I am a professional Freelance Illustrator specializing in children's books, cover designs, and character-driven artwork. I help authors and indie publishers transform story ideas into publication-ready visual assets. What I Offer: • Children’s book illustrations (full spreads, spot art, & cover design) • Character designs and turnarounds for story consistency • Print-ready formatting for Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, & traditional print (bleed, trim, & resolution setup) • Clear communication with rough pencil sketches prior to final coloring Tools: Adobe Indesign, Procreate, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Clip Studio Paint. Let's collaborate to bring your book to life!…

Joseph Friday

5.0 (1 review)

I am a professional Freelance Illustrator specializing in children's books, cover designs, and character-driven artwork. I help authors and indie publishers transform story ideas into publication-ready visual assets. What I Offer: • Children’s book illustrations (full spreads, spot art, & cover design) • Character designs and turnarounds for story consistency • Print-ready formatting for Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, & traditional print (bleed, trim, & resolution setup) • Clear communication with rough pencil sketches prior to final coloring Tools: Adobe Indesign, Procreate, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Clip Studio Paint. Let's collaborate to bring your book to life!…

Available to hire

I am a professional Freelance Illustrator specializing in children’s books, cover designs, and character-driven artwork. I help authors and indie publishers transform story ideas into publication-ready visual assets.

What I Offer:
• Children’s book illustrations (full spreads, spot art, & cover design)
• Character designs and turnarounds for story consistency
• Print-ready formatting for Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, & traditional print (bleed, trim, & resolution setup)
• Clear communication with rough pencil sketches prior to final coloring

Tools: Adobe Indesign, Procreate, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Clip Studio Paint.

Let’s collaborate to bring your book to life!

See more

Skills

Experience Level

Language

English
Fluent
Italian
Fluent
Spanish; Castilian
Fluent
German
Fluent

Work Experience

Book Cover Designer & Concept Artist at Self-Employed / Independent Publishing
June 14, 2023 - Present
Created eye-catching eBook and paperback cover designs across fantasy, fiction, and children's genres. • Incorporated typography, title placement, and back-cover blurb layouts compliant with publisher print templates. • Conducted visual research and character concept sketches to align cover artwork with author manuscript themes.
Freelance Children's Book Illustrator at Self-Employed / Freelance
January 11, 2022 - Present
Collaborated with indie authors and self-publishers to deliver print-ready illustrations for children's books and YA novels. • Designed double-page spreads, character turnarounds, spot art, and full cover artwork. • Formatted layout files according to Amazon KDP and IngramSpark trim, bleed, and DPI specifications. • Managed full creative workflows from initial rough pencil sketches to final line art and digital coloring.
Digital Illustrator & Visual Artist at Creative Studio / Client Commissions
March 16, 2021 - December 13, 2023
Produced digital art, vector illustrations, and visual assets for editorial publications, educational materials, and digital media. • Worked closely with art directors and clients to meet tight deadlines while integrating feedback. • Maintained consistent artistic styling and brand guidelines across multi-image illustration packages.

Education

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Fine & Applied Arts at Obafemi Awolowo University
September 12, 2017 - September 14, 2021
Specialized in visual arts, drawing, painting, and digital design. Completed a final portfolio project focused on children's storybook illustration and visual storytelling techniques.
Diploma in Digital Illustration & Character Design at Lagos School of Design
January 11, 2022 - September 14, 2022
Intensive training focusing on digital painting, Procreate workflow, character consistency for books, and print formatting specifications (bleed, trim, resolution).

Qualifications

Adobe Certified Professional in Visual Design (Photoshop & Illustrator)
March 10, 2023 - September 22, 2023
Certified in digital image creation, page setup, vector graphic manipulation, print preparation, and layout design standards.
Certificate in Children's Book Illustration & Character Design
January 17, 2024 - June 9, 2026
Completed professional coursework covering storyboarding, character expressions, color theory for storytelling, double-page layout design, and print prep for KDP and IngramSpark.

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Education, Consumer Goods, Other
    Children’s Nature Book Illustration & Cover – "The Loons of Lake May"
    Project Overview: Complete children's book illustration project featuring vibrant outdoor wildlife scenes, nature backgrounds, and character-driven animal art tailored for children's educational and storybook publishing. Key Deliverables: • Front Cover Design: Eye-catching lake landscape illustration paired with stylized 3D-effect typography, subtitle placement, and author/illustrator credits. • Double-Page Interior Spread: Full-bleed natural scenery featuring pine forests, water reflections, and integrated text placement zones designed for legibility. • Animal Character Consistency: Detailed character modeling for a family of loons (parents and chicks) with expressive storytelling poses maintained across different book scenes. • Print Specifications: Formatted to 300 DPI high-resolution CMYK print standards with proper bleed, trim, and gutter margins for Amazon KDP and print-on-demand publishers. Tools Used: Procreate, Adobe Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint.…
    Children’s Book Cover & Back Design – "Sissy, Why Do You Have To Leave?"
    Project Overview: Complete front cover and back cover artwork designed for a sentimental children's picture book exploring emotional themes in family dynamics. Tailored specifically for self-publishing authors to create a heartwarming, professional presentation. Key Deliverables: • Front Cover Illustration: Soft, expressive digital artwork featuring strong perspective work (view through an open door) paired with custom typography and author attribution. • Back Cover Layout: Clean typography arrangement integrated smoothly with background artwork, featuring structured blurb placement designed for print legibility. • Character Design: Relatable young boy character rendered with expressive facial features and emotional depth maintained consistently across front, back, and spot art assets. • Print Specifications: High-resolution 300 DPI CMYK file setup formatted with standard spine, bleed, and trim margins suitable for Amazon KDP and IngramSpark print-on-demand setups. Tools Used: Procreate, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator.…
    Children’s Picture Book Illustration & Cover Design – "The Flashiest Fish"
    Project Overview:Complete children's book illustration and cover design project featuring vibrant underwater environments and expressive character art. Designed for self-publishing authors targeting young readers. Key Deliverables: • Front Cover Design: Eye-catching 3D-style digital illustration paired with bold, readable typography customized for print and eBook formats. • Double-Page Spread Layout: Full-bleed interior page artwork structured to leave clean space for manuscript text without cluttering key visual elements. • Character Design: Expressive, consistent aquatic character models (fish wearing headphones/scarf, octopus) maintained across multiple story beats and emotional states. • Print Specifications: Formatted to 300 DPI high-resolution CMYK standards with proper bleed and trim boundaries ready for Amazon KDP and IngramSpark publishing. Tools Used: Procreate, Adobe Photoshop.…
    Illustrator and KDP formatter
    No AI was used for this project; it was created 100% from scratch based on the client's description—a complete project covering both illustration and KDP formatting.…
    Illustrator and KDP formatter
    No AI was used for this project; it was created 100% from scratch based on the client's description—a complete project covering both illustration and KDP formatting.…
    Illustrator and KDP formatter
    No AI was used for this project; it was created 100% from scratch based on the client's description—a complete project covering both illustration and KDP formatting.…
    Children's Book Illustration
    No AI was used for this project; it was created 100% from scratch based on the client's description—a complete project covering both illustration and KDP formatting.…