Hand Drawn Illustration and Hand Lettering Process for Books, Editorial & Publishing Arabic Lettering, Rabbi Zidni Ilma
Hand drawn illustration and lettering enhanced with digital colour and texture. Book covers, editorial illustration, notebooks and publishing projectsMy Illustration Process: Hand Drawn, Thoughtful and Made for Books
Every illustration I create begins by hand.
I draw all of my artwork and lettering manually, allowing the line, texture and imperfections to remain visible. This hand-drawn approach is central to my practice — it keeps the work human, expressive and emotionally resonant, qualities that are especially important in illustration for books and storytelling.
Once the drawing is complete, I move into Photoshop to carefully build colour, depth and texture. Rather than flattening the image, this stage enhances the original drawing. I use layered colour, subtle grain and tactile textures to give the illustration warmth and richness, while preserving the integrity of the hand-drawn line.
This hybrid process allows my work to sit comfortably in both traditional and contemporary publishing spaces.
Why I Work This Way
Hand drawing forces me to slow down and listen to the story. Whether I’m working on a book cover, editorial illustration or a personal project, the drawing stage is where meaning emerges. Letterforms are drawn rather than typed, imagery is built intentionally, and symbolism is considered carefully.
Using digital tools after drawing gives flexibility — colours can shift to suit different audiences, formats or themes, while the emotional core of the illustration remains intact.
Where My Illustrations Are Used
This process makes my work particularly suited to:
Book covers (fiction, non-fiction, poetry and classics)
Editorial illustration for magazines and cultural publications
Notebooks, journals and stationery
Book interiors, chapter openers and spot illustrations
Literary branding and book-related campaigns
Educational and cultural projects
Because the illustrations are built from hand-drawn elements, they can be adapted across formats — from full covers to smaller spot illustrations, patterns or endpapers — while maintaining visual cohesion.
Illustration That Connects With Readers
I’m drawn to projects that explore identity, humanity, social themes and emotional storytelling. Hand drawing allows me to respond to these themes with sensitivity and depth, creating work that doesn’t just decorate a page but helps readers feel connected to the content.
In a fast-moving digital world, I choose to work slowly and deliberately. The result is illustration that feels considered, tactile and timeless — work designed to be lived with, not scrolled past.