Hello!

I'm Tommy. A children’s book illustrator based in Brighton, UK.

I believe stories come alive when children can see themselves in the characters. With a passion for expressive, emotion-filled artwork, I bring words to life through vibrant, warmly textured scenes that children love to explore.

My work focuses on inclusivity, imagination and visual storytelling.

Clients include: Harrison Perry, Thomas Willow, Ethical Housing, Mindful Movement, Phonics Readers, Growth Magazine, Drumgrange, B-Actif, Brighton Peace & Environment Center, Happy Space UK, Marlowe Theatre

For all enquires please drop me an email here.

Tommy Hardman Profile

Reviews

  • "Working with Tommy for my children’s book was a dream come true. He was able to bring to life every idea that I had, and make it even better. He’s professional, quick to respond and an incredibly talented artist. I appreciated how clear and efficient he was throughout the entire project. This book is so special to me and I can’t wait to share it with others, thank you again Tommy!"

    Goodbye, Hello - Meredith Tripp (2024)

  • Tommy is incredibly talented and wonderful to work with! His use of color and style of illustration draws readers to his art. He is great to collaborate with to produce the best result as he provides his opinion and also receives feedback well. I highly recommend working with Tommy!

    Know Your Strength - Leah Gettens (2026)

  • Tommy was a joy to work with and I am already planning to use him on my next project. His immense talent is only outweighed by his ease of communication and his understanding of the essence of the project. He hit milestones one time or early and with very little need for corrections. When changes were requested of him, he responded positively and his changes were executed perfectly as requested. He gave quality input where needed and delivered a beautiful book that I am proud of and excited to debut.

    The Buzz & The Fuzz - Jen Williamson (2025)

  • I would highly recommend working with Tommy for several reasons. First, he's very talented. His great artwork speaks for itself, but I want to add how much care and thought went into the characters he illustrated for The Letters of Tim. Their expressions and subtleties truly elevated the story beyond my expectations. Second, he is easy to work with. I believe the illustrator should have full autonomy to do their best work, but when I had feedback Tommy was very receptive and nailed it every time. Lastly, he is professional. He is timely, thorough, and communicative through every step of the process. I honestly could not recommend him more highly. Thank you Tommy!

    The Letters of Tim - Jeffrey Storey (2025)

  • This was my second time working with Tommy, and I hope it won't be the last. I love his creativity, attention to detail, and that he truly listens to feedback. My job and some personal stuff unfortunately caused our timeline to shift (I wasn't able to provide feedback as quickly as I wanted) but he was incredibly accommodating and patient. Last but not least, so many readers of my first book commented on Tommy's beautiful artwork. I can't wait for them to see the winter wonderland he created for this one!

    A Very Puggy Christmas - Janina Kelly (2025)

  • Firstly, Tommy's artwork is beautiful. His stunning illustrations were exactly what I was looking for for my first children's book. I particularly loved the style of his drawings. But Tommy's artwork is only part of the reason why he is so great to work with. Throughout our entire collaboration, Tommy was responsive, supportive, and extremely helpful for a first time author/publisher. Luckily, I am writing a series of children's books, so I will be working with him again. I would highly recommend him as an illustrator.

    The Adventures Of Ferris - Kate Galvin (2025)

  • Working with Tommy on my first children's book has truly been delightful. Tommy is incredibly professional, with all deliverables either on-time or early, and all edits to our collaboration implemented quickly and effectively. Communication was very straightforward between the two of us throughout the process. He is also warm and approachable which made the project all the more enjoyable. Beyond these details, the quality of his work is, simply put, excellent. Tommy's artistic talent is tremendous, and his knack for bringing humor and whimsy to the page is quite remarkable. I am honored to have his name beside mine on my first book, and hope to work with him again in the future!

    Knox & The Magic Raindrops - Grace MCafferty (2024)

  • Tommy's work was awesome. Those I have shown it to so far have all mentioned the quality and connection that were present between the words and illustrations. I would definitely work with Tommy on a future project. He did a great job staying true to my thoughts while also adding elements that were able to bring more life to the story. His artwork is beautiful and I can't wait to have this book on my bookshelf.

    The Day The Snow Stole Our Stories - Jaqyln Nicols (2024)