I AM

children's book illustration

The challenge

to illustrate a book aimed for children, keeping in mind the deeper message of the book itself while still keeping the overall tone light and breezy.

I AM is a book with surprising hidden depths, that teaches a message that everyone can be creative. While it's a book for children, its message is just as important to adults, too. I wanted to make illustrations to portray that.

Reshma Budhia

Author

2021

Completed & Released

I am...

is a children's book by Reshma Budhia, a Design Thinker based in Chennai, India. Inspired by her own two children, the story depicts the journey of two young boys who, through their own research, experimentation, and practice, discover what they believe to be the truth behind what it means to be creative. Through illustrations and minimal text, the book, which carries an important message for both children and adults, teaches us to realize the potential of every person.

my process

As the illustrator, it was my task (and pleasure) to bring Reshma's ideas to life. I worked closely with her on every page so that we didn't miss a detail.The art style is a little rough - I wanted to give the impression and texture of crayons or chalk on a board, since the book is meant for children. The color palette consists mostly of pastels.

Reshma had a vision for many scenes of the book. Quite a few of my illustrations are adaptations of her line drawings, traced from photographs of her own children.