7 Tips That Will Help You Grow Your Illustration Skills

  1. Cultivate a Daily Practice. Illustrator Leah Goran shows her early sketchbooks to show how daily practice helped her develop her style. …
  2. Keep a Sketchbook. …
  3. Get Inspired. …
  4. Create Your Own Briefs. …
  5. Make a Portfolio. …
  6. Evolve Your Style Over Time.

How do I start an illustration career?
How to Kick Start Your Career as an Illustrator

  1. Think about what kind of work you’d like to do. Most people I know start off in editorial illustration. …
  2. Get drawing. …
  3. Create a portfolio website. …
  4. Set your business up. …
  5. Share your work on social media. …
  6. Start hustling. …
  7. Make friends with other illustrators. …
  8. Get organised.

Also, What every illustrator needs?
10 awesome tools for illustrators this August

  • Lamicall Tablet Stand. The Lamicall stand works with a whole range of devices. …
  • Derwent graphic pencils. …
  • Prismacolor non-photo blue pencil. …
  • Strathmore 400 Series drawing pad. …
  • Staedtler Mars plastic erasers. …
  • Wacom Cintiq Pro 13-inch. …
  • Wacom Express Key Remote. …
  • Kensington cooling stand.

What makes a successful illustrator?

That requires self confidence and self knowledge. You need to know absolutely that you want to be an illustrator, if it’s just half an idea or a vague plan you won’t be able to stick at it in the long term. It’s your self belief and determination that will get you through the challenge of establishing yourself.

24 Related Questions and Answers

What are the qualities of an illustrator?


Illustrators need:

  • excellent drawing and IT skills.
  • to be able to work to a brief, solve problems creatively and adapt their style if needed.
  • creativity and imagination.
  • an eye for detail and design.
  • self-promotional skills.
  • self-motivation and the ability to work to deadlines.

What jobs can an illustrator get?

There are career options for illustrators in several different fields, including advertising and software development.




Jobs in illustration (plus nine other career ideas)

  • Animator. …
  • Graphic designer. …
  • Illustrator. …
  • Fashion designer. …
  • Painter. …
  • Architectural designer. …
  • Tattoo artist. …
  • Concept artist.

Can I be an illustrator without a degree?

The simple answer is: yes! You can become a freelance illustrator without an illustration degree. A lot of artists in the industry aren’t illustration graduates, and most clients will judge you by the quality of the work in your portfolio — not by the degree or diploma that you might or might not have on paper.

What education do you need to be an illustrator?

Most illustrators have at least an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, though it is possible to qualify for some entry level positions with only a high school diploma and exceptional drawing skills.

What computer do illustrators use?

Apple MacBook Pro 16”

Capable of running any and all art software on the Macintosh platform, and able to store the largest files and even complete portfolios and display that work with awesome detail, color and life, the Apple MacBook Pro is definitely the best Apple computer for artists in 2021.

What are the five illustration essentials?


5 Essential Illustration Tools

  • The Right Pencil. Pretty obvious right? …
  • The Right Pen. Just like having the right pencil comes down to personal choice so too does having the right pen to work with. …
  • Drawing Table. …
  • Scanner. …
  • Graphics Tablet.

How do you become famous in illustrator?


My top tips for becoming an illustrator:

  1. Don’t rush. …
  2. Work hard. …
  3. Don’t quit your day job (just yet) …
  4. Get industry advice. …
  5. Learn to compromise. …
  6. See yourself as a business. …
  7. Think about portfolio presentation. …
  8. Don’t be shy.

What is the role of an illustrator?

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. You’ll typically specialise in a particular design medium, such as drawing, photography or digital illustration.

Is illustrator a good career?

Although a career as an illustrator can be incredibly rewarding, it can often feel a bit like chasing your own tail. … Unlike a career in design, there is less repeat work for illustrators because it is often more niche. Being a freelance creative is a somewhat temperamental career, all be it a fulfilling one.

What’s a freelance illustrator?

A freelance illustrator, then, draws, or illustrates, for multiple clients. They’re self-directed, their own bosses and promoters, and tend to work on a per-job basis.

What are the top 5 careers?


Here are the best jobs of 2021:

  • Physician Assistant.
  • Software Developer.
  • Nurse Practitioner.
  • Medical and Health Services Manager.
  • Physician.
  • Statistician.
  • Speech-Language Pathologist.

How much money does an illustrator make?

Illustrators earned an average annual salary of $63,030 in May 2019, according to the BLS. Their salaries are highly contingent upon the size of their employers, experience and where they reside. Fifty percent of these fine artists’ salaries fell in the $32,400 to $74,110 per year range.

What skills do you need to be an illustrator?


Illustrator Skills Needed

  • Creative and imaginative with an eye for color, balance, and layout.
  • Able to create a drawing that expresses an idea or concept.
  • Excellent at drawing, sketching, and painting skills.
  • Solid on photography skills.
  • Familiar with IT and design software.
  • Great negotiators.

How do I get a job as a freelance illustrator?


Here are some of the best freelance sites and job boards you can use to find illustration and design jobs.

  1. Behance Jobs.
  2. Smashing Jobs.
  3. Dribbble Jobs.
  4. 99Designs.
  5. Indeed.
  6. Guardian Jobs (not remote)
  7. Simply Hired.
  8. Hire an Illustrator.

What skills do I need to be an illustrator?


Illustrator Skills Needed

  • Creative and imaginative with an eye for color, balance, and layout.
  • Able to create a drawing that expresses an idea or concept.
  • Excellent at drawing, sketching, and painting skills.
  • Solid on photography skills.
  • Familiar with IT and design software.
  • Great negotiators.

How much do illustrators charge per image?

Hourly rates for illustrators range from $25 to $100, and can be higher depending on the area of specialty and artist reputation. Nationwide, the average costs for an illustration project can range from $90 to $465, but larger projects will command higher rates, and every project is different.

How many years does it take to become an illustrator?

Individuals may take 4 to 6 years of education and training to become an illustrator. The requirements needed are the same as the requirement for craft and fine artists.

What skills does an illustrator need?


Illustrator Skills Needed

  • Creative and imaginative with an eye for color, balance, and layout.
  • Able to create a drawing that expresses an idea or concept.
  • Excellent at drawing, sketching, and painting skills.
  • Solid on photography skills.
  • Familiar with IT and design software.
  • Great negotiators.

What software do most illustrators use?

Adobe Illustrator is the industry standard for professional graphic design software. It works off vectors, these are points used to create perfectly smooth lines. This program is for creating and editing vector-based work such as graphics, logos, and other design elements.

What app do illustrators use?


So, read on for our pick of the best Android apps for creatives that you can download right now.

  1. Adobe Illustrator Draw. Adobe Illustrator’s best features in an Android app. …
  2. Sketchbook. …
  3. Adobe Photoshop Mix. …
  4. Infinite Design. …
  5. Adobe Photoshop Sketch. …
  6. Canva. …
  7. Adobe Comp CC. …
  8. ibis Paint X.

What are illustration programs?

A graphics program used for creating illustrations. It maintains an image in vector graphics format, which allows all elements of the picture to be isolated, moved and scaled independent of the others.

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