Pen & ink illustration style
Classic black nib linework with crosshatching and stippling: the chapter-book and novel interior standard.
- Family
- Line art
- Color
- Black & white only
- Audiences
- Early readers, Middle grade, Teens (young adult), Adults
- Book types
- 9 recommended
Books that suit pen & ink
Novel
Adult fiction in any genre, print and Kindle
Adults · 200–700 pages · 5.5 × 8.5 in
Non-fiction guide
How-to, self-help, business or hobby guide
Ages 13+ · 80–400 pages · 6 × 9 in
Early chapter book
Short chapters, big type, black-and-white spot art
Ages 5–12 · 48–160 pages · 5.5 × 8.5 in
Middle-grade novel
Adventure, fantasy or mystery for ages 8–12
Ages 8–12 · 120–360 pages · 5.5 × 8.5 in
Young adult novel
YA fantasy, romance, dystopian or contemporary
Ages 13–18 · 180–500 pages · 5.5 × 8.5 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
Memoir & family history
Your memories shaped into a finished book
Adults · 80–500 pages · 6 × 9 in
How it prints on KDP
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 noteKeep hatching spacing at 0.25 mm or more at print size to avoid ink fill on uncoated B&W 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 pen & ink.
More line art styles
About this style
Which books suit the Pen & ink style?
Pen & ink is offered for novel, non-fiction guide, early chapter book, middle-grade novel, young adult novel, novella & short stories and more. You can still pick it for any other book type, or describe your own style.
Can Pen & ink be printed in black and white?
Yes. Pen & ink 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 pen & ink.
Describe your book, keep this style, and watch every page get painted with the same characters.
600 free credits · no card required