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Illustrator : Salary and conditions

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  1. Job description
  2. Salary and conditions
  3. Entry requirements
  4. Training
  5. Career development
  6. Employers and vacancy …
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Case studies

  • Most illustrators work freelance, so salary figures are hard to estimate. Examples of freelance rates can be found on the NUJ Freelance Fees Guide  website. The a-n: The Artists Information Company  website has an interactive artist's toolkit which helps artists calculate how to price their work in order to generate a reasonable income.
  • Range of typical starting salaries for illustrators: £14,000 - £19,000 a year.
  • An experienced illustrator with several years' experience may earn £20,000 - £30,000 a year.
  • Well established illustrators may earn up to £40,000 or more a year.
  • Design studios occasionally employ illustrators on a permanent basis, but the majority of illustrators are freelance, working from home or a small studio and negotiating sales via an agent or directly with clients.
  • Freelance work, usually paid per illustration, tends to be more lucrative than working for an employer, but agents may take up to 40% commission. Some illustrators also sell work through 'stock houses' who may take a substantial commission.
  • Luck plays a part. Some illustrators soon discover a market for their talents and so receive plentiful commissions; others may have many rejections before securing work. Workloads may fluctuate, from none to too much.
  • Pay may be low and irregular, according to the state of the market. Earnings during the first years may be patchy and many illustrators take part-time jobs.
  • There are currently more women than men working in this area.
  • Jobs are available in most areas but proximity to a city is an advantage, especially for illustrators without an agent.
  • Keeping to deadlines is imperative to maintain a good reputation, and this may sometimes result in working long hours during weekends or evenings to deliver a brief.
  • There will sometimes be travel within a working day to meet clients, but absence from home at night and overseas work or travel are uncommon.
 
AGCAS
Written by AGCAS editors
Date: 
December 2010
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