Beyond the Pages: An Inside Look at the Mind and Motivation of Juniper.Charm
- BirdieMama
- Jun 2
- 8 min read
Juniper.Charm (Ali), is a bookish artist/ illustrator, wife, mom, and creative luminary spreading joy, positivity, and inspiration through her work within the bookish community.
Who is Juniper.Charm?
I always feel so grateful for the small community that I have slowly become a part of, where I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to meet so many genuinely talented and just kind people. There are so many individuals within the bookish community that are accepting and welcoming and Juniper.Charm also known as Ali, is one of these top tier people. Back in March I was lucky enough to have had the opportunity to ARC read for the book "Lowercase" by the lovely Hayley B. Halliwell. Not only was I enthralled with the story that was "Lowercase" but I was also really admired the cover art for the book. Upon some further investigation into who created this cute cover art, I was introduced to the insanely talented illustrator Juniper.Charm.
After spending a good amount of time scrolling through her vibrant and visually stunning feed, I found myself completely captivated by her creativity and the impressive range of her skillset. Each post was a testament to her artistic vision, showcasing not only her technical abilities, but also her unique perspective on the world around her. The way she is able to conceptualize an idea and then execute it to paper or to her tablet so flawlessly absolutely blows my mind. It wasn't just the aesthetics that drew me in, but also the passion and stories behind each piece that she shared. I felt a genuine connection to her artistic journey, and I couldn't help but admire her dedication and enthusiasm to her craft. With that, I knew that I absolutely had to become a follower, engage with her content, and get to know her more.
The Interview
Chapter Chirp: Tell me a little bit about yourself and how you decided to become an illustrator?
Juniper.Charm: I’m Ali, I’m a 35-year old bookish artist/wife/mom, and I love all things books, reading, crafts, and cozy! I have read a ton with my kids over the years, and reading all the gorgeous, illustrated children’s/middle grade/chapter books really made me fall in love with art and stories again. I’ve always crafted (sewing, knitting, crochet, etc.), but I didn’t really get into art until about 2022. It was a super simple and humble start, just a little art journal to spend a few minutes doodling every day for my mental health, but it quickly became a lifeline for me, and eventually evolved into a space where I could try new things.
I started learning to sketch portraits and fell in love with illustrating people first. From there it became sort of a secret hope or dream that maybe I could illustrate for books one day, and I just kept trying to learn new things to get a little closer all the time. At some point in there I started my IG account, and making art friends (and eventually finding the bookish art community) was such a massive inspiration and support. I’m forever grateful for the friends I’ve made and the communities I’ve found! It still blows my mind that I get to make art for books and covers and characters now - it’s truly been a dream come true and I’m so grateful for all the support I’ve received from the bookish community!
Chapter Chirp: Can you share how your design process works (what steps you take, what software or tools you might use)?
Juniper.Charm: For all my work I use Procreate on my iPad Pro, and for illustrated covers I also use Affinity Designer. For character art, I generally start with a mood board of some sort and gather references. I like to have a lot of references so I can mix and match my favorite elements - some for pose, some for outfits, some for hair, some for accessories, a few for scenery, etc. It’s really fun to pull it all together to make something new! Usually when I work with authors they have a lot of this already picked out, but if not I will still collect and share some to get their input. Then I move into a sketch, starting with a really messy one and gradually refining things until it communicates most of the elements I want to include in the final piece. Sometimes I’ll add little notes or some very messy coloring at this point, but nothing is final. I generally check in with my clients at this point to see if they have any requests, then I move ahead into line art and base colors. I get everything cleaned up and put in the very simplest colors. Then, again, I check in to make sure everything is looking good. The last real phase is the rendering, where I add a lot more texture to everything and all the shading and highlights. All the magic really comes together during this phase and it’s so fun to see it all unfold. I like colored line art, so I color all my lines at the very end and add any final details like loose strands of hair or extra lighting/sparkles/etc.
For illustrated covers, a lot of the process is very similar, but I start with a few very simple “thumbnail” sketches to play with different layouts. I let the author pick their favorite and we also pick a color palette at that point. Then I move forward with the cover illustration with the same process as my character art, checking in throughout to make sure everything is staying on track and making edits as needed. I also work on any back or spine illustrations during this time, though most of my time is spent on the front. Once all the illustration work is done, I export everything to Affinity where I create the full wrap cover. I like to use Affinity because it has tools for bleed and guidelines that are super helpful for getting everything lined up just right for print. Once all the layout and formatting are set up, I start to play with font options. Once I have a handful that I think work nicely and match the vibes the author is going for, I send over some examples for them to choose from. Once the font is picked, I often will play with arrangement a little more, maybe placing it on a slant or curve, or maybe adding some gradient or shadows. If I have more options for the author, I’ll share and let them choose. Once all the final decisions are made, I get all the files organized and delivered, and gush over how cute it is!
Chapter Chirp: What is your favorite thing to design (i.e: book covers, characters, etc) and why?
Juniper.Charm: I really love working on illustrated covers, and I’d say those are my favorite! It’s a pretty long process from start to finish, and it has so many different steps along the way, but that makes it feel extra magical when it’s all wrapped up! I love to look back at the initial thumbnail design and see the finished cover next to it - it is so satisfying to see the transformation! I also love working on illustrated covers because they can be so, so imaginative and creative. Being able to work on something that doesn’t necessarily have to make sense or look like the real world, that can have whatever colors and elements work for the vibes and the author’s requests is so fun! Covers often feel especially dreamy and cozy, and I just really love that.
Chapter Chirp: What is one of your favorite projects that you've worked on and why?
Juniper.Charm: I recently got to work on the cover for Just a Little Wicked by Lindsay Lovise, and it was such a fun project and challenge for me! It was more illustrative than other covers I’ve worked on, with lots of hand-drawn elements surrounding the characters, and I was also trying to vibe match the first book in her series. It was so fun to play with all the different elements she referenced in the design brief and to come up with how to make it all work together coordinate with the first book while still being true to my style. I’m really proud of it and I hope to do more covers in that style in the future! I’m also working on a favorite secret cover right now, and while I can’t say much about it, it’s going to be so dreamy! It’s a new, simpler background style that I’ve been wanting to play with, and I love how it’s coming together. It’s much simpler in terms of coloring, but so pretty and fun, so I’m really excited to share it with you all one day and to work on more covers in that style as well!
Chapter Chirp: If you could choose a dream commission project what would it be and why?
Juniper.Charm: I’d looooove to work on some coordinated illustrated covers for a series or bundle, and I’m also dying to work on some historical romance illustrated covers! I love vintage and historical fashion, all the dresses and details, and I would love to get to work with those themes! I’m planning on doing some personal portfolio pieces with period fashion this summer when my kids are on break and I have a little more free time, and I’m so excited!
Chapter Chirp: Do you have any openings for commissions, what types of designs do you offer, and how can people get into contact with you?
Juniper.Charm: I am currently booking for August and later! I offer commissions for character art, illustrated covers, and profile pics/illustrated portraits! I can also do sketch, line art, or flat color only commissions on request. Occasionally I offer premade pose commissions in limited amounts at a slightly reduced price, as well. I generally post those on my IG Stories and Threads!
You can get in touch with me via IG DMs ( @juniper.charm ), via email ( juniper.charm.shop@gmail.com ), or on Artistree where I have a commission request form (though it’s often a waitlist). I am always happy to book clients in ahead, and I don’t currently take a booking fee to reserve a space!
Here are some examples of cover and character art that Ali at Juniper.Charm has created. If you'd like to see a photo larger, simply click to expand.
Final Thoughts
Wow, I for one have learned a lot through this interview of getting to know Ali on a deeper level, and I feel like my brain is still trying to process the magnitude of talent and humbleness that she exudes. I am shocked that Ali only just seriously got into art in 2022 and is essentially self-taught. It's obvious that she has a tremendous amount of drive, determination, creativity, and talent. From talking with her, it's also clear that she really thrives on working closely with her clients, considering what they want for the art that she is to create, and truly listens to their input, taking into account elements that they want included. I don't know how anyone who comes across Ali's Juniper.Charm page wouldn't want to immediately immerse themselves in her world, see more of her creations, and learn more about her experiences. I for one, find her talent to be a source of inspiration for my own creativity, and also have grown a deep admiration for her as a person and for the community that she has cultivated around her art. I would like to thank Ali from the bottom of my heart for wanting to participate in this illustrator spotlight and I would like to strongly encourage anyone reading this article to go follow Ali and show her all the love and support that she is so deserving of.
You can find Ali and her work on the following platforms.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juniper.charm/
Artistree: https://artistree.io/juniper.charm
BlueSky: @junipercharm.bsky.social
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