About
Hello, I'm Pei Jen
I illustrate picture books from Malaysia. I'm self-taught — I started drawing seriously in 2018, took my first book commission in 2018, and have illustrated 25 of them since, mostly for self-publishing authors in the US and UK.
What I care about is characters that act. A child reading a picture book spends far longer on each page than an adult does, and they read faces the way we read sentences — so the eyebrow matters, the hand position matters, and the dog in the corner of the spread has to be doing something. I build environments with real light and real depth because a world worth living in is what makes a child ask for the same book again.
I work digitally, in Procreate and Photoshop, and I deliver print-ready CMYK files with the bleed and safe margins your printer needs. I've worked to publisher deadlines and to first-time authors' nerves, and I'm comfortable with both.
Six of the authors I've worked with have come back for another book. That's the thing I'd most like you to know.
The details
- BasedIpoh, Malaysia · UTC+8
- Illustrating books since2018
- ToolsProcreate, Photoshop, Illustrator
- LanguagesEnglish, Cantonse, Mandarin, Malay
- Works withSelf-publishing authors, small presses, agents
- DeliversPrint-ready CMYK with bleed and safe margins
Things I never get tired of drawing
Dogs with too much personality · night skies · food · cluttered kitchens · insects wearing clothes · rain · the specific look on a child's face just before they do something they shouldn't.
Work with me
Most of the books I illustrate are written by authors publishing them independently, often for the first time. If that's you: you don't need to know how any of this works. That's my job. Here's exactly what happens, what it costs, and what you'll own at the end.
Full picture book
Character design, storyboard, [12–16] spreads, cover, and print-ready files. The whole book, start to finish.
Most projects are this one.
Cover only
Front, back and spine, designed to work as a thumbnail on a retail page as well as on a shelf.
Character design
Turnarounds, expression sheets and a style guide — for a series, an app, or an author who wants the cast settled before commissioning the book.
How long it takes
A full [32-page] picture book usually runs [3-4 months] from first conversation to print-ready files.
What it costs
Full picture books start in the low four figures, USD. Covers and character work are considerably less. Send me your manuscript, page count and publication date and I'll come back with a real figure within two working days.
What you own
On final payment you receive full rights to use the illustrations in your book — print, ebook and audiobook editions, in any territory and any language, for as long as you publish it. That includes using the cover art for marketing your book.
What I keep
The right to display the artwork for portfolio purposes, including on the Illustrator’s website, social media accounts, portfolio platforms, exhibitions, and promotional materials. I'm always credited as illustrator on the book.
Three things worth doing before you commission anyone
- Get the manuscript edited first.
Illustration follows text. If the story changes after the spreads are painted, you pay twice. I'd recommend Tamara Rittershaus — she edits picture books specifically.
- Know your page count and trim size.
Picture books are printed in multiples of eight pages; 32 is standard. Your printer will tell you their trim sizes and bleed. Both change the quote. You can ask me too...
- Decide how you're funding it.
If you're crowdfunding, plan the campaign around the illustration schedule, not after it — you'll want finished character art to launch with. Lisa Ferland is good on this.
Questions authors usually ask
I've never published a book before. Is that a problem?
Not at all — most of the authors I work with hadn't either. I'll tell you what I need and when, and flag anything you need to have sorted before we reach it.
Will you sign an NDA?
Yes, happily, before you send the manuscript.
Can you match a style I've seen elsewhere?
I'll work within a direction, but I won't imitate another illustrator's style — you'd get a weaker version of them instead of the thing I'm good at. Have a look through the portfolio; if my work doesn't suit your story, I'd rather say so early.
What do you need from me to start?
The final manuscript, your target age range, trim size and page count, your publication date, and any strong feelings about how the characters look.
How many revisions are included?
Two rounds at each stage. In practice we sort most things in conversation before they become revisions.
Do you do the text layout and typesetting too?
Yes I do provide typesetting.
What if I need to pause the project?
That happens. Work completed is invoiced, and we'll find a new slot when you're ready — though I can't guarantee it'll be immediate.
Do you take on chapter books or middle grade?
Yes — black-and-white interior work included.
Are you available now?
Send the manuscript anyway — good projects are worth planning around.
Working on a book?
Tell me about it. I read every enquiry myself.
I read every enquiry myself and reply within two working days (Malaysia, UTC+8).