitation
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Logo design
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Illustration or graphics
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Icon or button
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Logo & social media pack
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Web page design
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Other design
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Logo & brand identity pack
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Other web or app design
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Logo & business card
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Other art or illustration
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App design
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Card or invitation
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Poster
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Book cover
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T-shirt
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Product label
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Logo & hosted website
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Business card
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Banner ad
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Landing page design
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Logo design
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Other design
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Logo & business card
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Illustration or graphics
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Logo & hosted website
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Logo & brand identity pack
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Other clothing or merchandise
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T-shirt
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Product packaging
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Postcard, flyer or print
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Other art or illustration
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Merchandise
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Icon or button
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Character or mascot
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Other business or advertising
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Card or invitation
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Sticker
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Logo & social media pack
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Other web or app design
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Book cover
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Other Graphic Design
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Business card
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Brand guide
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Web page design
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Other packaging or label
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Banner ad
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Clothing or apparel
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Illustration or graphics
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3D
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Other art or illustration
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Other design
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Poster
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Product packaging
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WordPress theme design
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Signage
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Merchandise
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Logo & brand identity pack
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Other business or advertising
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Logo design
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Logo & business card
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Facebook cover
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Character or mascot
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Business card
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Book cover
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T-shirt
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Postcard, flyer or print
How did we choose these as the top book illustrators?
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More than just garnish, book illustrations help create the mood and draw the reader into the stories they depict. Often, they influence the way the reader imagines the characters and the world. To properly enhance the reading experience of your book, you can’t just hire any book illustrator, you have to go with the best. That’s why we set high criteria for our list above.
1. Design quality
At 99designs, we have a regular procedure for categorizing designers based on how well their works displays conceptual thought, technical execution and knowledge of design principles. For every artist, an expert from our team reviews their portfolio to determine which of our three levels they fit into:
- Top Level
- Mid Level
- Entry Level
We then display these levels on all our designers’ portfolios so you can see exactly what kind of designer you’re working with, from design master to master-in-training.
2. Book illustration experience
Book illustrations should mirror the content of the book itself. That’s not something every designer can accomplish—it requires both an openness to the author’s style and a working knowledge publishing. For our list above, we didn’t just consider design skill, we also factored in the designer’s history in book illustrations, such as how often they do them and how well their work is received with these clients.
3. Professionalism
A high level of design skill is no excuse for amateur behavior. In our evaluation of designers, we also consider their professionalism by checking their previous clients’ feedback. You can be sure the designers in our list above act professional by communicating throughout the process, delivering on time, and acting courteously with their clients.
Are you ready to hire a fantastic freelance book illustrator?
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Regardless of how good your words are, the right book illustrations can always make them better. Take a look at our list of the top book illustrators for hire and choose the one that’s best for you.
