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Category: Development

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joshcleland

2,010 53,793

Children’s book illustrator / educator
Rep’d by @advocateart01
Inquiries: Josh@clelandillustration.com
Join my course waiting list 👇👇👇

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Jun 8

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Day 8 of #JuneCharacterADay . Dino playing hopscotch.

On another note, we’re in our second week of this character a day challenge and it’s been so much fun seeing all of your amazing characters 😊. I can’t even keep up 😃.

#kidlitart #kidlit #characterdesign

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Jun 7

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Day 7 of #junecharacteraday : Whale arguing on the phone. I know it’s difficult, but remember to always be kind whenever possible 😊.

#kidlitartist #kidlitart #characterdesign

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Jun 6

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Day 6 of #JuneCharacterADay : Porcupine drinking hit chocolate. Sorry (not sorry) for the more wintery prompts this week 😊. I guess my mind naturally goes into holiday mode since I usually start working on Christmas stuff this time of year. 🎄

Only enough time for a sketch today.

#kidlitart #kidlit #kidlitartist #characterdesign

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Jun 5

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Day 5 of #JuneCharacterADay : Hippo mowing the lawn (or trying to).

#kidlitart #kidlitartist #characterdesign

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Jun 4

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Day 4 of #junecharacteraday : Elephant skiing. I thought about showing him waterskiing, but who doesn’t like a little holiday vibes in June? Just me?

#kidlitart #kidlitartist #characterdesign

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Jun 3

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Day 3 of #JuneCharacterADay . Wolf playing pickle ball.

Create a character each day and post on Instagram or Threads using #JuneCharacterADay. Use these prompts or make up your own. Full color, sketches, digital, analog—whatever feels fun and approachable.

No pressure to do all 30 days. All ages and skill levels welcome. Have fun and cheer each other on!

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Jun 2

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Day 2 of #JuneCharacterADay . Fox playing video games. This fox is playing Star Fox, because, of course!

Create a character each day and post on Instagram or Threads using #JuneCharacterADay. Use these prompts or make up your own. Full color, sketches, digital, analog—whatever feels fun and approachable.

No pressure to do all 30 days. All ages and skill levels welcome. Have fun and cheer each other on!

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Jun 1

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I’ve been illustrating children’s books for several years now, and it has been a fantastic experience. However, a few years ago I started looking for ways to grow my illustration business and offerings. So, I decided to hire a business coach to help with these endeavors. In March of 2024 I started working with Logan ( @flammable_entrepreneur ) and his team, and the results have been fantastic. We took a hard look at my core business strategies, target markets, goals, mindset, and more.

In fact, because of the coaching I received I finally hit a huge milestone late 2024 and launched my very first course (and have since launched two more)!! This has been something I’ve been wanting to do for a very long time, and it feels so good to have finally accomplished it. I’ve also landed several large projects that have more than covered the investment.

On Thursday, June 4 Logan, Vera ( @vera.drmanovski ), and I will host a workshop where we discuss marketing for book illustrators. RSVP link is in my bio. If you can’t make it, no worries. We’ll send you a recording if you’ve RSVP.

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Jun 1

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It’s Day 1 of #JuneCharacterADay ! Today’s prompt is Squirrel gardening. 😊

Create a character each day and post on Instagram or Threads using #JuneCharacterADay. Use these prompts or make up your own. Full color, sketches, digital, analog—whatever feels fun and approachable.

No pressure to do all 30 days. All ages and skill levels welcome. Have fun and cheer each other on!

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May 31

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I can’t believe June starts tomorrow, which means my #JuneCharacterADay challenge begins! Here are this week’s prompts.

Create a character each day and post on Instagram or Threads using #JuneCharacterADay. Use these prompts or make up your own. Full color, sketches, digital, analog—whatever feels fun and approachable.

No pressure to do all 30 days. All ages and skill levels welcome. Have fun and cheer each other on!

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May 28

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On Thursday, June 4th, 10am PDT / 1pm EDT, I’ll be co-hosting a FREE LIVE workshop with Vera Drmanovski ( @vera.drmanovski ) and business coach for creatives, Logan Elliott ( @Flammable_Entrepreneur )! We’ll be discussing Marketing for Book Illustrators.

Are you considering a career in book illustration, whether it’s children’s books, young adult, or more? Have you been confused about marketing? Are you not sure where to begin? On June 4, we will be discussing those very topics and more.

We’ll cover:
✔ When a Following Helps (And How to Use It Right)
✔ Why You Don’t Need a Big Following to Get Book Deals
✔ Build a Portfolio Publishers Actually Want
and more!

RSVP link is in my bio (Linktree). If you can’t make it, no worries. We’ll send you a recording if you’ve RSVP.

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May 26

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The first half of 2026 has been BUSY, and I haven’t had much time for personal work. So for June, I’m doing a character-a-day challenge — and I’d love for you to join me!

Create a character each day and post it on Instagram or Threads. Use the prompt graphic, make up your own, or just jump in when you can.

No pressure to do all 30 days. Sketches are welcome. Have fun and cheer each other on!

I’ll be using #JuneCharacterADay.

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May 18

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Tomorrow, May 19 at 2pm PDT I’ll be hosting another free live webinar on character design. It’s been a while since I hosted one of these, so If you missed it last time now’s your chance. I’ll be showing a fun exercise that you can use to unlock your creativity when creating characters for children’s books and other things. Registration link is in my bio. Hope to see you there!

#kidlitart #characterdesign

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May 16

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Announcement! This Tuesday, May 19 at 2pm PDT I’ll be hosting another free live webinar on character design. It’s been a while since I hosted one of these, so If you missed it last time now’s your chance. I’ll be showing a fun exercise that you can use to unlock your creativity when creating characters for children’s books and other things. Registration link is in my bio. Hope to see you there!

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May 7

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Happy #kidlitartpostcard day! I decided to participate this month. I’m a children’s book illustrator/educator currently rep’d by @advocateart01 .

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Apr 1

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Who’s ready for Easter Egg hunts? Bunny In Disguise is written by @cynthiaplattbooks and published by @clarionbooks / @harperkids . Purchase link in my bio.

#kidlitart #childrensbooks #kidsbooks #kidlitartist

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Mar 31

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Due to recent mold remediation, my studio has been stripped down to nothing but subflooring, a couple desks, and a lonely picture on the wall (and Newman’s dog bed 🐕‍🦺). It’s a blank canvas now. Looking forward to rebuilding over the next few months. Flooring, paint, shelving, updated desk setup and more to come. But in the meantime, still getting work done. Deadlines persist.

Computer setup—-
@xencelabs 24” tablet, M4 MacBook Pro, Benq 3220u display (not currently in use) and a black water bottle. (And Bombas slippers 😀).

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Mar 23

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Hello Spring! 🌺🌿🍃 Working on the cover art for April’s @highlightsforchildren High Five magazine. Always fun working with the people at Highlights.

Gear I’m using:
Tablet: @xencelabs 24” display
M4 MacBook Pro
Monitor: Benq 3220u

#kidlitart #kidlitartist

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Mar 5

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Today’s my first day back at work after taking a break for travel these past few weeks. I thought I’d share a little behind-the-scenes look at the cover process for the latest In Disguise book, Bunny In Disguise, written by @cynthiaplattbooks and published by @harperkids

I’m still in a temporary studio while my permanent space is being renovated. Hopefully I’ll be back there mid-March and then I get to start the fun process of putting the studio back together.

👉👉👉 My computer setup:
Tablet: @xencelabs 24” display
Computer: M4 MacBook Pro
Software: Photoshop

#kidlitart #childrensbooks #workspace #kidlitartist

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Feb 28

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Visited Leonardo Da’ Vinci’s The Last Supper yesterday. One more item checked off the bucket list.

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josh@clelandillustration.com
971-205-2283
Represented by Advocate Art

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Copyright 2026 © by Josh Cleland or respective clients. All rights reserved.