Above all, illustrators are creative with excellent artistic skills. You also need to be able to work within an agreed time frame and meet deadlines. Being able to work to a brief is equally essential. Communication skills are important you need to be able to discuss what is needed with clients. Key skills for illustratorsįreelance illustrators have to be keen networkers to build up a number of contacts and have good business skills. Progression can be achieved through specialising in a particular area. It is essential to prepare a sound portfolio of work that can be used to demonstrate abilities. However, aptitude, relevant experience and artistic abilities are generally considered by employers to be more important than qualifications. Postgraduate courses may be beneficial and are available in subjects such as children’s book illustration, medical art, graphic design and illustration. There are routes into illustration for both university graduates and school leavers.Īlthough there are no formal academic requirements for entry into the profession, fine art, illustration and graphic design qualifications may be helpful. Read more on making speculative applications. Vacancies appear in the online and print versions of publications such as Design Week and Creative Review.įreelance illustrators can register with the Association of Illustrators to be added to its database or they can contact potential clients directly via the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook. Illustrators may be employed by design consultancies, advertising agencies or publishers. While graphic designers work on the bigger picture, eg page layout, illustrators do more drawing, though there can be some overlap between the two, particularly when working for a smaller employer.
Most illustrators are self-employed, running their own studios or working from home. What does an illustrator do? Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills