Ink wash (sumi-e) illustration style
Expressive East Asian brushwork in graded black ink with abundant negative space.
- Family
- Painterly
- Color
- Color and black & white
- Audiences
- Teens (young adult), Adults, Seniors (large print)
- Book types
- 4 recommended
Books that suit ink wash (sumi-e)
Picture book
32-page illustrated story with read-aloud text
Ages 0–8 · 24–48 pages · 8.5 × 8.5 in
Guided journal
A unique prompt on every page, with decorative art
Ages 5+ · 60–240 pages · 6 × 9 in
Novella & short stories
Novellas and themed story collections
Ages 13+ · 80–260 pages · 5 × 8 in
Poetry collection
Poems with generous white space and spot art
Ages 3+ · 48–200 pages · 5.5 × 8.5 in
How it prints on KDP
In color, it prints on KDP's premium or standard color interiors, on white paper. On black & white interiors it is rendered without color, which KDP prints for much less per page. Compare what each interior costs with the printing cost calculator, and read how to choose the trim size and paper.
Print noteGrey washes print as halftone on B&W interiors: boost contrast slightly and avoid greys lighter than 10%.
Same characters, every page
Before the pages are painted, each main character gets a reference sheet in this style. Every illustration is drawn with those sheets as references, so faces, clothes and colors stay the same from the cover to the last page. Text is never painted into the art: titles, captions and speech bubbles are typeset on top. See community books illustrated in ink wash (sumi-e).
More painterly styles
About this style
Which books suit the Ink wash (sumi-e) style?
Ink wash (sumi-e) is offered for picture book, guided journal, novella & short stories, poetry collection. You can still pick it for any other book type, or describe your own style.
Can Ink wash (sumi-e) be printed in black and white?
Yes. Ink wash (sumi-e) is drawn in black and white from the start, so it prints cleanly on KDP's black & white interiors and costs less to print than color.
Will my characters look the same on every page?
Yes. Main characters get a reference sheet before the pages are drawn, and every illustration is painted with it as a reference, in the same style from the cover to the last page.
Can I sell books illustrated in this style?
Yes, on a paid plan: paid plans include a commercial license for the books you make. KDP asks you to declare AI-generated images, including the cover, when you publish.
Illustrate your book in ink wash (sumi-e).
Describe your book, keep this style, and watch every page get painted with the same characters.
600 free credits · no card required