Kawaii illustration style
Ultra-cute chubby characters, sparkly eyes and pastel candy colors. Also great as bold coloring pages.
- Family
- Picture book
- Color
- Color and black & white
- Audiences
- Babies & toddlers, Preschool, Early readers, Teens (young adult)
- Book types
- 6 recommended
Books that suit kawaii
Picture book
32-page illustrated story with read-aloud text
Ages 0–8 · 24–48 pages · 8.5 × 8.5 in
Kids' coloring book
Bold outlines, big shapes, one design per page
Ages 0–8 · 24–220 pages · 8.5 × 11 in
Kids' activity book
Mazes, dot-to-dot, tracing, matching and more
Ages 0–12 · 24–200 pages · 8.5 × 11 in
Early reader
Leveled 'I can read' book with picture support
Ages 5–8 · 24–64 pages · 6 × 9 in
Educational workbook
Tracing, phonics and math practice with an answer key
Ages 3–12 · 24–200 pages · 8.5 × 11 in
Baby & toddler book
First words, colors and animals in big bright pictures
Ages 0–5 · 24–32 pages · 8.5 × 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.
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 kawaii.
More picture book styles
About this style
Which books suit the Kawaii style?
Kawaii is offered for picture book, kids' coloring book, kids' activity book, early reader, educational workbook, baby & toddler book. You can still pick it for any other book type, or describe your own style.
Can Kawaii be printed in black and white?
Yes. Kawaii has a black-and-white rendering for B&W interiors, which KDP prints for less 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 kawaii.
Describe your book, keep this style, and watch every page get painted with the same characters.
600 free credits · no card required