Skip to content

Portfolio
Licensing
- Full Collections
- Greeting Cards
About
Contact
Blog

Portfolio
Licensing
- Full Collections
- Greeting Cards
About
Contact
Blog

Search

Category: Illustration Friday

It seems we can't find what you're looking for.

Find me on Instagram

joshcleland

2,010 53,793

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

View Instagram post by joshcleland

Jun 8

Open post by joshcleland with ID 18166969819386878

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

237 18

View Instagram post by joshcleland

Jun 7

Open post by joshcleland with ID 17893381446472918

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

565 8

View Instagram post by joshcleland

Jun 6

Open post by joshcleland with ID 18100992842103707

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

286 7

View Instagram post by joshcleland

Jun 5

Open post by joshcleland with ID 18092596025245304

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

#kidlitart #kidlitartist #characterdesign

736 14

View Instagram post by joshcleland

Jun 4

Open post by joshcleland with ID 18084352637390455

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

751 15

View Instagram post by joshcleland

Jun 3

Open post by joshcleland with ID 18321442711256935

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!

674 12

View Instagram post by joshcleland

Jun 2

Open post by joshcleland with ID 18092221613007566

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!

1031 20

View Instagram post by joshcleland

Jun 1

Open post by joshcleland with ID 17929673826100294

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.

118 1

View Instagram post by joshcleland

Jun 1

Open post by joshcleland with ID 17966152503111366

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!

928 38

View Instagram post by joshcleland

May 31

Open post by joshcleland with ID 18165867433434716

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!

1215 24

View Instagram post by joshcleland

May 28

Open post by joshcleland with ID 17935560726067261

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.

61 3

View Instagram post by joshcleland

May 26

Open post by joshcleland with ID 17922524484348564

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.

10761 215

View Instagram post by joshcleland

May 18

Open post by joshcleland with ID 18077943533547433

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

200 3

View Instagram post by joshcleland

May 16

Open post by joshcleland with ID 18126458155609777

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!

46 0

View Instagram post by joshcleland

May 7

Open post by joshcleland with ID 18094024493239220

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

678 13

View Instagram post by joshcleland

Apr 1

Open post by joshcleland with ID 17863121307615448

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

396 5

View Instagram post by joshcleland

Mar 31

Open post by joshcleland with ID 18097085339092515

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 😀).

433 4

View Instagram post by joshcleland

Mar 23

Open post by joshcleland with ID 17915500434144904

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

629 11

View Instagram post by joshcleland

Mar 5

Open post by joshcleland with ID 18280188028305004

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

252 13

View Instagram post by joshcleland

Feb 28

Open post by joshcleland with ID 18009561629684124

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

57 2

Follow on Instagram

Facebook-f X-twitter Instagram Behance Linkedin-in Envelope

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

Subscribe to the newsletter

Stay up to date on the latest news, releases, and artwork.

First name

Last name

Email

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