Children's book - How to cheer up an ant

How to Cheer Up an Ant, by Dorin Ben Hamo, is a story about Sol, a young girl who one day goes for a walk in the woods with her family. When Sol notices that a little ant has followed her home, she decides to take care of the ant in an old box. But the ant isn’t happy. What can Sol do to cheer her up?

Dorin hired me to create illustrations for her book, requesting a handcrafted, old-school style that feels warm and relatable.

Given the simplicity and beauty of the story, I felt it called for an illustration style that would maintain its core values and convey the raw emotions of Sol's struggle.

This led me to opt for a sketchy illustration style, free and authentic, a little rough and imperfect.

Searching for a loose and sketchy style

Spreads ready for text / graphic design