An 'Illustrious' Career"

By Sarah Jane Udall
Columnist

Let your designs and illustrations communicate a message or tell a story.

Introduction

Illustrators and technical illustrators conceptualize and create illustrations that represent an idea or a story through illustrated images. Illustrators may do drawings for printed materials such as books, magazines, and other publications, or for commercial products such as textiles, packaging, wrapping paper, greeting cards, calendars, stationary, and more. Illustrators may also create images, storyboard sketches, and moving illustrations for animated productions, television commercials, movies, comp uter games, or set and exhibit designs. Illustrators and technical illustrators use many different mediums, from pencil and paint, to digital formatting, to prepare and create their illustrations. As an illustrator, you will consult with clients in order to best determine what illustrations will best meet the story they are trying to tell, or what message they are trying to communicate.

Training

Most illustrators have a degree in illustration, or in a related field such as art, design, graphic design, or animation. Through training in one of these programs you will learn the basics of the illustration process, as well as have the opportunity to practice techniques that will help you to create and develop both two-dimensional and three-dimensional sketches or designs. You will learn about gesture drawing, layout design, perspective basics, and using computer-aided design software to create di gital illustrations. Through your training you will also be able to develop a portfolio of your completed illustrations, which will help you when looking for jobs in illustration.

Job Opportunities

There are many opportunities for jobs in illustration. As an illustrator or technical illustrator, you may find employment with magazines, periodicals, book and software publishers, manufacturers, advertising agencies, or working with various types of electronic media. You may also chose to specialize in a particular field such as commercial illustration, motion pictures, television, video game design, or digital illustration. Or you may decide to be a self-employed, freelance illustrator, and do work i n several of these industries on a contract basis.
Well-trained illustrators are and will continue to be in great demand, and are qualified to earn substantial salaries in their field. The average earnings for salaried illustrators are around $30,000 to $50,000, and up to $60,000 a year in the motion picture and print ad industries. Earnings for self-employed illustrators vary. Some charge only a nominal fee while they build a reputation for their work while other more established illustrators could earn more than salaried artists.

Author Bio

Sarah Jane Udall is a freelance writer currently living in New York City. Her previous experience includes working for Global Village Communications in Washington, D.C., and in the Creative and Development departments of VH1 and MTV networks as a production assistant, and a copy-writer, as well as doing script revision, press releases, and writing for an online newspaper. Sarah Jane holds a B.S. in Political Science and English Literature from the University of Utah.

Posted on: January 30, 2006

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An 'Illustrious' Career"

Introduction

Training

Job Opportunities

Author Bio