About Jessica Cooper

Email: Jessica@IllustratedByJessica.com​
 

Hi! I’m Jessica Cooper - an illustrator, author, and surface pattern designer based in Los Angeles. I create detailed, narrative-driven illustrations for children’s publishing, with a special love for middle-grade and young adult book covers, especially in the genres of historical fiction, fantasy, and decorative, patterned design, and also non-fiction, nature conservation themes.

I also write and illustrate my own picture books, and I have a few book dummies available for anyone interested in seeing them.

My style blends nature-inspired realism with fantasy and folklore. I aim to create whimsical illustrations that transport viewers to enchanting worlds. I’m particularly interested in the origins of storytelling and how it shapes the magic of the world around us. I have a passion for nature and wildlife conservation, and I try to use my artistic voice to advocate and bring awareness to environmental issues and help children develop a love for nature and animals.

I hold a BFA from The Academy of Art University and began my career as a texture and surfacing artist in animation and VFX at studios like Digital Domain and Nickelodeon. I aim to bring that cinematic sensibility to every project - using light, texture, and composition to guide the reader's experience. 

A little background about me; I am American and Australian dual citizen, because I had the unique experience of being born in Louisiana, and then moving to Australia as a kid, as my father got a VFX job offer there. He is the reason I love art and storytelling in the first place - since he is also an artist, and he was one of the early pioneers of computer animation.  His influence is instrumental to my love of reading, drawing and visual storytelling. I currently live in Los Angeles now, with my husband and three daughters. After a long hiatus from freelance illustration and writing while my kids were very little, I am now working on my dream of being a full time author illustrator again. I'm very active in the kidlit community, and I am the Illustration Coordinator for the SCBWI Los Angeles.  I am actively seeking an agent, and if you are an agent, art director or artist interested in working with me, or collaborating with me, please email me.