Full picture book, 32 pages
Character design, storyboards, 14 finished spreads, cover art and print files.
Picture books since 2015
Your manuscript, drawn so kids ask for it twice
Character design, page by page storyboards and finished spreads in gouache and digital. You get print ready files and the print specs your printer will ask for.
11 yrsillustrating
60+books published
4 to 5 motypical book timeline
3revision rounds included
How we work
From character sketches to a printer ready file
Priced per project, with a deposit up front and milestone payments as art is approved.
Character design package
Turnarounds, expression sheets and a color palette you can reuse across a series.
Cover illustration only
Front, spine and back wrap sized to your trim and page count.
Chapter book interior spots
Black and white chapter openers and in text illustrations.
Storyboard and page layout
Pacing pass across the full page turn structure before any final art starts.
Print file preparation
CMYK conversion, bleed, gutter safety and a proof check with your printer's template.
About the studio
One illustrator, not a content farm
I am Nora Marlow and I have illustrated more than sixty books since 2015, split between traditional publishers and authors printing their own. Every drawing on this site is mine. I work in gouache and finish digitally, which keeps the texture of paint without the reshoot cost when a revision comes in.
•You keep the rights we agree on in writing before we start
•Three revision rounds built into every project price
•Files delivered in the format your printer specifies
Reviews
From authors and editors
“She caught a pacing problem in my manuscript at the storyboard stage that two editors had missed. The book is better because of it.”
Ellen S., Self published author
“Delivered on every milestone and the print files went to our vendor without a single correction.”
David R., Small press editor
“My daughter recognized her own bedroom in one of the spreads. I had described it once, in an email.”
Kwame B., First time author
FAQ
What authors ask first
Who owns the illustrations when we are done?
That is set in the contract before we start. Most self publishing authors buy exclusive publishing rights for the book while I keep the right to show the work in my portfolio. Full copyright transfer is available and costs more, since I cannot reuse or resell anything.
How long does a full picture book take?
Four to five months for a 32 page book, assuming you respond to approvals within about a week. Rushed timelines are possible at a surcharge but the storyboard stage is where the book gets good, so I do not compress that part.
What do you need from me to start?
The final manuscript, your trim size and page count, and any strong visual references you already have in mind. If the text is still changing, we wait, because redrawing approved spreads is the most expensive way to edit a book.
Do you work with traditional publishers?
Yes, roughly half my work comes through publishers and agents. For those projects the art direction and schedule come from the house and I work to their template.
Contact
Tell me about your book
Send the manuscript, your trim size and your target print date. I will reply with a quote and the next open slot in the calendar.
Phone(401) 555-0187
Address77 Westminster Street, Studio 3B, Providence, RI 02903, Providence, Rhode Island
HoursMon to Thu 9am to 5pm, Fri by appointment
AreaClients worldwide, work delivered remotely