What Skills Do You Need To Be An Illustrator?
What Skills Do You Need To Be An Illustrator?
Most people believe that to be a great illustrator, you must first be a great artist and storyteller, which is right. However, there is a lot more to being a great illustrator and a well-rounded guy. We would go into critical qualities that we can all be working on.
Illustrators work on commercial art all day, so they can work on a range of projects or specialise in one. These artistic practitioners may create medical art, graphic design for ads, children’s book art, and other illustrations.
Skills every Illustrator Must Have
Unique Style
Very many people settle for copying someone else’s work rather than creating their distinct style. Your style will emerge if you stick with it long enough. You can be deliberate and coax your style out faster by collecting 5-10 illustrators you particularly like and then making lists of the various elements that make up their style. If you wish to create a unique design, you must also learn a relevant style.
Communication
You must be able to connect easily. You must be confident and courageous enough to ask questions and email the art director for clarity. Back in the day, everybody called people, even though they did not expect it. However, it is understandable that people are often anxious and do not want to seem silly or inept to an art director, so they are afraid to call and ask questions.
Improving your fundamental drawing skills, such as learning how to draw perspective and shading, would give your rapid sketches a more professional edge, particularly if you learn how to draw people rather than amateurish stick men. Convince the customer with a drawing, and stop spending time on a visual mock-up. This is also valid while working for a third party, such as an illustrator, animator, or photographer. It is much easier to be guiding others if you can physically express your thoughts. They would not consider your drawing skills to be technical – after all, that is why you are employing an illustrator – but they will enjoy the precision and direction of a well-drawn guide sketch.
Imaginative and creative
Being a freelance illustrator entails having a creative path, and art is incomplete without ingenuity and imagination. You must be skilled at painting, drawing, and sketching. Also, you must have an eye for harmony, layout, and colour. Furthermore, it would be like icing on the cake if the work could articulate a meaning or an idea. So, if you learn this talent, you will be one step closer to realising your dream.
Should be familiar with information management and architecture software
You should conclude that this is not important. However, it is incredibly necessary in today’s digital world. If you are familiar with IT and design software, you may obtain great unanticipated opportunities. Furthermore, mastering modelling tools will ultimately help you improve your illustration skills because of the different features available. You may use various modelling tools, such as Freehand, Adobe Photoshop, and Illustrator.
They must be excellent negotiators
Since we all know how the world operates, freelance illustrators, like every other company, must be excellent negotiators while working with various customers. Everyone needs perfection, but no one wishes to pay for it. As a result, you must be able to discuss the correct price that you deserve. You should still refuse if they do not pay you appropriately and wait for better chances to present themselves.
Shall be able to comprehend a concept and translate it into a graphic
This is one of the most valuable skills to have. If you learn this, you will become the client’s pick and will be able to take on more assignments more quickly. The sole explanation for its need is that many freelance illustrators cannot make a living off it because they do not grasp the term or view it in an unsatisfactory manner.
Patience
As a freelance illustrator, you may have to work late hours and not be able to socialise, which may cause you to lose patience and become irritable. As a result, to deal with all of life’s ups and downs, you must be mentally stable.
Should be able to finish tasks on time
A freelance illustrator is a type of artist, and artists can often not create anything good in a given time frame. However, if you want to turn this into a company, you will need to learn how to keep track of deadlines. Consider a customer who is expecting your job and you fail to submit it on time. Will this make a good first impression? No, it does not.
Motivated
In the illustration industry, you have a timeline, time limits, and it is a continuous phase in which you may get tired after a certain amount of time. This will frequently lead to bad job results, but keeping yourself excited can help you rise exponentially. Motivational books, podcasts, animations, and sessions may be very beneficial.
Illustrators work as freelancers or as full-time employees. How Do They Work?
Outside of an advertising agency or publishing house, it is unusual to see an Illustrator in a full-time conventional job. Still, there are hundreds of freelance Illustrators waiting to be commissioned. Freelance illustrators develop their client base project by project, expanding their portfolio while keeping up to date with the new software and technologies and merging the two.
Illustrators start by figuring out the specifics of the project. This involves comprehending the nature of the craft and determining who the intended group is. If Illustrator is self-employed, they will negotiate benefits, both full- and part-time. Illustrators must be aware of their upcoming deadlines. Mostly, they would create a mock-up of the picture before beginning work on it and gain permission from the project’s stakeholders. It usually involves going back and forth to the drawing board to hammer out their customer proposals.
An Illustrator can also use software to create the artwork or scan in their drawings before painting and refining the final product. They can work in black and white or colour, with or without computers, and paint, pencils, or other drawing tools.
Graphic Designer
Graphic artists focus with graphic features and structures in order to provide a visual message/brand for a business in order to market a product or service. Study graphic design with Blue Sky Graphics and start your design career!
Illustrators, on the other hand, usually work for private clients such as comic book publishers, printing houses, and advertising firms. They do a lot of art, food box design, book drawings, company logos, and graphic novels.
What skills do you need to be a fashion Illustrator?
What skills do you need to be a fashion Illustrator?
In order to be a fashion Illustrator, you will need to be skilled in digital drawing and painting, as well as have a good understanding of fashion and the fashion industry. You will also need to be able to create high-quality renderings and illustrations, as well as have a good eye for detail.
PRO TIP: There are no specific skills required to be a fashion illustrator. However, it is important to have an eye for detail, as well as a good sense of proportion and perspective. A fashion illustrator should also be able to use a variety of mediums, including pencils, pens, markers, and paints.
Additionally, you will need to be able to work quickly and efficiently, and be able to handle multiple tasks at once.
Illustrator job profile
Illustrators create still drawings and images to communicate stories, messages or ideas, used in advertisements, books, magazines, packaging, greeting cards and newspapers
As an illustrator, you'll work to commercial briefs to inform, persuade or entertain a client's intended audience, adjusting the mood and style of images accordingly.
Many illustrators specialise in a particular design medium, such as drawing, photography or digital illustration.
This is typically a freelance role, so most illustrators are self-employed.
Types of illustrator
Areas of work include:
advertising - posters, storyboards, press
- posters, storyboards, press publishing - books
- books corporate work - brochures, catalogues
- brochures, catalogues editorial - magazines, newspapers and comics
- magazines, newspapers and comics fashion - forecasting
- forecasting merchandising - greetings cards, calendars, t-shirts and ceramics
- greetings cards, calendars, t-shirts and ceramics multimedia - TV, film, computer games, websites, apps and animation.
Specialist areas include scientific, technical and medical illustration. In these fields, illustrations showing new products, processes or techniques are created for text and reference books. For more information on these types of roles see medical illustrator.
Responsibilities
As an illustrator, you'll need to:
liaise with clients, editors and authors in order to understand and interpret their business needs
gain knowledge of appropriate styles
negotiate pricing and deadlines
analyse a brief's specification and the text to be illustrated, as well as research sources
think imaginatively and creatively to produce new ideas
create images and designs by using the traditional hand skills of drawing and painting, alongside other techniques, to meet design briefs
use computer-aided design (CAD) packages to scan images and change size, colours and other elements
provide roughs for approval
redefine a brief through further consultation with the client to include new ideas or text as appropriate
run your business, when working freelance
speculatively approach potential commissioners to seek new sources of work
work within a set timescale, often to tight deadlines
create original pieces for self-promotion
research appropriate galleries to find suitable venues to exhibit work.
Salary
Most illustrators work on a freelance basis, so salary figures are hard to estimate. Prices vary greatly depending on the client.
You can find illustration and cartoon rates for magazines, newspapers, book covers and PR material at Freelance Fees Guide.
If you're a member of the Association of Illustrators (AOI), you can access a pricing calculator in addition to a wealth of information on pricing basics, how to calculate a fee and negotiating pricing.
Starting salaries for illustrators are in the region of £18,000 to £20,000. In London, starting salaries are higher - around £23,000.
As an experienced illustrator with several years' experience, you may earn £20,000 to £30,000 a year.
Well-established illustrators may earn up to £40,000 or more.
Freelance work, usually paid per illustration, tends to be more lucrative than working for an employer. Illustration agencies take between 25-35% commission, while literary agents take 15%. Some illustrators also sell work through stock houses, which take a substantial commission.
Income figures are intended as a guide only.
Working hours
To establish and maintain your reputation, you must keep to deadlines. This may mean working long hours, weekends and/or evenings to deliver a brief.
What to expect
Design studios occasionally employ illustrators on a permanent basis, but the majority of illustrators are freelance, working from home or a small studio and negotiating sales via an agent or directly with clients.
Some illustrators soon discover a market for their talents and so receive many commissions, while others may have many rejections before securing work. Your workload could fluctuate, from no commissions to too many.
Pay may be low and irregular, according to the state of the market. Earnings during the first years may be patchy and many illustrators take on additional part-time jobs.
Jobs are available in most areas but proximity to a city is an advantage, especially for illustrators without an agent.
There will sometimes be travel within a working day to meet clients, but absence from home at night and overseas work or travel are uncommon.
Qualifications
Although this area of work is open to all graduates, the following subjects may increase your chances:
fashion
fine art
graphic design and illustration
printmaking
visual art.
Entry without a degree, HND or foundation degree is possible.
While you don't need a pre-entry postgraduate qualification, a postgraduate diploma or MA in graphic design or illustration may be advantageous - especially if you're interested in teaching. Search for postgraduate courses in illustration.
Qualifications and subject of study are far less important than a talent for illustration, promotional skills and the ideas contained in your portfolio.
If you don't have any published work yet, you should create a portfolio demonstrating your ability to work to a brief. This might include designs for a book cover, a set of illustrations for a well-known book, a series of greetings cards, CD covers or illustrations for a car manual.
Skills
To embark on a career as an illustrator, you need:
the ability to market your skills and promote your work
determination
professionalism
imagination
knowledge of computer-aided design (CAD) techniques and printing processes, including computer graphics
research skills
the capacity to produce work in a variety of multimedia formats.
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Employers
Most illustrators work as self-employed freelance artists, although areas such as trend forecasting (fashion) and computer games companies offer a limited number of opportunities for full-time employment.
To secure commissions, you'll need to promote your work to art directors, publishing editors and design studio managers. Organise an appointment to show your (targeted) portfolio or picture library to clients who are likely to use your work and leave a business card or send samples of your work in advance.
Identify potential clients using resources such as the:
Publishers Association member directory
The Publishing Directory - listings of UK publishing commissioners (AOI)
UK Children's Books - publishers
Writers' and Artists' Yearbook
Many illustrators use agents to secure commissions. They will look at your portfolio, advise clients and try to secure work for you, although this will be at a cost - a percentage of your fee.
Lists of agents are available from the AOI.
Investigate and take advantage of business start-up schemes to set up a studio and establish sound working practices. Join the AOI or a local group. Develop necessary business and management skills by researching or taking short courses, many of which are free.
It may also be possible to advertise your work directly via directories such as the Creative Review directory.
Advertising agencies and design consultancies can provide lucrative work. Corporate communications remains a viable market for illustration, although it's a competitive area and some firms will use in-house design solutions to keep costs low, rather than turning to freelancers.
Another significant market is the children's book industry, which can be especially lucrative and satisfying if you have a talent for writing as well as illustrating. For exclusive interviews with industry professionals see
Other markets include:
animated commercials, animated television shows and short films
billboards
film posters
fine art posters
government information services (including health and education)
greetings cards
packaging.
Look for opportunities at:
Illustrators can also be represented by specialist illustration agencies such as Folio illustration agency and the Central Illustration Agency.
Professional development
If you gain a good honours degree, you may choose to undertake further study at postgraduate level before starting full-time work. Courses last from one to three years and may be followed part time while you're developing freelance work.
Most postgraduate degrees include a series of studio-based modules, self-directed learning and individual research, as well as professional practice.
Studying at postgraduate level may offer the opportunity to specialise in areas such as:
children's book illustration
medical illustration
sequential design and illustration.
Evening classes, competitions and workshops, such as those offered by D&AD, are a great way of keeping your portfolio up to date and varied. They may also potentially generate extra exposure.
Membership of the AOI is useful and provides members with access to a range of resources and events to help build their business. They also run a mentoring scheme for illustrators in the first three years of their career.
It's useful to consider part-time training to update your skills in using computer-aided design (CAD) packages, such as Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop and QuarkXPress. This may help generate more work. A good knowledge of digital media and web marketing skills is also helpful.
Your business skills are as important as your creative skills. Short self-employment courses can be useful for understanding all aspects of business and marketing.
Career prospects
On average, it takes illustrators around five or six years to build a reputation and become established in the industry.
Setting up as a freelance illustrator is risky so you may decide to build up contacts and clients gradually, while doing other paid work.
Most illustrators remain as freelance illustrators and may enjoy a highly successful career. Some will successfully combine illustration with teaching. Others may progress from freelance illustrator to art director with a firm of publishers, and a small number may work as agents for other illustrators.
The AOI is staffed by practising illustrators and provides help and advice to its members, including advice on career development issues.
As a member, you'll receive a regular newsletter, the opportunity to attend seminars on useful issues, help with your portfolio, and advice on invoicing and pricing. There is also an online discussion board covering all areas of practice. You'll also be included in their directory of members, alongside examples of your work, which can be a good source of future commissions.
Find out how Anh became an illustrator at BBC Bitesize.
