Commercial editorial illustration is a broad and complex field. It spans applications ranging from novel covers to illustrated children’s books, as well as imagery created for educational and commercial products such as board games and other learning-focused media. Each project demands a precise and coherent visual language, carefully shaped around its content, format, and intended audience.

My practice is intentionally specialized, allowing me to focus on a clear and consistent visual approach. I combine strong visual identity, narrative clarity, and scientific accuracy to create illustrations that communicate effectively and resonate with their audience.

I am particularly available for editorial and commercial projects involving wildlife, extinct animals, and subjects related to nature and natural history; contexts in which illustration plays a central role in shaping visual identity and engaging the emotional response of the target audience. When my visual styles align with a project’s goals, I can contribute meaningfully to its clarity, impact, and overall coherence.

Below is a curated selection of recent editorial and commercial projects I have developed or contributed to.

FOCUS WILD – PREHISTORIC SAFARI PALEOART COLUMN

Date: From May 2024
Client: Focus Wild / Mondadori

PREHISTORIC SAFARI

From May 2024 to December 2025, I curated a monthly column on paleontology and paleoart entitled “Prehistoric Safari” for Focus Wild, Italy’s leading nature and wildlife magazine, published by Mondadori and aimed at children aged 7–14.

Within this column, I was responsible for creating the illustrations (both selected from my existing archive and produced specifically for the series), as well as for writing and designing the layout of the articles.

The goal of the series was to provide the magazine’s young readership with a deeper and up-to-date understanding of the latest discoveries in the field of paleontology.

In July 2025, the article I developed on Tyrannosaurus rex was featured on the magazine’s cover. The collaboration continues on an occasional basis.

MESOZOIC ART II – COFFEE TABLE BOOK

Publishing date: September 2025
Client: Bloomsbury Wildlife

In September 2025, the anthology Mesozoic Art II was published by Bloomsbury, edited by Darren Naish (paleontologist and creator of the acclaimed Prehistoric Planet series) and Steve White (illustrator, comic artist, and art director with over 30 years of professional experience).

Conceived as a coffee-table book, the volume aims to present an overview of the finest contemporary paleoart from around the world at the time of publication. Its primary objective is to engage a broad audience and foster interest in paleontology and natural history through the visual language of paleoart.

I was selected as one of the 25 contributing artists, in recognition of my distinctive artistic style and the scientific accuracy of my representations.

INSIDE OUT WHALE – CHILDREN EDUCATIONAL BOOK

Publishing date: February 2026
Client: Quarto Publishing

Developed by Chartwell Books (Quarto Publishing), Inside Out Whale is the most recent title (February 2026) in the successful INSIDE OUT children’s book series, which uses die-cut techniques to enable interactive learning of humpback whale anatomy.

I was responsible for the anatomical illustrations of the humpback whale, selecting the sections to be depicted based on my expertise and familiarity with the subject. I produced 16 spreads illustrating the whale’s internal anatomy, from the skeletal structure to the vascular system, while meeting the series’ unusually demanding production requirements. Text and layout were handled by the publisher’s in-house editorial team.

If you’re interested in working together, feel free to contact me at simonezoccante@gmail.com. Thank you.

All images © Simone Zoccante 2018-2026.
Please do not reproduce without the written consent of Simone Zoccante.