These two illustrations were created for the illustrated endpapers of a picture book set in Paris, a story about fear, courage, and transformation. In this collection, each book takes place in a different city, and the endpapers frame the journey: the first shows where the character lands, and the final one offers a farewell before she takes off again toward her next adventure.
For this title, the story begins in daylight, the character arrives in Paris during a warm autumn afternoon, surrounded by the city’s most recognisable icons: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Montmartre’s hill crowned by the Sacré-Cœur, and a few street artists setting up their easels. The scene feels safe and full of light, yet the violet clouds overhead quietly hint that a challenge is coming.
By the end of the story, Paris returns in a night version of the same scene, now bathed in deep navy blues and golden lights. The cafés glow, the Eiffel Tower sparkles, and stars scatter across the sky. Darkness no longer feels threatening; it has become familiar and serene.
To convey that transition, I practiced painting expressive clouds that balance beauty and tension, experimenting with purples, ambers, and soft yellows to find the right emotional temperature. Together, the two images trace the story’s full arc, from arrival to farewell, from fear to confidence.
Looking for whimsical scenery or atmospheric settings for your next children’s book?
I create detailed, story-rich environments that feel alive, from cosy interiors to faraway worlds.
