A Match Made In Drawing Heaven

How To Hire An Illustrator In 5 Easy Steps

Have you ever wondered “how do I hire an illustrator?” or “how can I hire you, and what’s your process if I do?”.

It can be tricky deciding who to choose, knowing how much an illustrator costs – like their hourly rate, how to go about getting in touch once you’ve found one you like, and knowing what sort of information would be helpful to provide to make a start.

Ultimately you are looking for our help to bring your ideas for your project to life, and I want to work with you to create illustrations that are going to complement and enhance that project.

Illustration at its core is visual communication. When you get it right, it really is a match made in drawing heaven! It should be a creative collaboration! I always enjoy chatting to people, hearing stories, and working on fun projects with great, like-minded creatives.

Below, I have broken down the process for you, and I’m going to share how you can get in touch with me regarding any project, big or small, what information we can discuss together and finally what steps to take before making a start.

This step-by-step guide should give you all the information you need, and clarify a few points such as illustration contracts, deadlines, and prices.

You can also use it as a framework for yourself if you’re new to freelancing and are looking for a guide to help you structure how you engage with clients.

1. Reach Out And Get In Touch With Me.

It really is that simple! This could be via the Contact form on my website here; or emailing me directly using my email address which is in the header on my website: contact@abbycook.co.uk; or via a direct message on my social media.

Remember, I am a person just like you! I like to think I am approachable, a good listener and friendly. Don’t be intimidated or worry if you know all the details or what specifically you might be after in the first instance.

Every enquiry is always welcomed, and as an illustrator it’s my job is to be a good visual communicator, to ask all the right questions and help you, so we can work out what you can’t.

If you know exactly what you would like, you have the project outlined and ready to go, don’t delay and get in touch so we can chat about it. I can’t wait to hear from you!

If I feel I am not the right fit for you, or if I don’t have any space available in my schedule for you right now, that doesn’t mean we couldn’t work together in the future. I will always point you in the direction of another illustrator I think might work instead. I want you to succeed with your project and just because I might not be suitable (or more likely, if I am too busy with other clients to accommodate), that doesn’t mean our communication will stop. Always keep in touch!

2. Discuss Key Information About Your Project

The more information I have about your project the better. When you are looking to hire an illustrator, having key information is paramount.

This can include things like the following:

• Size and number of illustrations

• The use of the illustrations

• How long they will be used for

• Where they will be used

This helps me consider the type of licence(s) you might need, and it also helps me to quote more accurately.

An example could be:

You are looking to hire an illustrator for a food magazine editorial, the information to gather to discuss with me would look like:

• x1 quarter page illustration in colour - a lifestyle scene of a kitchen

• x4 spot illustrations in black and white - individual ingredients

• 6 months usage - (i.e., as long as the magazine is on the shelf before the next issue is released)

UK/National magazine.

Don’t worry too much if the initial email or chat is just bullet points of information. It does make it easier to receive all the details a client can give me in the first instance, but I appreciate (and have worked with clients before where) the project is more of an idea, or they need some preliminary work first, for example.

The reason I ask for as much information as possible is because it helps with accurate quoting, and gives my clients assurance that I can do everything they have asked of me in the first instance.

It also aids my questions! If I know the details, I can go through them and ask any questions I may have. Even at this early stage, the devil really is in the detail!

3. Details, Details, Details

We can then chat about other information such as: brand guidelines that I might have to consider, the specific intended use(s) for the illustration(s), whether you want a licence or whether you are commissioning an original piece of artwork, the specific size of the illustration(s), and the quantity of illustrations needed if appropriate.

Sometimes these details are known in advance, but other times they can be found through discussion. When hiring an illustrator, our processes tend to be more thorough than, say, a fine artist who is exhibiting at a gallery.

My process is very thorough, and my attention to detail is very high, it’s part of my nature. I also don’t skirt around things, if I want to know something, I will ask politely and will likely be a few steps ahead as well.

We work with a wide variety of clients and projects, and we adapt to our clients’ needs. To adapt correctly and accordingly, getting as much information as possible is always the key.

You might also find that, at this stage, further ideas about your project come to light you might not have considered. I have had this scenario a few times, and it is exciting to be part of that discussion.

Sometimes not all options are viable due to costs or time. But I always like to chat about options for my clients, budgeting the necessary first, and maybe in the following 6 months to a year we can come back to the project and add some more. There are always options, and I am always happy to discuss them. Don’t be afraid to ask!

Additionally, if you like the style of my work but can’t necessarily see an example of what you might be after, please ask if I have something I can show you. I can’t put every single piece of work on my website, so it is likely I do have additional pieces I can show that are relevant.

Just a note though - I will not do any work in exchange for ‘exposure’ or the promise of additional work later on, instead of payment with actual money. That is not standard or accepted practice for our industry.

4. Confirmation

When we are happy with all the elements - a full brief, licencing, deadlines, and agreed fee - we can go ahead and you can officially hire your illustrator!

There might be a few things to confirm such as final deadlines, if there are any interim deadlines - for roughs or initial sketches for example - and payments.

Often, I invoice once the project is complete. However, sometimes, I need to ask for a purchase order number in advance so I can add that to my invoice, and submit it as soon as the project is finished and the illustrations have been signed off.

There have also been some projects where I have asked to split the payments across several milestones. For example, splitting the invoice in half where I submit 50% of the final fee once the roughs have been confirmed, and then the remaining 50% on completion of the project. Some projects are months in the making, and as a freelance illustrator, making sure I have a good cash flow is important for my business.

5. Finally, Sign A Contract, And Let’s Start Illustrating!

Once a contract has been signed, we can make a start on your project. That is the exciting part! I know that often, mentioning the word ‘contract’ or ‘commissioner agreement’ can seem a bit intimidating and overtly formal, but it is standard practice for freelancer illustrators, artists, and graphic designers.

I’ve mentioned this before, a few times in fact, but I am a member of the Association Of Illustrators (AOI). An organisation set up to support freelance Illustrators and the wider Illustration industry here in the U.K. They have further information on Illustration practice, contracts, licensing and copyright, and can help you directly and support you through any queries you may have.

There you are - how to hire an illustrator, what to ask, what information you need, and how to get in touch. Hiring an illustrator should be an easy and collaborative process, and hopefully with these 5 steps I have made it accessible for you.

If you would like to get in touch with me about a project, you can email me here. As I said before, don’t worry if you don’t have all the details yet. Let's start the conversation first - I look forward to receiving it in my inbox and hearing about your ideas!

Until next time,