Dahlia McCarthy

Available to hire

I am a professional children’s book illustrator with a passion for bringing stories to life through vibrant, engaging, and imaginative artwork.

About

I am a professional children’s book illustrator with a passion for bringing stories to life through vibrant, engaging, and imaginative artwork. Over the years, I’ve worked with indie authors, small publishers, and educational content creators to design characters, full-page illustrations, book covers, and storyboards that capture the hearts of young readers.

My style combines whimsical, colorful, and expressive illustrations with a focus on storytelling and character development. I specialize in digital and hand-drawn illustrations, tailored for print and e-books, ensuring each project is unique, charming, and visually captivating.

If you’re looking for a creative illustrator who can bring your children’s story or educational content to life, I’m ready to collaborate and deliver artwork that delights both children and adults.

Languages

  • FrenchFluent
  • EnglishFluent
  • ArabicFluent
  • Spanish; CastilianFluent
  • GermanFluent

Industry experience

  • Media & Entertainment
  • Education
  • Software & Internet
  • Other

More experts in Paris, France

Projects · 6

Created a complete set of storyboard illustrations for an interactive children’s app, helping the client visualize and plan engaging digital experiences for young users.

Many app developers struggle with storyboards that lack clarity, consistency, or child-friendly appeal, which can slow development or reduce user engagement. This project addressed those pain points by:

Designing clear, sequential storyboards that map out app interactions and narrative flow

Creating playful, age-appropriate characters and scenes for maximum engagement

Ensuring visual consistency across screens and interactive elements

Collaborating with developers to translate illustrations into app-ready assets

Delivering high-quality digital files for smooth integration into the app

The final storyboards allowed the app to deliver a fun, intuitive, and immersive experience, delighting children while meeting educational or entertainment goals.

Storyboard Illustrations for Interactive Children’s App
  • Book Cover Designer
  • Book Illustrator
  • Character Designer
  • +5

Developed a complete set of unique and expressive characters for a children’s educational storybook series, helping the author bring lessons and stories to life visually.

Many educational authors and publishers struggle with characters that lack personality, consistency, or appeal to young readers, which can make learning less engaging. This project solved these challenges by:

Creating distinct, relatable characters that children instantly connect with

Designing consistent expressions, poses, and outfits across multiple books

Ensuring characters are age-appropriate, visually engaging, and versatile for print and digital formats

Collaborating with the author to align characters with the story’s educational goals

Providing high-resolution digital files ready for publishing

The final characters enhance storytelling, reinforce educational lessons, and delight young readers, making the series both entertaining and impactful.

Whimsical Character Design for Educational Storybook Series
  • Book Cover Designer
  • Book Illustrator
  • Character Designer
  • +5

Created a vivid and enchanting book cover for a children’s fantasy story, helping the author capture attention and engage young readers from the first glance.

Many authors face challenges with covers that don’t reflect the story, fail to stand out, or lack professional quality, which can reduce sales. This project addressed these issues by:

Designing custom characters and magical elements featured on the cover

Ensuring story-accurate colors, layout, and typography for both print and e-book formats

Delivering high-resolution, ready-to-publish files for self-publishing platforms

Providing multiple revisions and collaboration to ensure the author’s vision was perfectly realized

The result is a professional, eye-catching cover that enhances the book’s marketability, attracts readers, and strengthens the author’s brand.

Enchanting Book Cover Illustrations for Children’s Fantasy Tale
  • Book Cover Designer
  • Book Illustrator
  • Character Designer
  • +5

Delivered a complete set of full-page illustrations for a children’s storybook, helping the author bring magical characters and scenes to life.

Many authors struggle with illustrations that lack consistency, fail to engage children, or don’t match the story’s tone, which can affect the success of their book. This project addressed these challenges by:

Designing consistent, vibrant, and expressive characters across all pages

Creating engaging backgrounds and props that enhance the story world

Ensuring print-ready and digital-ready files for e-books and physical publishing

Providing timely delivery and multiple revisions to match the author’s vision

The final illustrations not only captivate young readers but also enhance storytelling and market appeal, giving the book a professional, polished, and visually compelling edge.

Full-Page Illustrations for Magical Children’s Storybook
  • Book Cover Designer
  • Book Illustrator
  • Character Designer
  • +5

Created a vibrant and captivating book cover for a children’s story, helping the author stand out in a competitive market.

Many authors struggle with covers that fail to grab attention, misrepresent the story, or don’t appeal to the target audience, which can limit book sales. This project addressed these issues by delivering:

Eye-catching, story-accurate artwork that reflects the theme and tone of the book

Strong, consistent character design featured on the cover for immediate recognition

Typography and layout design optimized for both print and digital formats

Files ready for publishers and self-publishing platforms (Kindle, print-on-demand)

Collaborative revisions to ensure the author’s vision is fully realized

The result is a professional, visually compelling cover that captures children’s imagination, encourages purchases, and builds credibility for the author’s brand.

Custom Children’s Book Cover Design for Indie Author
  • Book Cover Designer
  • Book Illustrator
  • Character Designer
  • +5

Delivered a complete set of full-page illustrations for a children’s storybook, helping the author bring characters and stories to life in a way that captures young readers’ attention.

Many indie authors struggle with illustrations that don’t match the story tone, lack visual consistency, or fail to engage children, which can affect the success of the book. This project addressed these challenges by providing:

Consistent character design across all pages to maintain a coherent story experience

Vibrant, expressive, and age-appropriate illustrations that capture the mood of each scene

Custom backgrounds, props, and elements tailored to the story world

Digital-ready files optimized for both print and e-book publishing

Timely delivery and revisions, ensuring the author’s vision is realized without delays

This project ensures that the book is not only visually appealing but also engages children, enhances storytelling, and adds professional value, increasing the chances of the book’s success in the market.

Full-Page Illustrations for Children’s Storybook
  • Book Cover Designer
  • Book Illustrator
  • Character Designer
  • +5

Work experience

Children’s Book Illustrator – Freelance · Independent / Self-EmployedSep 2025 – Present · 1 yr 3 mos

Providing professional illustration services for children’s books, storyboards, and educational materials. Responsibilities include: Creating full-page illustrations that bring stories to life for young readers Designing book covers that capture attention and reflect the story’s tone Developing consistent character designs across projects Preparing print-ready and digital-ready files for publishing platforms Collaborating closely with authors to ensure vision and style alignment Meeting deadlines while maintaining high-quality, engaging artwork Focused on delivering vibrant, imaginative, and professional illustrations that enhance storytelling, delight children, and help authors succeed in the market.

Book Cover & Character Designer – Freelance · Creative Illustration Projects (Contract)Sep 2025 – Present · 1 yr 3 mos

Worked on book cover illustrations and character designs for children’s books and educational stories. Key responsibilities: Designed eye-catching book covers that reflect the story’s theme and tone Developed consistent and expressive character designs for main and supporting characters Created storyboard illustrations to visualize key scenes Delivered print-ready and digital files optimized for self-publishing and e-books Collaborated with authors to ensure alignment with story vision and target audience Maintained high-quality artwork and timely delivery, meeting project deadlines This role enhanced my ability to translate narratives into engaging, visually appealing artwork, helping authors and publishers create memorable experiences for children.

Education

Certificate in Children’s Book Illustration · Skillshare / Online Illustration Academy2025

Completed a comprehensive course in children’s book illustration, covering character design, full-page illustration, storyboarding, digital and hand-drawn techniques, and book cover design. Gained practical experience in creating vibrant, engaging, and age-appropriate artwork for print and digital books, preparing files suitable for self-publishing and e-books.

Certifications and awards

Adobe Certified Professional – Illustrator2025

Earned official Adobe certification in Adobe Illustrator, demonstrating proficiency in vector illustration, character design, and digital artwork creation. Skills include creating vibrant illustrations, scalable artwork for books, and professional-ready designs suitable for print and digital publishing. This certification ensures the ability to deliver high-quality, polished illustrations efficiently, meeting the needs of authors, publishers, and educational content creators.

Testimonials · 5.0 from 1 review

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