Photoshop on Mac to Create Illustrations for a Children's Book

Question

Can I use Photoshop on Mac to create illustrations for a children's book? My daughter, age 6, and I wrote a children's book, and we would like to learn how to illustrate this and future books we write together. We are not artists, but we do have a Mac.... Does it make sense for us to learn how to use Photoshop on Mac (and purchase a drawing tablet) as a prudent way to begin our journey into learning how to create illustrations for our book(s)?

Answer 1

Hi Kevin,

What a sweet project! Yes, Photoshop can be used to create Illustrations. Even a "non-artist" can learn to use the tools to make art. I believe everyone is an artist when they are creating.

You can keep things simple by combining found photos with shapes and brushes and also apply filters. You can learn about composition methods and color relationships to help you design the layout of your pages. Filters are not necessarily super advanced and can quickly add texture and effects to make the appearance more illustration-like. A drawing tablet can certainly help as it can allow you to access more brush features that a mouse can't do.

If you are looking to learn how to draw, that can take some time and practice. That said, your daughter's drawings would be a really sweet addition to your book. Something to keep in mind, too, is that children's book illustrations come in all sorts of skill levels and styles.

I hope this helps!

Answer 2

Adobe Photoshop is basically a tool (a blank slate) and requires the user to possess a knowledge of illustration.

There are no templates or "AI" that will transform a non artist into an illustrator.

That said, you can import original photos, then use artistic filters to make them look more like illustrations but that also requires an advanced knowledge of Photoshop.

Another possibility is to do simple drawings (outlines) and scan them in, using Photoshop to color or fill in the details, shading, backgrounds, etc.

Bottom line is Photoshop will not do the illustrations for you.

There are better suited, more user-friendly software programs that come with free art and illustrations.

Or -- just a suggestion -- hire an illustrator or gifted art student to do the illustrations.