Leo & Ehi Children's Book Concept Art
I was commissioned to develop concept art for a children's book intended for publisher pitches. The project focused on establishing a warm, inviting visual style that celebrated friendship, curiosity, and cultural connection. The story follows Leo, a young boy who befriends Ehi, a classmate who has recently immigrated with his parents to the United States from Nigeria. While their families come from different parts of the world, the illustrations emphasize the universal experiences they share—from riding bikes and reading comics to enjoying their favorite sweets—reinforcing the message that the things connecting us are often greater than the things that set us apart.
We started with the designs of the three primary characters of the story: Leo, his mom, and Ehi.
Once we were happy with the character design, I moved on to storyboarding the pages using the text the author provided me with.
Finally, I fleshed out a page to show the warm, colorful style we were aiming for with our main character placed in the environment.
