Hi there! I’m Tristan Gadd, a South African freelance children’s book author and illustrator based in Toronto, Canada. I’m an author, illustrator, passionate activist, and educator. It’s great to meet you, and thanks for taking a peek at my illustration portfolio.
A little bit about me: I spend my days teaching elementary school students—which is entirely fulfilling— However, I am now taking a bold step towards pursuing what I believe is my true calling: illustrating children’s books. I own an extensive collection of children’s picture books which inspire me daily. Illustration and creating is my happy place. It’s how I make sense of the world and understand the people in it. I am reliable, passionate, flexible and goal-oriented.
I’ve been lucky enough to work on freelance projects with a number of talented people, which has only fueled my desire to dive into this profession full-time. I’m exceptionally excited to see my debut picture book together ALWAYS  and a soon-to-be-published children’s book called Soul Happy, which I had the pleasure of illustrating, on the virtual shelves soon.
My next goal is to increase my client base, and collaborate on new and exciting projects. Creating content for children is what I aspire to do with my life, and I hope to expand and focus on this going forward. My ultimate goal would be to illustrate a widely distributed book for a top 5 publisher.
Want to collaborate or go on this journey with me? Get in touch, I’d love to connect.

Testimonials
Tristan illustrated a children’s story for me, and the illustrations were everything I wanted and more. She communicated core concepts through captivating, colourful images, and met every deadline! I was thankful for her collaborative style, professional insights and patience. I’m not sure the book would be out in the world if it wasn’t for Tristan! -Jesse Junck

When working with an artist, there’s always a lot of back and forth. When working with Tristan, she produced what I wanted on the first go. She does awesome work, is reliable and I will definitely work with her again. – Edward Chang

I am so happy with my animal prints that were designed by Tristan. She executed the brief to perfection! She nailed the picture of my cat Daisy, and I was blown away by the Giraffe which she created after giving her full creative freedom. My family absolutely loved their Christmas presents! I will definitely be in touch going forward for more amazing designs!  -Tao Barrett
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