I’m currently looking into book illustration services for authors and wanted to get some advice from people who have worked with professional illustrators before.

For authors, good illustrations can make a big difference in how a story feels and how readers connect with the characters and scenes. This seems especially important for children’s books, storybooks, educational books, and other visually driven projects.

When choosing an illustration service, what do you think matters most: the illustrator’s portfolio, art style, communication, pricing, or experience with publishing projects? Also, is it better to work with one illustrator throughout the entire book to maintain visual consistency?

I’d appreciate any suggestions or experiences from authors who have already gone through the illustration process.