The goal of this project was to either illustrate an existing book or create an original story. The assignment required illustrating 3–5 full spreads and 5 spotlight illustrations, with an emphasis on conveying a clear message and bringing the story to life visually. I chose to create my own original children’s book centered around the idea of following big dreams, with the intention of enChoosing to create an original story rather than illustrate an existing one presented a unique set of challenges. Without a known narrative or established visual associations to build from, I was responsible for developing the story, characters, and world entirely from scratch. This required extensive research to determine the type of story I wanted to tell and which illustration style would best support it.

Additionally, I tend to work in a maximalist style, often incorporating a higher level of detail into my illustrations. While this is a strength of my work, it also can be a challenge. Balancing my desire for intricacy with the need to complete each piece efficiently was one of the most demanding aspects of the project. Although the assignment may seem simple in theory, I found it to be extremely time-consuming due to the care required to ensure the story was being communicated clearly and effectively through illustration.couraging children to aim high and believe in their potential.