Illustrator
Create visuals for print and digital media.
Job opportunities
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Jobs in Jobstreet right now
Job growth
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In the last year
Salary
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Typical monthly salary
Job satisfaction
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Job opportunities
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Jobs in Jobstreet right now
Salary
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Typical monthly salary
Job growth
-
In the last year
Job satisfaction
-
What's it like to be an Illustrator?
Illustrators create artwork for a wide range of projects, including video games, children’s books, government commissioned murals, sketches for fashion design, and even police sketches for crime investigation. Illustrators create images with both traditional and digital media to complement and represent concepts and text publications. Unlike Graphic Designers who create visual communication and branding for corporate brands, Illustrators are more typically found in publishing houses, advertising agencies, and comic book companies.
Tasks and duties
- Interpreting written media such as stories, articles and comic books through visual images.
- Using various types of media such as pencil and paper, charcoal, watercolor, and graphic design to produce images.
- Liaising with content creators and writers to align accuracy of images to the concept.
- Revising, rehashing and replicating images as directed by superiors and clients.
- Attending brainstorming, briefing and presentation sessions.
- Coordinating budget and time limitations.
How to become an Illustrator
Illustrators are often selected according to the compatibility of their style for a certain project, as well as their familiarity with the mediums and software to be used on the job. Bachelor degrees are typically required for most corporate positions, although there is an increasing flexibility among smaller startups, freelance contractors and cultural organizations to select even self-taught or informally taught illustrators who demonstrate an ideal portfolio of work.
- Graduate with a degree in fine arts, visual communication, graphic design or another related field.
- Build a portfolio of illustrations through volunteer work, school events, art contests, commissions, and online submissions.
- Gain on-the-job experience through an internship in the creative department of a recognized company, an artist residency, or an apprenticeship with a master artist.
- Master illustration software such as Adobe Illustrator or Artweaver, and consider completing a training course for your chosen software.
- Develop a distinct style that serves as your main trademark and value proposition to prospective employers and clients. Examples of styles are watercolor, caricature, vector graphics, and many more.
Compare your salary
Find out how your salary compares with the average salary for Illustrators.
Latest Illustrator jobs on Jobstreet
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Skills and experience employers are looking for
Having the right skills and experience can make you an in-demand applicant. Illustrator employers on Jobstreet are looking for job seekers with expertise in the following areas.
Source: Jobstreet job ads and Jobstreet Profile data
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