Right When I Gave Up on Illustrating My Book… a Printer Miracle Happened

I came into this video ready to ink the next 10 pages of my children’s book—light table, paper, brush pen, everything. But the printer wasn’t cooperating. No prints, no tracing, no drawing… nothing. I was about to pivot the whole video, maybe even call it a loss—until something totally unexpected happened while I was filming the intro.

In this episode, I share 5 new pages, some thoughts on inking with a brush pen, and a bit of backstory on how this whole project started from a bet. It’s raw, real, and part of what it looks like to make a book from scratch. If you’re an author, illustrator, publisher, or someone who loves watching stories take shape, you’re in the right place.

In this video, I talk through my brush pen inking process, my influences (Bill Watterson, Charles Schulz, Scott Gustafson), and why I’m illustrating the entire book before sending it to any publishers. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at my progress, my pitfalls, and how this project is helping me grow as a children’s book illustrator. If you’re an author, publisher, or creative director looking for real illustration with real personality—come along for the ride.

#childrensbookillustration #illustrationprocess #inkdrawing #brushpen #illustratorvlog #picturebookartist #kidlitart #behindthescenes #artistjourney #traditionalillustration