What does an Illustrator do?
Illustrators work in various industries, such as motion pictures, architecture, publishing and medicine, to complete projects for their employer. Some Illustrators work on a freelance basis and are commissioned by clients to create illustrations for varied projects. They take a concept, idea or message and turn it into a two-dimensional image, which conveys the ideas and emotions without the need for additional explanation. While creating images accounts for a large part of their day, Illustrators also meet with clients, handle budgets and work with marketing professionals to complete projects.
Illustrator skills and qualifications
To be successful, an Illustrator needs a variety of prerequisite skills and qualifications, including:
- Advanced skills in a variety of artistic mediums
- Strong communication skills to understand what clients need
- A portfolio of previous illustration projects to show their artistic skills and style
- Experience using various illustration software
- Strong conceptual skills
- Excellent time management skills with a deadline-driven approach
- Negotiation and persuasion skills
- Problem-solving skills to create the results the client wants
Illustrator experience requirements
Successful Illustrators have years of experience creating art. Prior work experience as an Illustrator or Designer is often a requirement when hiring an Illustrator. All Illustrator candidates should have a robust portfolio of their previous work, whether they’re paid projects, personal designs or illustrations created as part of coursework. The artistic skills of a candidate is often more important than how many years of experience they have.
Illustrator education and training requirements
There are no universal minimum education or training requirements for Illustrator careers. However, many Illustrators have a bachelor’s degree in an artistic field, such as fine arts or graphic design. Some Illustrator positions might require a degree in a related field. For example, a company hiring a Medical Illustrator may want candidates to have some type of medical degree or training.
Illustrators may earn additional certifications related to the field. For example, they can become an Adobe Certified Professional after taking an exam related to Adobe Illustrator. There’s also an option to become a board-certified Medical Illustrator with the Certified Medical Illustrator designation, which requires passing a written exam and a portfolio review. While not required, these additional certifications can show a commitment to the field and advanced skills in illustration.
Illustrator salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for an Illustrator is $48,912 per year. The salary amount may vary based on candidate experience, the company and the type of illustrations created.
Illustrator salary expectations
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Common salary:
53641.93 YEARLY -
Typical salaries range from
14000.00 -122000.00 YEARLY - Find more information on Indeed Salaries
*Indeed data –
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Illustrator job description FAQs
What is the difference between an Illustrator and an Animator?
While an Illustrator creates drawings and graphics for different types of print media and commercial products, Animators take illustrations and animate them to make them look like they’re moving. Animators typically create these moving graphics for things like movies, TV shows and games.
What are the different types of Illustrators?
There are many types of illustrators based on what they create images for. Some examples include:
- Editorial Illustrators for newspapers, magazines and journals
- Comic book Illustrators
- Product Illustrators for packaging artwork and promotional materials
- Children’s book Illustrators
- Storyboard Illustrators for TV shows, movies, video games and other productions
- Concept art Illustrators
- Fashion Illustrators
- Medical Illustrators for textbooks, magazines and other medical publications
What qualities make a good Illustrator?
Creativity and imagination are crucial for qualities for Illustrators. They need to not only have strong artistic skills, but they need to be able to understand what clients want. Illustrators have to balance their own creative vision with the requests and visions of their clients. Being adaptable and willing to change their original ideas to meet what the client wants is important.
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