If you need to create a recurring character or mascot, a good illustrator can meet your expectations: the drawing style, postures and movements, expressions, and even the smallest details will bring to life the hero you’ve imagined in your mind.
The difference between the initial sketches and the final result can sometimes be significant! Here, we’ll talk about the creation of Taoki, a little dragon who is the main character in books designed to teach reading in primary schools. This series is published by ISTRA (part of HACHETTE EDUCATION).
Taoki already existed and had been illustrated by another artist, but Hachette asked me to redraw him in my own way, with a brand-new graphic style.
As you can see from the first sketches at the beginning of the article, the character appeared dynamic and mischievous, but it wasn’t quite right: he was a little too tall for his age and perhaps not naive enough. The target audience is children who are learning to read.
The publisher selected from the additional sketches a smaller and stockier dragon that needed a bit of refinement.
At this point, the character is nearly finalized. He now looks like a mischievous "little boy" dragon. His eyes give him a wiser look than before.
And here’s the final sketch! This is the Taoki the publisher was expecting, who will become the hero of 15 books! Find Taoki on HACHETTE EDUCATION’s website: https://www.enseignants.hachette-education.com/recherche?search_api_views_fulltext=taoki
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