How to hire an illustrator: 8 Fundamental tips

DO YOU WANT SOME MIND-BLOWING ARTWORK FOR YOUR PROJECT, BUT YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO HIRE AN ILLUSTRATOR?

Whether you’re an excited author ready to bring your final product to life, a game developer seeking some knockout concept art, or an entrepreneur that needs illustrations to step-up your game. Here are 8 tips to navigate the process while seeking out the best illustrator for your needs:

1. Style

The first step in finding a suitable illustrator that will represent your work at an exceptional standard is to decide the style. There are various illustration styles to choose from, such as Watercolor illustrations, Pen-and-Ink illustration, and digital illustration. It would be desirable to select an individual that has previous work in the particular style you fancy.

Performing a little bit of research, and looking through an illustrator’s portfolio, will help you locate an artist capable of depicting your project in excellent quality with the style that you like.

However, to keep your options open, aim to hire someone who can illustrate a broad range, so you are not limited only to that one style. Ideally, find someone flexible and capable of illustrating a mixture of styles and compositions, showing both consistency and versatility.

2. Description

Decide specifically what your desired outcome will be to bring your project to life. With your end vision in mind, be willing to contribute as much detail and information possible to accommodate the artist in presenting you with exactly what you imagine.

If it is a book, provide the manuscript, so the context is included in the artwork, or if it is a different project give a detailed description including why you want the artwork and how it will be used. It is important to note that this step is crucial to obtaining an excellent result.

3. Communication

The key to success is communication. Find an artist that is genuinely interested in the project and on the same page as you. From your behalf, you need to be clear and precise about what you expect regarding the work and the deadline. The goal is a fabulous end product, and this will demand cooperation. At the end of the day, you want to walk away with illustrations that you feel proud of and consider attractive to your audience.

4. Plan

Depending on how big a project is, a considerable amount of planning is required. If an illustrator is professional they will usually present you with an outline of the process such as rough sketch, design of the character, more defined sketch e.t.c. In each of these stages, you will be able to give feedback and divert the artist towards an accurate path to portray precisely what you desire.

5. Dead Line

We recommend having smaller milestones with different stages of the project and one big deadline for the whole project to be completed. By having mini-deadlines, you will know when to expect an update and give feedback promptly to avoid delays in the work. It is best to set a reasonable time frame within a tangible deadline, so the quality of work is not compromised.

6. Budget – payment

Hiring an illustrator is no different from other industries, expect to pay the equivalent price for good quality work. Some alternatives can assist you in staying within your budget, for example, you can use less defined art at some points and more detailed art at other points you wish to emphasize.

Before initiating the project, make an agreement about the exact payment procedure of the project and establish the price, this helps in avoiding misunderstanding that could occur.

7. Contract

An essential tip is to have a contract with your illustrator, this provides security for both of you. In this contract, you should examine intellectual property rights and reach an arrangement. Unquestionably, get all the terms of the project in writing.

8. Where to search for illustrators

You might be wondering where you can locate an illustrator. There are many popular websites for hiring freelance illustrators online by simply searching on Google. You can also search on LinkedIn for artist profiles. Alternatively, list your job on a social media group and let them find you!

There is no shortage of astonishing artists, you will ultimately find the one.

Once you’ve found your dream illustrator, it’s time to chill out, while the work gets done for you, and all of your careful planning will pay off.

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