He explained in a statement that his portraits are inspired by the innocents of children. To create something so magical, the artist needs to look at the world through the lens of childhood. “Embody the peace and harmony we all strive for in life, the search for eternal joy lies in the child within us all. We are just so consumed with worldly things that we forget the simplicity of life through a child’s perspective,” he shared on his website.

Makamo’s work has been showcased in galleries all around the world, from his homeland to The Netherlands, UK, and Germany. Besides his exhibitions, he shares his portraits on his social media accounts, too. There he has attracted more than 168,000 Instagram followers

To see some of his creations, check out the gallery below, where we have picked our top favorites. Do not forget to follow his Instagram account to keep in touch with his newest work.

The post Artist Creates Magical Portraits of Children By Stepping Into Their Shoes appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

Having gone to school twice—first for a BFA in illustration then for an MFA in design—Nichols interned at Pixar, before moving on to freelance work in addition to design-related day jobs. Now a full-time illustrator, her impressive clientele includes brands like Google, Girl Scouts, MoMA, and Cricket Magazine.

“There’s no greater satisfaction than puzzling together an image or telling a bit of a story,” she shared in an interview with DesignWoop. According to Nichols, what motivates her to work as an illustrator is a love of shape and line. “I find inspiration in all sort of things, from books and museums to my pets to furniture and science writing,” she notes.

Nichols explains that it took years to find her unique creative voice, experimenting with her own work as well as learning to understand and accept the difference between work she enjoys from afar and work she herself likes making. “It turns out that large swathes of color and shape get me really excited as does the added detail of linework and pattern,” she adds.

Scroll down to see some of her recent work!

The post For the Love of Shapes and Lines: Follow Illustrator Lydia Nichols appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

For children, picture books provide a stimulating teaching tool that helps connect words with pictures. They also make for great gifts, come holiday season. Recently, we’ve taken to award-winning illustrator, Laura Hughes.

Based in England, Hughes has illustrated many titles for children including There’s a Pig Up My Nose, written by John Dougherty (and the winner of Oscar’s Book Prize 2018); Daddy’s Sandwich by Pip Jones; and Hop Little Bunnies by Martha Mumford.

As part of her work, Hughes visits schools with the aim to encourage children to read, and then read some more. But aside from illustrating books, Hughes also illustrates greeting cards, gift-wrap, packaging, and stationery in countries all over the world, with her clients including brands like Harper Collins, Bloomsbury Books, Anthropologie, and DengDeng Baby.

According to Hughes, it was through her commercial work that she actually stumbled upon picture books: “I guess I never really decided I wanted to illustrate specifically for children,” she admitted in an interview with Kathy Temean. But after creating a lot of animal-based illustrations for greeting cards, the transition into character-led picture books seemed natural.

“Although I’d call myself a children’s illustrator I don’t really like the idea that my work is only for a certain group of people,” says Hughes, “I hope that everyone can enjoy it at any stage in their life.”

So far, Hughes has illustrated 18 published books, with number 19 and 20 poised to come out next year. “I feel very grateful to have been given the opportunity to work alongside some really talented writers, and fantastic publishers over the last few years, and I really hope they will continue to support me and my art,” she writes on her website.

Scroll down to see some of her illustrated work!

The post Treat Your Children to a Laura Hughes Picture Book appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

Bristol-based author and illustrator Rob Hodgson should be on top of your list. Hodgson’s books, filled with quirky characters and awe-inspiring adventures, have been translated into a dozen languages.

His first author/illustrated book, The Cave, was also chosen by Book Trust to be given free to every reception-aged child in England. Other books include An A to Z of Monsters and Magical Beings, Tattoo Time! Monster Activity, A Good Day for a Hat, and Tony T-Rex’s Family Album.

According to the English creative, when it comes to his plots, he lets his characters lead the way: “I always tend to start with the images,” he shared with Deborah Kalb, explaining his creative process.

Hodgson continued, “Usually I’ll sketch the characters in some early form, then start putting them in scenes, and then I start writing from there. Once there is something to jump off from, then I write and draw at the same time. Well, not exactly the same time. But you know what I mean!”

Incredibly enough, Hodgson’s road to picture books wasn’t so straightforward. Having worked as an illustrator for years, it was only after working on a commission to illustrate someone else’s book that he realized he enjoyed working on books.

“I was sent a huge (like, comedically huge) sack of kids’ book from an agent, who said he thought I’d be good at working on books,” he recalled. “I’d never considered it before, and his gesture gave me the permission to think I could do it.”

As they say… the rest was history.

The post Rob Hodgson’s Picture Books Are a Delight For Both Children and Parents appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

She is a talented artist who creates beautiful illustrations for kids’ books, but also likes doing amigurumi for her projects, too. The Indonesian artist revealed in an interview for Ballpitmag that her main goal is to spread positive vibes to children and parents.

“I do love the Japanese’s perspective of ‘wabi-sabi’ that appreciates imperfections. That’s why I love children’s books that show us the informalities, humbleness, innocence in their strokes,” she said and added that she works mostly digitally, but she tries using traditional methods as well.

You can see some of her creations on her Instagram account, where she has attracted more than 24,000 followers.

Scroll down, and check them out. Do you have a favorite?

The post Lisa Saputra Creates Adorable Children’s Book Illustrations appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

A recent addition to our children’s library is author and illustrator Christopher Silas Neal. Based in Brooklyn, Silas Neal’s books have earned a number of state and national awards, and he is often seen visiting schools, book in hand. “I really enjoy making images with a sense of magic that illicit an emotional response from the viewer,” he shared in an interview with Inky Goodness, noting that he aims to create images that tug at the heart.

Inspired by other children’s authors (in particular, Leo Lionni), his books are both nostalgic and contemporary. “Even if I’m referencing an era long before I was born, those old and tattered references add a layer of nostalgia and wonder because they no longer exist,” says Silas Neal. “Through my childhood picture books and my Mother’s record collection I experienced art for the first time. They formed the foundation of my creative experience along with music videos and films. So, these childhood pop culture ephemera find their way into my work.”

Aside from his children’s books, he also illustrates book covers as well as art for magazines and newspapers such as Time, Rolling Stone, The New York Times, and The New Yorker. You’d want to introduce his work to your children:

The post Christopher Silas Neal Knows a Thing or Two About Picture Books appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

One author you might want to look into is Peter Donnelly. A successful children’s book author and illustrator, Donnelly is regularly invited to speak at book festivals and has won many coveted awards for his work.

Like most creatives these days, Donnelly isn’t a one-trick pony and his work isn’t restricted to children’s books only. “My clients are quite varied, from branding jobs and editorial to children’s book publishing,” he shared in an interview with Inky Goodness. Donnelly’s commercial work includes collaboration with brands like Guinness, McDonald’s, Samsung, Heineken, and Coke

“My style seems to be able to cross over and work for different clients,” he observes. “There’s a good vibe element to my work which I suppose appeals to people so it helps to sell products.” Indeed, his easy-going style will appeal to both adults and children. You should definitely check him out.

The post Your Children Will Adore This Author and Illustrator appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

It was only after giving birth to her two daughters, that Stickley began experimenting with writing and illustrating stories for children. “The thing I love about children is they observe the tiniest stuff,” she later reflected in an interview with Books with Baby. “We grown-ups are so busy nowadays, with work and social media.”

Inspired by her daughters’ everyday musings, Stickley’s quirky tales are told from a fresh untainted view of the world with humor and charm. Her illustrations, playful and naive, are equally charming, brought to life with her use of bright colors and distinctive patterns (borrowed from her formal background in textile design).

“Before doing my books, I hadn’t drawn people for years,” she admits. “I was scared of it. So I sat down and had a proper look at artists and designers I loved, and tried to put myself in their shoes to get started. It freed me up and now I love it!” As a children’s author, a mother, and someone who came to reading a little later, the importance of encouraging children to enjoy reading as much as possible, as soon as possible is personal and passionate for her. 

You’ll want to take note of her playful work.

The post This Illustrator Will Encourage Your Children to Read appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

Debi and Bebi is a fun, Instagram account of a young mom who decided to show what she and her friends deal with on a daily basis. When scrolling through her page you can find heartwarming stories of her kids, but also the unpleasant moments, like when you realize that babies tend to be hungry and loud pretty much all the time! 

Sabrine Lone, the master-mom, says that being a full-time mother doesn’t leave much time to draw, but drawing is still something she needs to do in order to stay sane. Because Sabrine is Pakistani and her friend is German, Debi and Bebi, her characters are also of mixed races, simply because she wanted her daughter to identify with character similar to her.  

Other than showing us what being a mother is like, Sabrine’s profile also gives a subtle critic to the ‘know it all, perfect parents,’ saying that all she wants to do is try her best to be an ‘okay mom.’ By the looks of it, she truly is the world’s ‘okayest’ mom! 

The post These Cartoons are Super Relatable For New Parents appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

“Feminist Baby is very much for babies,” Brantz told Parents Magazine. “It’s colorful and fun and certainly doesn’t explain all the nuances of feminism. That said, it’s one of the only books ever to try to introduce feminism to babies.”

“People don’t realize how important early reading is,” explains Brantz. “It’s in just the simple things throughout the book, like Feminist Baby saying ‘no’ to things and being proud of being smart is SO IMPORTANT for children to see.”

Loryn lives in New York City with her husband, architect Jake J Brotter, and currently writes and illustrates for BuzzFeed, treating her favorite subjects: body image and feminism (in addition to other less serious subjects). The two-time Emmy Award-winning illustrator and designer, has worked in the past for notable clients that include The Jim Henson Company, HarperCollins, Disney-Hyperion, and Facebook.

Check out some of her work (feminist and otherwise) in the gallery below.

The post This Comic Will Teach Your Infant About Feminism appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

He explained in a statement that his portraits are inspired by the innocents of children. To create something so magical, the artist needs to look at the world through the lens of childhood. “Embody the peace and harmony we all strive for in life, the search for eternal joy lies in the child within us all. We are just so consumed with worldly things that we forget the simplicity of life through a child’s perspective,” he shared on his website.

Makamo’s work has been showcased in galleries all around the world, from his homeland to The Netherlands, UK, and Germany. Besides his exhibitions, he shares his portraits on his social media accounts, too. There he has attracted more than 168,000 Instagram followers

To see some of his creations, check out the gallery below, where we have picked our top favorites. Do not forget to follow his Instagram account to keep in touch with his newest work.

The post Artist Creates Magical Portraits of Children By Stepping Into Their Shoes appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

Having gone to school twice—first for a BFA in illustration then for an MFA in design—Nichols interned at Pixar, before moving on to freelance work in addition to design-related day jobs. Now a full-time illustrator, her impressive clientele includes brands like Google, Girl Scouts, MoMA, and Cricket Magazine.

“There’s no greater satisfaction than puzzling together an image or telling a bit of a story,” she shared in an interview with DesignWoop. According to Nichols, what motivates her to work as an illustrator is a love of shape and line. “I find inspiration in all sort of things, from books and museums to my pets to furniture and science writing,” she notes.

Nichols explains that it took years to find her unique creative voice, experimenting with her own work as well as learning to understand and accept the difference between work she enjoys from afar and work she herself likes making. “It turns out that large swathes of color and shape get me really excited as does the added detail of linework and pattern,” she adds.

Scroll down to see some of her recent work!

The post For the Love of Shapes and Lines: Follow Illustrator Lydia Nichols appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

For children, picture books provide a stimulating teaching tool that helps connect words with pictures. They also make for great gifts, come holiday season. Recently, we’ve taken to award-winning illustrator, Laura Hughes.

Based in England, Hughes has illustrated many titles for children including There’s a Pig Up My Nose, written by John Dougherty (and the winner of Oscar’s Book Prize 2018); Daddy’s Sandwich by Pip Jones; and Hop Little Bunnies by Martha Mumford.

As part of her work, Hughes visits schools with the aim to encourage children to read, and then read some more. But aside from illustrating books, Hughes also illustrates greeting cards, gift-wrap, packaging, and stationery in countries all over the world, with her clients including brands like Harper Collins, Bloomsbury Books, Anthropologie, and DengDeng Baby.

According to Hughes, it was through her commercial work that she actually stumbled upon picture books: “I guess I never really decided I wanted to illustrate specifically for children,” she admitted in an interview with Kathy Temean. But after creating a lot of animal-based illustrations for greeting cards, the transition into character-led picture books seemed natural.

“Although I’d call myself a children’s illustrator I don’t really like the idea that my work is only for a certain group of people,” says Hughes, “I hope that everyone can enjoy it at any stage in their life.”

So far, Hughes has illustrated 18 published books, with number 19 and 20 poised to come out next year. “I feel very grateful to have been given the opportunity to work alongside some really talented writers, and fantastic publishers over the last few years, and I really hope they will continue to support me and my art,” she writes on her website.

Scroll down to see some of her illustrated work!

The post Treat Your Children to a Laura Hughes Picture Book appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

Bristol-based author and illustrator Rob Hodgson should be on top of your list. Hodgson’s books, filled with quirky characters and awe-inspiring adventures, have been translated into a dozen languages.

His first author/illustrated book, The Cave, was also chosen by Book Trust to be given free to every reception-aged child in England. Other books include An A to Z of Monsters and Magical Beings, Tattoo Time! Monster Activity, A Good Day for a Hat, and Tony T-Rex’s Family Album.

According to the English creative, when it comes to his plots, he lets his characters lead the way: “I always tend to start with the images,” he shared with Deborah Kalb, explaining his creative process.

Hodgson continued, “Usually I’ll sketch the characters in some early form, then start putting them in scenes, and then I start writing from there. Once there is something to jump off from, then I write and draw at the same time. Well, not exactly the same time. But you know what I mean!”

Incredibly enough, Hodgson’s road to picture books wasn’t so straightforward. Having worked as an illustrator for years, it was only after working on a commission to illustrate someone else’s book that he realized he enjoyed working on books.

“I was sent a huge (like, comedically huge) sack of kids’ book from an agent, who said he thought I’d be good at working on books,” he recalled. “I’d never considered it before, and his gesture gave me the permission to think I could do it.”

As they say… the rest was history.

The post Rob Hodgson’s Picture Books Are a Delight For Both Children and Parents appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

She is a talented artist who creates beautiful illustrations for kids’ books, but also likes doing amigurumi for her projects, too. The Indonesian artist revealed in an interview for Ballpitmag that her main goal is to spread positive vibes to children and parents.

“I do love the Japanese’s perspective of ‘wabi-sabi’ that appreciates imperfections. That’s why I love children’s books that show us the informalities, humbleness, innocence in their strokes,” she said and added that she works mostly digitally, but she tries using traditional methods as well.

You can see some of her creations on her Instagram account, where she has attracted more than 24,000 followers.

Scroll down, and check them out. Do you have a favorite?

The post Lisa Saputra Creates Adorable Children’s Book Illustrations appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

A recent addition to our children’s library is author and illustrator Christopher Silas Neal. Based in Brooklyn, Silas Neal’s books have earned a number of state and national awards, and he is often seen visiting schools, book in hand. “I really enjoy making images with a sense of magic that illicit an emotional response from the viewer,” he shared in an interview with Inky Goodness, noting that he aims to create images that tug at the heart.

Inspired by other children’s authors (in particular, Leo Lionni), his books are both nostalgic and contemporary. “Even if I’m referencing an era long before I was born, those old and tattered references add a layer of nostalgia and wonder because they no longer exist,” says Silas Neal. “Through my childhood picture books and my Mother’s record collection I experienced art for the first time. They formed the foundation of my creative experience along with music videos and films. So, these childhood pop culture ephemera find their way into my work.”

Aside from his children’s books, he also illustrates book covers as well as art for magazines and newspapers such as Time, Rolling Stone, The New York Times, and The New Yorker. You’d want to introduce his work to your children:

The post Christopher Silas Neal Knows a Thing or Two About Picture Books appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

One author you might want to look into is Peter Donnelly. A successful children’s book author and illustrator, Donnelly is regularly invited to speak at book festivals and has won many coveted awards for his work.

Like most creatives these days, Donnelly isn’t a one-trick pony and his work isn’t restricted to children’s books only. “My clients are quite varied, from branding jobs and editorial to children’s book publishing,” he shared in an interview with Inky Goodness. Donnelly’s commercial work includes collaboration with brands like Guinness, McDonald’s, Samsung, Heineken, and Coke

“My style seems to be able to cross over and work for different clients,” he observes. “There’s a good vibe element to my work which I suppose appeals to people so it helps to sell products.” Indeed, his easy-going style will appeal to both adults and children. You should definitely check him out.

The post Your Children Will Adore This Author and Illustrator appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

It was only after giving birth to her two daughters, that Stickley began experimenting with writing and illustrating stories for children. “The thing I love about children is they observe the tiniest stuff,” she later reflected in an interview with Books with Baby. “We grown-ups are so busy nowadays, with work and social media.”

Inspired by her daughters’ everyday musings, Stickley’s quirky tales are told from a fresh untainted view of the world with humor and charm. Her illustrations, playful and naive, are equally charming, brought to life with her use of bright colors and distinctive patterns (borrowed from her formal background in textile design).

“Before doing my books, I hadn’t drawn people for years,” she admits. “I was scared of it. So I sat down and had a proper look at artists and designers I loved, and tried to put myself in their shoes to get started. It freed me up and now I love it!” As a children’s author, a mother, and someone who came to reading a little later, the importance of encouraging children to enjoy reading as much as possible, as soon as possible is personal and passionate for her. 

You’ll want to take note of her playful work.

The post This Illustrator Will Encourage Your Children to Read appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

Debi and Bebi is a fun, Instagram account of a young mom who decided to show what she and her friends deal with on a daily basis. When scrolling through her page you can find heartwarming stories of her kids, but also the unpleasant moments, like when you realize that babies tend to be hungry and loud pretty much all the time! 

Sabrine Lone, the master-mom, says that being a full-time mother doesn’t leave much time to draw, but drawing is still something she needs to do in order to stay sane. Because Sabrine is Pakistani and her friend is German, Debi and Bebi, her characters are also of mixed races, simply because she wanted her daughter to identify with character similar to her.  

Other than showing us what being a mother is like, Sabrine’s profile also gives a subtle critic to the ‘know it all, perfect parents,’ saying that all she wants to do is try her best to be an ‘okay mom.’ By the looks of it, she truly is the world’s ‘okayest’ mom! 

The post These Cartoons are Super Relatable For New Parents appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.

“Feminist Baby is very much for babies,” Brantz told Parents Magazine. “It’s colorful and fun and certainly doesn’t explain all the nuances of feminism. That said, it’s one of the only books ever to try to introduce feminism to babies.”

“People don’t realize how important early reading is,” explains Brantz. “It’s in just the simple things throughout the book, like Feminist Baby saying ‘no’ to things and being proud of being smart is SO IMPORTANT for children to see.”

Loryn lives in New York City with her husband, architect Jake J Brotter, and currently writes and illustrates for BuzzFeed, treating her favorite subjects: body image and feminism (in addition to other less serious subjects). The two-time Emmy Award-winning illustrator and designer, has worked in the past for notable clients that include The Jim Henson Company, HarperCollins, Disney-Hyperion, and Facebook.

Check out some of her work (feminist and otherwise) in the gallery below.

The post This Comic Will Teach Your Infant About Feminism appeared first on https://everydaymonkey.com.