Sikaty Assistant

That's a great project—Illustrator is fantastic for children's books because of its vector graphics (scalable, clean, vibrant).

Here’s a quick roadmap to help you design efficiently:

1. Document setup

   • Standard trim sizes: 8″×10″, 10″×10″, or 8.5″×8.5″

   • Add 0.125″ bleed on all sides

   • Set color mode to CMYK (unless publishing digitally only, then RGB is fine)

2. Layout & spreads

   • Work in facing pages (spreads) if you want full-bleed illustrations across two pages.

   • Leave a 0.5″ gutter margin on the binding side so text doesn’t disappear into the spine.

3. Illustration style

   • Use shapes, Pen tool, and brushes for a flat or semi-textured look.

   • Keep color palette limited (e.g., 5–8 main colors) for consistency.

   • Try Global Swatches so you can update colors across all artboards instantly.

4. Typography tips

   • Use legible, friendly fonts (e.g., KG Primary Penmanship, Century Gothic, or a hand-drawn one).

   • Convert text to outlines only at the very end (keep it editable while writing).

   • Keep text away from bleed and gutter edges.

5. Efficiency hacks

   • Use Symbols for repeated elements (e.g., trees, clouds, characters in different poses).

   • Layer management:

     • Layer 1: Background

     • Layer 2: Characters

     • Layer 3: Foreground details

     • Layer 4: Text

   • Save a template (.ait) with grids, bleeds, and guides already set up.

6. Export for print

   • PDF/X-1a:2001 or PDF/X-4

   • Embed fonts (or outline them)

   • Keep 300 DPI for raster effects (Effects → Document Raster Effects Settings)