You have a story. Maybe it has been sitting in a notebook for years. Maybe your kids helped you make it up at bedtime. Either way, a good story needs good pictures, and that is where a lot of parents, teachers, and first-time authors get stuck.
Purple Giraffe Press works with people across Sydney who want a proper illustration book in Sydney, from a rough sketch through to a finished, printable book. We are not a big faceless studio. You will talk to real people who care about getting your book right.
We usually reply within one business day.
- what it is
This page walks you through what we do, how the process works, and what to expect if you want to work with a book illustrator in Sydney who understands both the creative side and the practical side of putting a book together.
You do not need any experience with publishing or illustration to start. You just need an idea and a bit of patience while we bring it to life.
Being based here also means we understand the local scene, from school book fairs to small press events around the city, and we know how families and educators in Sydney tend to use these books once they are finished. That local context often shapes small decisions, like how many copies to print first or whether a book suits a classroom read-aloud as well as a bedtime story.
- what we can do
Every book is different, so we break the work into clear stages. You can use all of them or just the parts you need.
Before a single page is illustrated, we focus on developing your characters and visual style. This is where a shy dragon, adventurous rabbit, or playful puppy starts to take shape. We usually provide several concept options so you can explore different directions and choose the one that feels right for your story before moving into the final artwork stage.
Once the character designs are approved, we begin creating the illustrations that bring your story to life. We carefully consider composition, colour, emotion, and storytelling on every page. Each illustration is designed to work alongside the text, helping children connect with the story while creating a visually engaging reading experience.
Every book has its own personality, which is why we work across a variety of illustration styles. From soft watercolour artwork and bold colourful designs to detailed pencil illustrations, we tailor the visuals to suit your story. We are also happy to review reference books or examples that capture the look and feel you have in mind.
Children interact with illustrations differently as they grow, so age group plays an important role in our creative decisions. Younger readers often respond best to simple shapes, bright colours and uncluttered scenes. Older children tend to enjoy richer details, more expressive characters, and layered backgrounds that encourage exploration and discovery.
A book cover has a big job to do. It needs to attract attention, communicate the story’s tone and encourage readers to pick the book up. We create covers that feel visually appealing while remaining appropriate for the genre, age group, and overall style of the book inside.
If your project already includes artwork from another illustrator, we can often adapt our approach to match the existing visual style. This helps maintain consistency throughout the book and creates a more professional final product. It is a popular option for authors updating older projects or expanding an existing series.
- the journey
A lot of people come to us because they want to turn a story into a finished, printed book, but have no idea where to start. That is completely normal, and it is the single most common reason people first get in touch. Here is roughly how a project comes together with us, from the very first email to the moment your finished pages are ready.
You are involved at every stage. Nothing gets locked in without your say-so.
- pacing & layout
Some clients already have strong ideas about layout and pacing. Others want us to guide the whole planning process from scratch, working out page counts, spreads, and where the story should turn. Both are fine. We can work from a full manuscript with page breaks marked out, or we can help you figure out where the story should pause, turn a page, or land a punchline.
This part of the job is more technical than people expect. Page count usually needs to sit within certain ranges for printing to work out affordably, and word placement has to leave enough room for the art to breathe. We handle all of that planning so you do not have to learn the technical side of publishing just to get your book finished.
Picture books live and die on pacing. A joke that lands on the wrong page loses its punch. A quiet moment that gets rushed feels flat. Part of our job is protecting that rhythm, even when it means suggesting a different page split than what you first imagined.
- age & stage
Children of different ages engage with artwork in different ways. A toddler responds to bold colours and simple shapes, while an older child enjoys richer scenes, hidden details and more expressive characters. That is why we adapt our illustration style, page composition, and visual storytelling to suit the age group your book is written for.
For babies and toddlers, illustrations need to communicate instantly. We focus on bold shapes, clear expressions, and uncluttered scenes that are easy for young children to recognise and enjoy. Every page is designed to capture attention quickly while supporting early learning and language development.
Children in this age range love colourful worlds, playful characters, and visual surprises. We create illustrations filled with personality, movement, and imagination while keeping the artwork easy to follow. The goal is to encourage repeated reading and create pages children want to explore again and again.
As children become more confident readers, they begin paying attention to smaller visual details and stronger storytelling elements. We create more layered illustrations with expressive characters, engaging backgrounds, and scenes that add depth to the written story without overwhelming the page.
Middle-grade readers are drawn to exciting worlds, memorable characters, and immersive visual experiences. Whether the story is fantasy, mystery, adventure, or humour, we create illustrations that support more complex storytelling while maintaining the sense of wonder children still love at this age.
Books aimed at older readers often require a more refined illustration style. We focus on mood, atmosphere, and character expression to support the story without distracting from it. The result is artwork that feels polished, professional, and suited to a more mature audience.
- who we help
We work with a wide mix of people, including:
You do not need to have a finished manuscript. Some clients start with just a title and a rough idea of the plot.
We have also worked with grandparents putting together a one-off keepsake for a birthday, and with local sporting clubs who wanted a simple illustrated storybook for junior members. The scale of the project does not really matter to us. A sixteen-page personal keepsake gets the same care as a longer commercial title.
- what to look for
Whether you work with us or someone else, here are honest questions worth asking any illustrator before you commit:
If an illustrator cannot answer these clearly, that is worth noticing before you sign anything.
- why it matters
It is tempting to think illustration is just decoration. It is not. Pictures do a huge amount of storytelling work in a children's book, often more than the text itself.
Good illustration:
Rushed or mismatched art can undercut even a brilliant story. This is why we treat illustration as a proper creative job, not an afterthought tacked on at the end.
- how it works
We start with a simple conversation about your story, your budget, and your timeline. No pressure, no obligation. This can happen over the phone, over video, or in person if you are based in or around Sydney.
Once we understand what you need, we put together a clear quote covering pages, revisions, and delivery format. You will see exactly what is included before you commit to anything.
We sketch your main characters and share a couple of style directions for you to choose from. This is usually the most exciting part for clients, since it is the first time the story starts to feel real on the page.
We work through the book in batches, usually five to ten pages at a time, so you can give feedback along the way rather than waiting until the very end. This stops small issues turning into big rework later on.
You get a set number of revision rounds built into your quote, so small changes do not blow out your budget. If you want extra rounds beyond what was agreed, we will always tell you the cost before doing the work, never after.
We hand over print-ready files, along with web-friendly versions if you plan to publish through an online platform. We will also talk you through file formats if you are not sure what your printer or platform needs.
- our catalog
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Children Book - why choose us
The Purple Giraffe Press TeamAustralian Children’s Publisher Being based in Sydney means we can meet in person if that works better for you, or handle everything online if that is easier.
You get a quote before work starts, not a surprise invoice at the end.
You work with one person or a small, consistent team, not a rotating cast of freelancers.
We treat your book as your project, not a template we stretch to fit every client.
We will not tell you that your book is guaranteed to sell thousands of copies. What we will do is give it the best possible visual start.
- author love
- pricing
Every book is priced individually, based on page count, level of detail, and how many characters need designing. We do not use a single flat rate because a sixteen-page rhyming book and a forty-page adventure story take very different amounts of work. What we can promise is a written quote before any work begins, so you know exactly what you are paying for and when payments are due.
A few things tend to move the price up or down. Simple, flat colour illustrations with one or two characters cost less than detailed spreads with busy backgrounds and a large cast. Tight deadlines can also affect price, since rushing a book usually means clearing other work to fit yours in. If budget is a concern, tell us early. We can often suggest ways to simplify the brief, such as fewer characters or a shorter page count, without losing the heart of the story.
We also break payments into stages rather than asking for the full amount upfront. A typical structure is a deposit to begin, a payment once character sketches are approved, and a final payment when the finished files are delivered. This spreads the cost out and gives you a natural checkpoint to review the work at each stage.
- explore more
We built our service list around the real gaps that stop authors from finishing and launching their books. Here is what falls under our roof.
A careful final check of spelling, grammar, punctuation, layout and consistency before your book goes to print or online.
Learn more about Proofreading in SydneyProfessional narration, editing and mastering that turns your finished manuscript into an audiobook people want to listen to.
Learn more about Audiobook Production in SydneyCreative, easy-to-navigate author websites that show off your books and help parents, teachers and librarians find you.
Learn more about Author Websites in SydneyThe logistics, ISBNs and platform registrations handled for you, from finished manuscript to a book readers can buy.
Learn more about Book Publishing in SydneyShort, animated trailers that give your story a voice and a face, built for social media, launches and school events.
Learn more about Book Trailers in SydneyDevelopmental, line and copy editing, proofreading and manuscript assessment for picture books, early readers and junior fiction.
Learn more about Book Editing in Sydney- get in touch
Share your idea or manuscript and we will come back within one business day with a friendly, no-pressure plan and a free estimate.
We usually reply within one business day.
- ready when you are
If you have a story sitting in a drawer or half finished on your laptop, get in touch and tell us about it. There is no cost or obligation for an initial chat, just an honest conversation about what your book needs and whether we are the right fit to help.
- good to know
Honest answers to the questions Sydney authors ask us most. If yours is not here, a quick consultation will cover it.
Book a Free Consultation →It depends on page count and detail level. We give a written quote after an initial chat, so you know the full cost before committing to anything.
No. Some clients start with just a rough idea. We can help shape the story alongside the artwork if needed.
Most projects take between eight and sixteen weeks, depending on page count and how many revision rounds are included.
Yes, this is a common request. We look at existing pages and match tone, colour, and line style as closely as possible.
Most of our clients are local, but we regularly work with authors interstate through video calls and shared online files.
That is exactly what the revision rounds are for. We expect the first sketches to need tweaking and build that into every quote.
We focus mainly on illustration, but we can point you toward trusted formatting and printing options once your artwork is finished.
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Questions about publishing your book? We’re happy to help, right here.