The Association for the Promotion of Children’s Health in Education and Sports develops projects focused on health education and encouraging healthy habits from an early age.
As part of the project “Early Intervention in Health Education for Sustainable Skin Health,” author Nataša Subašić created the educational picture book “Koža i Sunce – Friends Who Look After Each Other,” developed with the participation of third-grade students. The book introduces children to the importance of protecting their skin from harmful UV radiation and developing healthy habits in an accessible and engaging way.
Our task was to use design and illustration to turn an important health topic into a visual language children could easily understand and relate to.
The challenge was to find the right balance between educational content and children’s imagination. Information about skin health and sun protection needed to remain clear and understandable while being presented in a way that encourages curiosity, engagement, and connection with the story.
The goal was not simply to communicate information, but to use storytelling and visual communication to help children understand why sun protection matters and encourage healthy habits from an early age.
We developed a complete visual concept for the book, including original illustrations, character design, colour palette, typography, and layout. The visual language was created from the perspective of its youngest readers, supporting the story while making the health education content more accessible and easier to understand.
The illustrations were conceived not simply as an addition to the text, but as an active part of the storytelling. Through characters, situations, and visual associations, they help children understand the relationship between skin and the sun and recognise simple ways to protect their health.
A warm and playful visual approach makes the serious topic of prevention approachable without creating fear. In this way, design becomes part of the educational process itself, helping important health messages reach children, parents, and educators in a clear and memorable way.
