You have finished your project – the words are crafted perfectly, the flow is there, the tone is just right, and your audience will love it. Now you are ready to hire an illustrator to create harmonious art to match your words and your vibe; let’s go!
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Hire an Illustrator to Work the Magic
You have probably worked very hard in creating your project. Maybe it’s a children’s book or a corporate brochure or even a website. Whatever it may be, illustrations are going to enhance and bring it all together. An illustrator can work his or her magic to enhance your work, break up the text, add visual charm, and complete your tone. The key is to get your illustrator to match and complement your vision.
Sure you could probably pull some art off of the Internet, maybe create some of your own, or even use your company’s art if it’s corporate work. But how much better will professional, individual, personalized art be? That can be the final part that brings your work all together. And when you hire an illustrator, you’re on the way.
Like anything, when you outsource part of your work, make sure to find someone to match your vibe. That means you have to know it, too. When your illustrations complement your text, the magic will happen. Your work can come alive, be dynamic, and enthrall your audience right away.
Even Before You Reach Out to an Illustrator
Children’s books aren’t the only things illustrators work on. They can create art for any project, and when you work with an illustrator, you can get just what you’re looking for. Think about your corporate newsletter. Would more people pay attention to it if it had some eye-catching art to grab that attention? Maybe your website or blog could use some great illustration to jazz it up and improve your branding. An illustrator can help here, too.
But even before you hire an illustrator, do a little introspective work. Take a look at what you want your illustrations and art to convey. Think about your message and your brand. An illustration can enhance your tone and vibe, but it could also shift it. Illustrations and art will be what your audience sees before they read anything, so they have to not only capture attention but also represent your work.
Ask yourself this
A good idea is to ask yourself questions like these before you even hire an illustrator:
- Is this art for use electronically or art for hard copies?
- Do you want digital art or traditional illustrations?
- What mood do you want your illustrations to represent?
- Is this representing your brand, and if so, what do you want it to say?
- Think about colors and genres of art.
- What about the size and some dimensions?
- Do you want this to be reusable, as in branding, or will it be for one specific project, like a book or article?
The more you know ahead of talking to your illustrator, the better off you’ll be set for getting the designs you want. NPR shares these questions to answer to help in your search for a story:
Before you start searching for an artist, you need to have a handle on your story. What is it about? Who are the characters? What’s the tone? What’s your deadline? These details will help your illustrator as they start to compose images.
Then comes some logistical things to think about when you want to hire an illustrator. What’s your deadline? Your budget?
Then it’s time to start looking and reaching out.
How to Hire an Illustrator
Once you’ve got some idea of what you want, your budget, and your deadline, it’s time to start reaching out to illustrators, whether through individuals or companies. So how do you find them in the first place?
There are a few different ways to go about this. Have you seen some art recently that you fell in love with? You could contact the illustrator who created it directly. You can also look to a freelance site like Fiverr, or contact a site that specializes in illustrator, like BunnyStudio. Some people will prefer one way or another and will find what works best for them. Here’s a little overview of each:
Independent Illustrator
These illustrators work on their own. You will contact them, talk details, negotiate, and approve the work. Some people like this as there is a wide variety of budgets and experience; they can also find a local illustrator and meet directly. The personal aspect of it can be a draw. Others don’t like the negotiation part or handling the other details.
Freelance Site
A site like Fiverr or Upwork lets you choose the illustrator based on certain criteria. Again, you’ll find a wide variety of cost and experience. Prices are pretty well set here. You’ll have a lot of variety of choose from, and usually, the illustrators will pitch to you and you’ll make the final choice.
Illustration Service
A service like our own BunnyStudio is a great option for finding an illustrator. You’ll work with a team and explain what you are looking for. Your work is guaranteed and you know you’ll be working with a reputable professional.
Whichever way you go, think about how much negotiation and background checking you want to do. Would you rather have this taken care of or do you like to handle these parts of it, too? You could even check out a few different ways and see where you feel most comfortable.
Now what? Share your details! Whether it’s through a questionnaire, an email, a Zoom call, share as much as you can about your project, yourself, and what you’re looking for. The more information you can give, the better your match will be.
Some Specific Projects
With a wide variety of projects that need illustrating, let’s look at some and the specific needs you’ll be looking for. We can look at how to hire an illustrator for a children’s book, an article, a newsletter, and more.
Children’s book
If you have written a children’s book, you need illustrations. If you are having a publishing agency publish your book, they’ll take care of an illustrator, but if you’re going self-publishing, it’s on you. You know that adage you can’t judge a book from its cover? Well, it’s not really true, is it? A cover illustration, and those inside, can dictate a lot about your book. Think about it. Here’s your story, it’s a lovely one about a young girl walking in the woods and finding adventures. How are black and white graphic drawings going to set the tone differently from colorful, light illustrations? You can have the same story and a hugely different vibe depending on your illustrator. Make sure you get the one that will illustrate the story as you see it, not how they do.
Business illustrations
Think about your website, your packaging, your business correspondence, both internally and externally. Anything that has to do with your business should have some sort of illustration. Even if it’s an ad on social media. If you aren’t good at that or want something besides your logo, speak to an illustrator. An illustrator can create your logo, by the way. An illustrator can keep everything cohesive with a complementary flow and make things lively and interesting. As businessillustrator.com says, Have a document that no-one reads? …turn the key insights into a highly shareable visual piece (comic, animation, narrative infographic, etc).
Personal promotion
Maybe you want some cool illustrations for your blog. Do you know those minimalist drawings that everyone loves right now? Or you want some visually pleasing business cards or your website turned up. The possibilities are endless for illustration, and the better the illustrations are, the more your audience will love them and be drawn to you.
Whatever your purpose, make sure your illustration reflects you. Work with someone who will take the time to personalize your illustrations and give you what you want.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Illustrator?
This can be a tough question to answer because so much can vary. For instance, take a look at these variables:
- how many illustrations do you want – a book full or just a logo?
- do you want digital or traditional?
- will you have the rights to your illustrations or will the illustrator maintain them?
This article shares some of the variables and considerations when it comes to the cost of hiring an illustrator. Here are some ballpark figures they list, but things like location and speed of the project can also dictate the cost.
- A logo design will typically cost between $200 and $1000
- A newsletter design will typically cost $1,000 and up
- A corporate package is $250 and up (includes business cards, letterhead, etc.)
- Promotional illustrations such as brochures can cost $1,500 and up
You can see there is a pretty broad range, so it is up to you to figure out what you can pay, what you’d like to pay, and what you can get. Remember, illustrators with different experience and backgrounds will charge different rates, and services will have illustrators at different price points to choose from. Just like with design, you’ll find lots of pricing options.
Remember, though, you will have to incorporate illustration into your budget if you are looking to create the best project you can. People like their visuals and paying a professional will ensure you are getting good work.
The Bottom Line of Hiring an Illustrator
Consider this, would a young child want to read a picture book with no pictures? Would you want to read a blog with no visuals, just text? How much more are you drawn to a profile with a great illustration than just black and white words? Illustrations can bring your piece to life, capture your audience’s interest, and convey emotion and tone.
When you are ready to hire an illustrator, find one to fit your needs. It’s a great place to set your work apart from others and a strong illustrator can help you do this. Let us help if we can. Contact us at BunnyStudio – we’d love to chat!
