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About

Kim Smith is the New York Times best-selling illustrator of over 30 picture books, including her first authored/illustrated book, Boxitects (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Harper Collins). Other books she has illustrated include the Builder Brothers picture book series (HarperCollins); the PopClassics picture book adaptations of popular films including Back to the Future, Home Alone, and Elf. (Quirk Books); and the Ice Chips chapter book series (HarperCollins Canada). In addition to illustrating picture books, Kim has also worked on children’s games, puzzles, animation, 3D displays, posters, and magazines.
When she’s not busy illustrating, Kim spends most of her time exploring and painting in the great outdoors. She lives in Calgary, Canada.
To see more of Kim’s work, follow her on Instagram or Bluesky
SELECTED CLIENTS & PUBLICATIONS: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT, HARPER COLLINS, QUIRK BOOKS, FUNKO, KIDS CAN PRESS, FACEBOOK, BLOOMSBURY, SIMON AND SCHUSTER, STERLING PUBLISHING, LINDT CANADA, OWLKIDS, CAPSTONE PUBLISHING, AMAZON, LEAPFROG, UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY, CANADA POST

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FAQ

Will you illustrate my picture book?
I wish I had endless amounts of time to illustrate every picture book I could, and I’m honoured you would think of me. I have a limited amount of time and at the moment I’m not accepting picture books that aren’t already paired with a publisher. This is for many reasons, but mostly it’s to ensure books are paired with the best illustrator possible for your work! It might not always be me.
What program do you use create your illustrations?
I mostly use Photoshop for my digital work.
How long does it take you to illustrate a book?
Anywhere from 4 months to one year!

How did you become a picture book illustrator?
I attended the Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary for 4 years and earned a Bachelor of Design in Visual Communications. My degree focused on characters design and illustration. I worked many small art jobs before finding my way into the publishing industry. I worked at a local studio designing jungle themed dental offices, I worked at a small animation studio, and also did plenty of editorial and commercial illustrations. After building up my portfolio, gaining experience, and working with my agent, I was able to get some attention from smaller publishers. It built from there.
Will you look at my portfolio/chat with me about my work/give me advice on breaking into the picture book industry?
I love connecting with new people, but unless you catch me at a conference or event, it’s tricky for my to find the time for these requests. If you do see me in the wild though, don’t hesitate to ask! I love a good chat. I might look into having limited office hours down the road to provide advice/portfolio reviews for those who are looking for it.