Once Books
Art style

Coloured pencil, your child on every page

Coloured pencil gives your child’s book soft layered strokes, a gentle paper grain and naturalistic light — quiet, tactile and warm.

Ravi illustrated in the Coloured pencil style — reading under a tree by a paper lantern
Ravi illustrated in the Coloured pencil style — a close-up portrait, waving
Ravi illustrated in the Coloured pencil style — reading under a tree by a paper lantern
Ravi illustrated in the Coloured pencil style — walking a small dog in the rain
Medium
coloured pencil
Mood
quiet and tactile
Best for
Gentle, observational and nature stories.
Palette
soft greenwarm browndusty blue

Keeping your child recognisable

Layered strokes keep your child’s features soft yet clearly the same throughout. That is the whole point of Once Books: you pick Coloured pencil once and it is locked to the book, so your child is the same child from the cover to the last page. See how it works, or browse all the art styles.

The Coloured pencil prompt

Want the Coloured pencil look yourself? Copy this style prompt and paste it into ChatGPT, Gemini, Midjourney or any image tool — add it to any subject you like, nothing to edit.

Prompt
Coloured pencil illustration, soft layered strokes, gentle paper grain, tactile warmth, naturalistic soft light.

Avoid: flat vector, neon, harsh outlines, photorealistic.

That gets you the look on a single image. The hard part is keeping the same child recognisable across a whole book — that’s what Once Books does. See how.

Common questions

What is the Coloured pencil style?
Soft layered pencil strokes with gentle grain and naturalistic light. In the tradition of Allen Say.
What is a good prompt for Coloured pencil children’s illustrations?
Coloured pencil illustration, soft layered strokes, gentle paper grain, tactile warmth, naturalistic soft light.
Which AI tools does the Coloured pencil prompt work in?
Any image model — ChatGPT / DALL·E, Google Gemini, Midjourney, or Stable Diffusion. Paste the style prompt, add your own subject, and generate.
Is Coloured pencil a good style for a personalised children’s book?
Gentle, observational and nature stories. Layered strokes keep your child’s features soft yet clearly the same throughout.

Related styles

Make one in Coloured pencil

Upload a few photos, pick Coloured pencil, and see your child hold across every page — personalised children’s books. your child on every page.