Meet the Illustrator

Hi! I'm Ishani Samarathunga, a professional children's book illustrator from Sri Lanka. Drawing has been one of my greatest passions since childhood. One of my favorite hobbies growing up was drawing cartoon characters, especially characters from children's cartoons. What started as a childhood passion gradually became my profession, and I'm truly grateful that I can now do what I love for a living.

I've been working as a freelance illustrator since 2018, and over the years, I've had the pleasure of illustrating more than 400 children's book stories, working with wonderful authors from different parts of the world.

I specialize in children's book illustration, creating expressive characters, colorful scenes, and imaginative worlds that bring stories to life. I especially enjoy giving every character its own personality and making sure each illustration captures the feelings, magic, and little details within a story.

I strongly believe that traditional, hand-drawn illustration will always have a special value. Although AI technology is developing rapidly and changing the creative industry, I hope that people will continue to appreciate the time, creativity, personal touch, and human imagination behind original artwork. To me, every hand drawn illustration carries a little piece of the artist who created it, and that's something truly special that I hope will never lose its value.

My greatest joy is knowing that my illustrations can become part of a child's reading experience, spark their imagination, and create memories they can treasure for years to come.

I'm delighted to have been part of the Magpie & Lovebird journey and to have helped bring these wonderful characters and their adventures to life. It's always special to work with authors who share the same love for storytelling and creativity.

Thank you for taking the time to learn a little about me and my work! ❤️