Illustration

Illustrator Career Overview

Illustrators are the artists responsible for conceptualizing and creating images to represent the stories and ideas told through written word. Although they are most often thought of as the artists behind illustrations appearing in children's books and graphic novels, the work produced by illustrators is ubiquitous—appearing everywhere from the pages of newspapers and magazines, to medical textbooks, to corporate advertisements, to greeting cards and stationery products, to the digital graphics placed alongside written content on the web.

Although pencils and paint have historically been an illustrator's most frequent medium, an increasing number of illustrators are now beginning to put their artistic talents to work on the web, using digital tools to design images for online content. Whatever the medium, it is an illustrator's ultimate job to create a visual representation that both goes together with and enhances the written content on a page.

Illustrator Training & Education

While there are no formal education requirements to become an illustrator, the vast majority of those entering the field today have a degree in art or a related discipline, such as graphic design or animation. In addition, many illustrators choose to take courses in advertising, media, or publishing to get a leg up in a highly competitive industry.

Illustrators should have a fundamental knowledge of important digital art programs, including Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator, at the very minimum. For those who are not familiar with these technologies, beginners' courses are available online or at many colleges for a minimal fee.

In addition, professional illustrators should also have a portfolio of their completed work available to show prospective employers, along with a resume listing relevant career experience and information about past projects and satisfied clients.

Illustrator Career & Salary Outlook

Competition for illustration jobs is expected to rise in the coming years, as an increasing number of publishers begin using computer graphics programs to create their own designs and lessen their reliance on illustrators. Despite this, demand for professional illustrators who can work digitally is expected to rise through the year 2016, and the industry as a whole is expected to grow by 16 percent during that time, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The median annual salary of an illustrator (when grouped together with painters and sculptors) is $41,970, according to the BLS as of May 2006. This figure, however, may not tell the entire story, since the BLS also reports that 62 percent of artists in the field work as self-employed freelancers, and may not report their income on government surveys.

Illustrator Career Fields & Specializations

Book Illustrator: Book illustrators work with publishers and authors to create visual images to enhance the written word. It is important that a book illustrator works closely with the publisher to best determine what message he or she is trying to communicate before anything else. Although they are most commonly associated with children's books, illustrators are also used to create images for medical textbooks, cookbooks, self-help books, and graphic novels.

Editorial Illustrator: Editorial illustrators are responsible for the visual images seen in newspapers, magazines, periodicals, and on the web. These illustrations are oftentimes similar in style to those appearing in books, however editorial illustrators typically work on tighter deadlines and with more varied topics. To be successful in this field, editorial illustrators must be both witty and up-to-date on current events and newsworthy topics.

Commercial Products Illustrator: Unlike book and editorial illustrators, commercial products illustrators typically work closely with large corporations to create visual packaging for a number of products. Most commonly, they work together with a company's advertising department to create designs for packaging and textiles, along with the illustrations for greeting cards, calendars, and stationery.

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