Behind the Scenes: How I Illustrated a Page from Are You Bored?
+ Watch the full time-lapse video below!
It took me over a year to bring my children’s book ‘Are You Bored?’ to life and every page has its own little story behind it. Today, I’m giving you a peek into my illustration process for one of my favorite scenes, from rough sketch to finished artwork.
Step 1: The Sketch
Every illustration begins with a sketch. In this scene, we meet a creative little girl who loves art and music, but like many kids, she’s in the middle of a “there’s nothing to do” moment. The text for this page explores playing an instrument as a fun way to beat boredom.
I had a few ideas: maybe she’s playing the flute or banging on drums? But in the end, I chose the violin, inspired by my own child who is a big fan of the instrument, so it felt like a natural, personal choice.
Sketching is always a bit of trial and error. Once I get the pose and the composition just right, I move on to a more refined sketch with cleaner lines and more detail.
Step 2: Adding Color and Texture
Now comes the part where the illustration starts to feel alive: color! I begin with base colors that set the stage for lighting and shadows. For ‘Are You Bored?’, I wanted the illustrations to feel cozy and handmade, so I worked with textures that mimic natural crayons.
You’ll probably notice that I keep the sketch lines visible in the final art. I like doubling the sketch layer, coloring it with a soft indigo tone from my palette, and setting it to ‘overlay’ mode. This lets the lines blend softly into the final image.
If you’re curious how I chose the book’s color palette, I explain more in the next video [Click here to subscribe to my YoyTube channel — make sure you don’t miss it!]
Step 3: Shadows and detail
Next, I build up shadows using a ‘multiply’ layer with the same base colors, which gives the scene more depth. I add a second shadow layer with a dark indigo-blue tone to show separation between objects and emphasize where the light is coming from.
At this stage, I start adding little story-rich details - like the couch’s texture, cozy pillows, and facial expressions that capture the girl’s mix of concentration and joy. I also wanted this scene to feel relatable for grownups. Any parent will recognize the bittersweet reality of hearing a beginner instrument player!
Step 4: Light
Then comes my favorite part: light! Using soft blues and pinks from my palette, I start layering highlights that bring the whole illustration to life. I usually use the ‘Add’ blending mode for that extra luminous effect.
Step 5: Final Touches
The last step is formatting the text to sit just right within the artwork.
Watch the Video
See the full time-lapse process here:
I hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look at how one of the Are You Bored? illustrations came to life. I love sharing my process, and I’m always happy to answer questions — drop a comment below if there’s anything you’re curious about!
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