Stronger Than That
Just how strong is the love between a parent and a child? That’s the question at the heart of this playful conversation—giving parents the language to express unconditional love and children the reassurance that it will always be there through everyone's mistakes and big feelings. Stronger than That follows a conversation between a young child and his mother about all the ways love can be tested--and how it always wins out in the end. Through expressive characters, thoughtful lighting, and a warm, inviting palette, I created a visual world that makes an abstract idea—unconditional love—feel tangible.
ROLE
Illustration, Book Design, Art Direction
AUTHOR
Marta Drew
FORMAT
Children's Picture Book
THE WORKA look inside
How do you show a child that love is stronger than any mistake, big feeling, or difficult moment?
At the heart of the illustrations is a recurring rainbow swirl, a visual representation of love that is limitless, ever-present, and woven throughout the story.
Visual storytellingVisualizing love
How do you illustrate something as intangible as unconditional love?
I developed a colorful, swirling motif that winds its way through the story, representing the invisible but unbreakable connection between parent and child. Its continuous, flowing movement suggests a love without beginning or end—one that stretches, bends, and grows, but never disappears.
The rainbow brings a sense of magic and playfulness to the illustrations while serving a deeper narrative purpose. As the motif reappears throughout the book, it becomes a visual reminder that love is always present, even when it can't be seen.
Visual storytellingIlluminating love
Lighting became an essential tool for communicating the warmth and security of the mother and son's relationship. I used soft, diffused light, luminous highlights, and gentle shifts in value to give everyday scenes a dreamlike quality.
Warm light draws attention to moments of connection, while glowing edges and subtle color transitions make the characters feel enveloped in love. By allowing light to interact with the rainbow motif, I wanted that love to feel almost tangible—as though it radiates beyond the characters and into the world around them.
THE MEthodThe illustration process
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Sketch
In the initial sketches, I focused on the relationship between the characters and the movement of the rainbow motif. The sweeping curves guide the viewer's eye through each composition.
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Color
I explored how a gentle, harmonious palette could support the story's reassuring tone while allowing the rainbow to remain a vibrant focal point.
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Lighting
In the final illustrations, I refined the lighting to add layers of soft illumination and glowing highlights to help the rainbow feel integrated into each environment.