Hey everyone! My book "A year of lunchbox doodles" is out now on amazon! Check it out! 💕
A Year of Lunchbox Doodles
A self-published illustrated book 📔
Project Overview
My Role
Illustrator · Graphic Designer · Author · Publisher
Tools
Pen & Paper · Adobe InDesign · Adobe Illustrator · Adobe Photoshop · Amazon KDP
Scope
226 pages · 400+ illustrations · Introduction & 9 themed sections · Interactive activities · Colouring pages and downloadable bonus content
Format
8.5 × 8.5 inch paperback
The Product
An illustrated collection of creative prompts and over 400 doodles inspired by personal stories, silly thoughts, fun trivia and whimsy.
A Year of Lunchbox Doodles began as a simple tradition: every school day, I'd place a little doodle into my daughters' lunchboxes to brighten their day. Over the course of a year, those small sketches grew into a hefty collection of fun illustration and eventually, a thoughtfully designed 226-page book that inspires readers to draw, explore, and embrace their own creativity.
More than a doodle collection, this project combines illustration, instructional content, editorial design, and interactive features to create an engaging creative experience from cover to cover.
The Daily Tradition
Before A Year of Lunchbox Doodles ever existed, drawing a little doodle for each of my daughters became part of my daily routine. Every evening, I'd create a new illustration in each of two mini notebooks to add to their lunchboxes the next morning. Over time, those notebooks filled with hundreds of original doodles, eventually becoming the inspiration and foundation for the finished publication.
400+
Original Doodles
20+
Filled doodle notebooks
226
Pages Designed
8
Illustrated Chapters
The Goal
There are plenty of art books out there. I wanted to create more than that.
While a way to showcase my art at its core, my aim with this book was to create a resource for readers to be encouraged to pick up a pencil and explore their imagination without being intimidated, as doodling should be enjoyable and does not have to be perfect.
Every design decision, from the page layouts to the activities throughout, had the intention of making the book feel approachable, fun and inspiring for creatives of all ages and skill levels.
Structuring the Book
Getting Started
To help both beginner and experienced artists get comfortable with and gain ideas on the hobby of doodling, the book begins with a few helpful topics:
Suggested drawing materials
Warm-up exercises
Practical doodling tips
Creative ideas for using finished doodles
Roll for Inspiration
Each themed chapter begins with a "Roll for Inspiration" mini game.
Using a d20 (or 6-sided die if a d20 is unavailable), readers generate unique drawing prompts, encouraging experimentation and helping overcome creative blocks in a playful way.
Your Turn
Every "doodle showcase" page includes an activity that invites readers to stop reading and start drawing, transforming the book from a passive collection into an interactive creative companion.
Did You Know?
Fun facts are sprinkled throughout the book to add moments of discovery that complement the surrounding illustrations.
Personal Anecdotes
Short stories and reflections throughout the book share the inspiration behind many of the doodles and celebrate the small everyday moments that sparked the project.
Bonus Content
The experience extends beyond the final page with printable colouring pages and downloadable digital goodies, encouraging readers to continue creating long after finishing the book.
Illustration Process
Every illustration began as a simple hand-drawn doodle created with nothing more than a pen and paper.
Because the artwork was created over an entire year, most of which I hadn't yet come up with the idea of creating an art book, one of the biggest creative challenges was maintaining a cohesive visual style while allowing each illustration to have its own personality.
The collection explores a wide variety of subjects, including:
Nature
Fantasy
Food
Pets
Seasonal themes
Everyday life
Wordplay
Whimsical characters
Downright ridiculous stuff
Despite the variety, each illustration contributes to a unified visual language that reflects the playful spirit of the project.
Editorial & Graphic Design
With more than 400 illustrations to organize, thoughtful editorial design became just as important as the artwork itself.
I developed a visual system that included:
Nine themed chapters
Consistent typography
Section dividers
Flexible page layouts
Visual hierarchy
Balanced pacing throughout the book
Careful attention was given to spacing, composition, and page rhythm to ensure that every spread felt engaging without becoming visually overwhelming.
Designing for Engagement
One of the most rewarding aspects of this project was designing the reader's experience.
Instead of simply showcasing artwork, I intentionally layered different types of content throughout the book to create variety and maintain engagement.
Instructional pages, creative prompts, educational facts, personal stories, and interactive drawing exercises provide natural pauses between illustration galleries, encouraging readers to actively participate rather than simply turn the page.
This approach transforms the book into both a source of inspiration and a creative companion that readers can revisit again and again.
From Handdrawn Doodle to Print
After completing the illustrations, I prepared each piece for publication, designed the page layouts, organized the complete manuscript, and produced print-ready files for publication.
This project brought together every stage of the creative process, from initial concept and illustration to editorial design, production, publication and finally, into a cohesive finished product.
The Finished Book
A Year of Lunchbox Doodles is a celebration of everyday life and creativity.
What began as a small family tradition became a comprehensive illustrated publication that encourages readers to slow down, embrace imperfection, and rediscover the joy of drawing.
Skills Demonstrated
Illustration
Traditional Illustration • Character Design • Visual Storytelling • Concept Development
Graphic & Editorial Design
Publication Design • Typography • Editorial Layout • Visual Hierarchy • Print Production
Creative Content Design
Instructional Design • Interactive Activities • Educational Content • Reader Engagement
Project Management
Large-Scale Creative Planning • Content Organization • Self-Publishing Workflow • End-to-End Production
Let's Connect!
Thank you for reviewing my work on A Year of Lunchbox Doodles, my first self-published book!
If you’d like to get in touch, please reach out!