Casting a line for a talented artistUrgent

I’m looking for an illustrator to create 6 initial key art pieces for The Tartars, a children’s picture book series for ages 6 to 10. The artwork will support marketing, a Kickstarter campaign, and a limited-edition print series, with potential for further work on the wider series. The pieces will be delivered in 3 batches over approximately 3 weeks, with a target delivery date of 14 August 2026.

The desired style is loose, hand-drawn pencil or ink linework with a soft watercolour wash: warm, storybook-like, and slightly imperfect rather than glossy or fully rendered. The illustrations should carry narrative weight alongside the text. Artwork may be created traditionally or digitally, but must not include any AI-generated or AI-assisted content. Please provide examples showing children’s book illustration, character design, hand-drawn linework, and watercolour or wash techniques.

Budget range:
Up to £750

Examples:
For tone and technique reference only. Not for copying. Jackiemorris.co.uk is a good starting point. Loose ink line. Soft watercolour wash. Warm and a little imperfect. We’re also after something in the spirit of classic E.H. Shepard-era Winnie-the-Pooh illustration. Loose. Hand-drawn. A little imperfect. Not the glossy, fully-rendered Disney version. We’re not asking for pastiche of either. Just a similar hand-drawn, storybook feel. Pencil or ink line. Colour applied as a soft watercolour wash. Not flat digital fill.

About the client
I’m Dave. An independent, first-time author. The Tartars is my own project, twenty years in the making. This commission, 6 key art pieces, is the first step toward a Kickstarter launch. If it goes well, there’s real potential for more.