Behind the Scenes: How I Approach Character Design for Chapter Book Illustration
Every character in a children's book begins as a feeling — a personality, a role in the story, an energy that needs to be visible on the page. In this behind-the-scenes post, I take you inside my process for developing characters for my chapter book illustration portfolio piece — a contemporary reimagining of Wind in the Willows with an all-female cast. From shape language to weekly planning, this is what chapter book illustration actually looks like before it reaches the page.
What is your current chapter book illustration project and what inspired it?
The project is a contemporary reimagining of Wind in the Willows — one of the most beloved classic stories in children's literature — with a fresh twist: all the characters are reimagined as female, set in a modern context from the 2000s onwards.
I chose this project deliberately for my chapter book illustration portfolio because it gave me something rich and layered to work with. The original story has strong, contrasting personalities — curious, bold, gentle, eccentric — and translating those into a fresh visual language while honouring the heart of the story is exactly the kind of creative challenge I find most exciting.
It is also a project that speaks directly to what the children's publishing industry is actively seeking right now — classic stories retold with diverse, contemporary, and inclusive perspectives. An all-female reimagining of a story that has historically had an all-male cast felt both meaningful and timely.
What is shape language in character design, and why does it matter for chapter book illustration?
Shape language is one of the most powerful and underused tools in a children's book illustrator's toolkit — and it is especially critical in chapter book illustration, where artwork is often black and white or limited colour, and needs to work hard at a smaller scale.
The principle is simple: the basic geometric shape of a character — round, angular, tall, squat, structured, loose — communicates personality before a single word is read. A round, soft character feels approachable and gentle. A tall, angular character feels sharp and decisive. A loose, flowing silhouette feels free-spirited and unpredictable.
In a chapter book with multiple recurring characters, shape language also creates visual rhythm across the page. When a reader glances at a spread, they should be able to identify each character instantly from their silhouette alone — without needing to read the text. That instant recognisability is what makes illustration truly serve the story rather than just decorate it.
How do you design characters that feel truly distinct and memorable?
This is where the real work happens — and it is more analytical than people might expect.
For my Wind in the Willows reimagining, I deliberately tested two different character line-up options before committing to any designs. What I was really testing was shape contrast — making sure each character not only looks distinct but feels unique in their role:
Round vs. angular — so characters don't blend together visually Tall vs. squat — creating immediate size hierarchy and personality contrast Structured vs. loose — reflecting different temperaments through body language Busy patterns vs. open shapes — giving the eye places to rest and places to engage
Some characters had to be cut entirely because their body shapes were too similar to others in the line-up. Having characters with nearly identical silhouettes blurs individuality and weakens the visual narrative — even if each character is beautifully drawn on their own.
I also caught a detail that could easily have slipped through: two characters had the same shaped glasses. That kind of small similarity quietly erodes distinctiveness, so I made a note to change one of them immediately. It is exactly this level of attention to detail that makes a character line-up feel truly considered rather than assembled.
How do you manage a large, ongoing chapter book illustration project without losing momentum?
Honestly? With a lot of structure, self-compassion, and very strong tea.
I break every large project down into manageable weekly sub-tasks with a simple visual checklist. This keeps me connected to the project even on the busiest days — because a full-time children's book illustrator's life does not happen in a tidy studio with uninterrupted creative time. It happens between school runs, life admin, family commitments, and the occasional unexpected detour.
During the development of this project, I was simultaneously balancing my children's summer holidays, supporting my son's 11+ exam preparation, studying for the Life in the UK test for our ILR application — and illustrating a commissioned picture book when my iPad decided to retire mid-project! Creative growth does not always happen in neat, scheduled boxes. Sometimes it sneaks in between form-filling and random bursts of sketching at the kitchen table at midnight.
The weekly sub-task system means that even when life gets beautifully chaotic, I always know exactly where I am in a project and what the next small step is. That continuity — however slow at times — is what keeps a large project alive and moving forward.
You were Highly Recommended at the FAB Prize 2025 — what did that mean to you as a children's book illustrator?
Being Highly Recommended at the FAB Prize 2025 was one of the most meaningful moments of my illustration career so far — and one I did not see coming in the middle of such a hectic few months!
The FAB Prize celebrates illustration talent in children's publishing, and to be Highly Recommended among the brilliant creators, authors, and illustrators in the running was both humbling and deeply validating. I attended the celebration event in London in November 2025, alongside my dear illustrator friend and long-time supporter Santhya Shenbagam — and before the ceremony, we also joined the Blend with Mike Lowery AOI London Meet Up, which was a joy.
What made this recognition even more special is what followed. Being Highly Recommended at the FAB Prize 2025 directly opened the door to my representation with Amy Milligan at Illo Agency. It is a powerful reminder of why being visible and active within the children's publishing community matters so much — the right people are watching, and the right opportunities follow when your work speaks clearly and confidently. I am enormously grateful to the FAB Prize for that.
As a children's book illustrator now represented by Amy Milligan at Illo Agency, what kinds of chapter book projects are you available for?
Being represented by Amy Milligan at Illo Agency marks an exciting new chapter — and yes, I am very much available for chapter book illustration commissions.
For chapter books specifically, I bring:
✦ Strong, expressive character design — characters that are visually distinct, emotionally readable, and consistent across an entire book
✦ Confident black-and-white and limited colour illustration — clean, lively artwork that works beautifully at the scale of a chapter book page
✦ A rigorous, process-led approach — publishers and authors can see exactly how I work, how I respond to briefs, and how I develop a project from rough sketches to finished art
✦ A genuine love of classic stories retold — particularly projects with diverse, contemporary, or inclusive perspectives
If you are a publisher, editor, or author with a chapter book project in development, I would love to hear about it. Please visit gunjabhatt.com to view my portfolio and get in touch via Amy Milligan at Illo Agency.
What is coming next in your chapter book illustration work — and where can we follow your progress?
The next stage of the Wind in the Willows project is already well underway. The rough layouts are complete, and the expression and pose sheets for each character are done — bringing their personalities to life through gesture, attitude, and emotional range.
I will be taking these layouts to large scale and inking them manually with a dip pen, which brings a beautiful energy and spontaneity to the line work that is impossible to replicate digitally.
You can follow the full development of this project — from character design and expression sheets through to finished inked spreads — on my Black-and-White Illustrations page right here on my website. It is also a wonderful place to explore the full range of my black-and-white work across different projects — a great starting point if you are a publisher, editor, or author exploring what I offer as a children's book illustrator.
Curious about the full range of what I offer as a children's book illustrator? From expressive chapter book illustration to vibrant picture book artwork — explore all Children’s Book Illustrations, to see more visit my portfolio at gunjabhatt.com to discover everything I do.
