Blog | Shirley Waisman

Shirley Waisman

The Making of a Magical World: Behind the Scenes of a Children's Book

a cover of a children book that shows a family in the woods

The process starts with thinking: What is the essence of the story? What can I, as an illustrator, add to the story? Where does it take place? Who are the characters? All these decisions will steer the book.

When her family travels to the Amazon, Yaeli befriends a crafty and resourceful monkey. But things get, well, all monkeyed up when her friend follows her back to the city...

Various pictures of the amazon forest. people with traditional costumes, yellow flowers, red big flower and monkey — 1. Visual research about the Amazon

a sketch of a girl's room with a bed, a board, a tent and many dolls — 2. Environmental design of the girl's room

An illustration of a living room with a big basket in the middle, where a girl is sitting and smiling, her mom is standing holding a mug and in the back there is a monkey — 3. Concept illustration - How I see the book

Illustrations of a monkey with many poses wearing a red pointed hat and yellow shirt — 4. Character design

Many small illustrations of the book in black and white showing a mother and a girl in many situations. — 5. Three sketches for each book spread

An Illustration of the mother in different colors. — 6. Choose the color palette

An illustration of a family sitting in a living room, the father seat on a green couch, the mother standing drinking coffee and a small girl playing with a monkey — 7. Final spread