Artist Feature: Steve James Apr 16 2026

This month, we’re delighted to introduce our featured illustrator, Steve James, whose vibrant, character-driven artwork brings warmth, humor, and immersive storytelling to every page of his children’s book projects!

From an early age, illustration was a natural path for Steve. Inspired by the playful energy of Looney Tunes and the charm of Beano comics, he was encouraged by both teachers and family to pursue a creative career. Time at art college helped refine his skills across a range of techniques and styles, while instilling the importance of maintaining a sketchbook practice—something that continues to inspire his work today.

Steve's career began in the greeting card industry, eventually expanding into packaging and product design for video game accessories. Over time, this evolved into a freelance illustration career, now focused primarily on children’s books through Advocate Art! Steve gathers inspiration from a wide mix of sources, including video games, concept art, and graphic novels, which all feed into his style, bringing a contemporary and imaginative feel to his work.

Based in Leeds, Steve balances his work time between his home and a local coworking space. At home, you’ll often find him set up on a comfortable sofa with a laptop and Wacom tablet, accompanied by music or podcasts. Breaks are spent walking, playing guitar, or recharging creatively. Coworking days offer him a chance to socialize and enjoy a change of scenery, and often include a visit to a nearby bookshop.

Steve's artistic process typically begins with research into the story and its themes, followed by character exploration in a sketchbook. From there, rough thumbnail layouts help map out each spread before moving into more refined artwork. Color development and composition are shaped through ongoing collaboration with the publisher, and once the first spread is finalized, the rest of the project begins to fall into place. 

An early highlight in his career was an exhibition at Leeds City Museum titled Beavers to Weavers, in which Steve explored the creativity of the animal kingdom. Seeing his illustrations displayed at a large scale across promotional materials and within the exhibition itself was a memorable and rewarding experience for him.

Steve's publishing career also encompasses several standout titles, including Thunder Down Under, written by Timothy Knapman and published by Little Tiger Press; The Little Folk, by Kugaaruk elder Levi Illuitok (published in both English and Inuktitut) and published by Inhabit Media; and the Super Happy Party Bears series, written by Marcie Colleen and published by Imprint Macmillan US. The latter marked Steve's first major step into children’s books and offered the opportunity to create a lively cast of characters and environments. It also coincided with a significant moment in his personal life, the birth of his daughter, making the experience all the more memorable! With strong support from the publishing team, it became both a creative and personal milestone.

Steve's recent work includes The Number One Cute Contest, published by HarperCollins—a joyful project filled with charming character designs, with a second book in the series due out soon. He is also currently working on a book with Gemini Books that focuses on helping children manage worries, a subject that resonates with his personal experiences with anxiety.

In addition, Steve has contributed to the Little Cherries series with Sweet Cherry Publishing, a project that extended beyond illustration into promotional work, including animated GIFs and trade stand visuals. This collaboration also led to an invitation to appear as a guest on the publisher’s Chats Under the Cherry Tree podcast, where he was able to offer further insight into his creative process.

Reflecting on his experience with Advocate Art, Steve emphasizes the value of strong agent support.

“I always get a quick response if I ever ask for advice. [The agents have] been really helpful in managing schedules with publishers, especially when I have a lot of work on. It definitely helps alleviate pressure and allows me to focus on being as creative as I can be.”

With a career that continues to evolve across books, design, and storytelling, Steve's work remains rooted in creativity, curiosity, and a genuine love of illustration. We’re excited to see what imaginative worlds he dreams up next!

See his full portfolio of work HERE and don't hesitate to reach out if you'd like to book Steve in for your next project.

Advocate Art illustration agency specializes in art licensing and children’s book illustrations. We represent leading illustrators who produce children's and decorative illustrations to commission or license.