How to hire an illustrator

In today’s visually driven world, text alone is insufficient to get audiences’ attention and interest.

Visuals in the forms of photographs and illustrations have an unparalleled ability to breathe life into stories and convey emotions. 

Whether you’re a novelist looking for a captivating book cover, a social media influencer looking to grow your following, or a business owner aiming to infuse your brand with visual magic, the journey begins by hiring a talented illustrator who has the right skills, such as attention to visual detail and proficiency with Adobe Illustrator, among others.

This comprehensive guide covers the basics of how to hire an illustrator and provides insight into the different types of illustrators there are, what they do, and the key skills that set them apart. 

We’ll also talk about how you can streamline your illustrator recruitment process with the help of skills-based assessments.

What is an illustrator?

Illustrators are visual storytellers who use images or illustrations to effectively convey complex ideas, emotions, narratives, or concepts to the audience. 

Illustrators use their artistic prowess to make the written content more engaging and memorable for readers. They add a visual dimension to the text that captivates audiences and helps communicate messages clearly.

Illustrators employ various techniques in their work and typically specialize in a single industry, depending on their expertise and preferences. 

Some common types of illustrators are:

• Traditional illustrators are masters of hand-drawn or painted art

• Digital illustrators use software like Adobe Illustrator to create digital artwork

• Concept artists visualize and develop ideas for films, video games, and other projects

• Children’s book illustrators craft engaging and enchanting visuals appropriate for young readers

• Scientific illustrators draft accurate depictions of scientific concepts, flora, and fauna

Illustrator vs. graphic designer

Though the roles of illustrators and graphic designers may sometimes overlap, especially in a corporate setting, each brings a unique set of skills and perspectives to the creative process.

Graphic designers work with text and images to communicate a specific message. They use composition, typography, layout, and color theory to create graphical elements for print, ads, websites, or user interfaces of applications. 

Their primary focus is to create a comprehensive and user-friendly visual dimension to a website or product by incorporating a wide range of design elements.

Illustrators, on the other hand, possess strong drawing and illustration skills and primarily create visual representations for different industries like publishing, entertainment, advertising, editorials and more.

Illustrator hard skills

Illustrators need a range of hard skills to be successful – and if you want to make the right hiring decision, you need to know what to look out for during the recruitment process.

Drawing and artistic skills

Drawing is the cornerstone of an illustrator’s craft. 

Illustrators use a range of techniques to create beautiful characters and images and add depth and dimension to their illustrations. They need to make the illustrations visually striking to capture the viewer’s emotions and convey complex narratives with subtlety.

Software proficiency

Illustrators must have mastery of digital illustration tools such as Adobe Illustrator or CorelDRAW. The tools offer precise control over shapes, lines, and colors and allow them to create vector-based illustrations. 

Proficiency in different software tools enhances illustrators’ efficiency and creative process.

Color theory

Colors evoke specific emotions that create visual harmony or contrast and influence how the audience connects with the artwork. 

Your next illustrator must have an excellent understanding of color theory to convey your brand’s image in a way that resonates with your vision.

Adaptability

You want illustrators who can adapt their style to each project and also work with changing requirements, if needed. 

From making whimsical illustrations for a children’s book to intricate concept art for video games, illustrators must be able to shift between various aesthetics and balance their personal artistic expression with client preferences.

Illustrator soft skills

To be successful in their role, illustrators need to communicate efficiently with team members, manage their time well, and have strong attention to detail. In this section, we’ll look at the most important soft skills each illustrator should have. 

Communication and empathy

Effective communication skills are necessary to understand your vision and translate it into images. For this, illustrators need to grasp your objectives and also be able to empathize with viewers; this helps them ensure that their artwork resonates on a deeper level.

Additionally, illustrators working in larger teams might need to communicate with team members on a day-to-day basis, which means they should have strong interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate effectively on shared projects.

Attention to detail

The illustrator must pay meticulous attention to detail to capture and transmit the subtle nuances of the organization’s vision and to ensure their work is error-free. 

A strong attention to detail enables illustrators to create visual sequences that guide the viewer’s eye, convey a message, and evoke emotional responses.

Time management

Artists sometimes tend to get carried away in their work, but for professional illustrators, adhering to project deadlines while maintaining the quality of their work is vital. They must be able to manage their workload and prioritize tasks in a way that enables them to deliver artwork on time.

Intuition and problem-solving

Illustrators should have a well-developed aesthetic sensibility and intuition and know how to address challenges during the creative process. You shouldn’t need to guide them at every step; instead, they need to use their intuitive understanding to make decisions regarding visual elements, composition, and color palettes.

Teamwork and collaboration

Illustrators often need to work with other members of the design team and integrate others’ design elements into their own images, or vice versa. Effective collaboration and teamwork ensure a cohesive final product that aligns with the project’s objectives.

How to test illustrator skills

Nowadays, you can find skilled illustrators in many places: They’re showcasing their skills on platforms like Instagram, making tutorials on YouTube, or teaching students through online courses.

With such a varied pool of candidates, hiring the best illustrator can be difficult. It is vital to assess the abilities of every candidate if you don’t want to spend days or weeks screening resumes and portfolios – or interviewing dozens of candidates. One way of simplifying your illustrator hiring process is by using pre-employment skills testing.

With TestGorilla, you can combine up to five different skills tests into a single assessment for evaluating a candidate. You can pick tests from our extensive test library based on your requirements for the role and shortlist those candidates who perform best. 

Here are our top suggestions for the tests you can use to evaluate your next illustrator’s skills:

• Adobe Illustrator: Assess applicants’ proficiency with Adobe Illustrator and their capacity to create visuals for print and web with this tool.

• Communication: Illustrators must be excellent communicators to understand your vision and brand image and collaborate with team members.

• Attention to detail: Identify candidates who pay close attention to visual cues and can transmit the subtle nuances of the organization’s image efficiently.

• DISC: Evaluate how candidates express emotions with the help of the four behavior types of DISC: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness.

• Time management: Illustrators should respect the time constraints and ensure artworks are submitted on time.

• Critical thinking: See whether your candidates can think on their feet and effectively interpret requirements.

Where to find illustrators

If you’re seeking the perfect illustrator for your project, we have good news for you: The creative world offers a lot of options to choose from. It comes down to whether you want in-house talent or want to work flexibly with freelance illustrators.

Each avenue has its own advantages and disadvantages, so you must carefully decide the project scope, budget, and level of collaboration required.

In-house illustrators

In-house illustrators are always available for a one-to-one discussion (be it online or face to face), brainstorming sessions, and feedback loops. 

They work closely with other teams of the organization, so they understand the brand’s visual identity better and can maintain consistency across its various representations.

Hiring a full-time illustrator also means adding one more person to the payroll. Salaries, benefits, and office space (or home office) costs can add up, so consider carefully if you have enough work to keep an employee busy.

You can find in-house illustrators by posting jobs on portals like LinkedIn, ArtStation, Indeed, and more. Art schools and universities are also great platforms for accessing emerging talent.

Freelance illustrators

If you decide to hire a freelancer, you get access to a global pool of illustrators with diverse styles, skills, and areas of specialization. You can hire them on a project basis and can assign multiple artists to a single project.

However, hiring an independent contractor might mean delayed communication and facing availability constraints. Freelancers usually work on different projects simultaneously and may not have an in-depth understanding of your brand’s identity.

Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr are helpful platforms for finding freelance illustrators. You can also leverage social media platforms like Instagram, Behance, and Dribble to discover artists resonating with your vision. More and more freelancers are active on LinkedIn, too, so that’s also an option worth considering.

Illustrator job description template

Position: Illustrator for [the type of industry or company, f.e. a health insurance company, a tech startup, etc.]

[Your company name] is looking for a talented illustrator to craft compelling visual narratives that resonate with our target audience, elevate our brand, and complement our visual identity. This position is ideal for a creative individual with a keen eye for detail and an aptitude for working within a large design team.

Responsibilities

As our next illustrator, you will: 

• Collaborate with various departments to understand their illustration needs and translate them into impactful visuals

• Design and create illustrations for various mediums, including marketing collateral, presentations, websites, and internal communications

• Adhere to and expand upon the established brand guidelines, ensuring consistency across all visual materials

• Review and make revisions based on feedback from stakeholders

• Stay updated with industry trends and emerging techniques to make sure our illustrations are modern and engaging

• Work closely with graphic designers, copywriters, and other creatives to develop cohesive visuals

• Work on multiple projects simultaneously

Qualifications

To be successful in this role, you need the following skills and qualifications: 

• A strong portfolio showcasing a variety of illustration styles and techniques

• [Number of years] of professional illustration experience, preferably in a corporate environment

• Proficiency in industry-standard design tools like Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and similar software

• The ability to understand and adapt to our brand guidelines and vision

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to articulate creative ideas and adapt to feedback

• Detail-oriented, with a passion for delivering high-quality work

• Collaborative mindset, with experience working in cross-functional teams

Why join us? 

We offer: 

• A salary range of [range] based on skills and experience and [description of benefits]

• Opportunity for professional growth in our marketing team

• Access to the latest tools and technology in design and illustration

• Collaborative and inclusive work culture

How to apply

[Describe your application process and mention skills tests if you'll be using those]

How much does an illustrator cost

Illustrators, just like professionals in any other creative domain, tend to earn within a vast range depending on their experience, illustration skills, project budget, creativity, location, storytelling abilities, and more. The more famous an illustrator is, the higher salary or fee they’re likely to demand.

According to Indeed.com, the highest earning illustrators can make up to $80 an hour or $85,466 a year as compared to $32 an hour or $34,203 a year earned by beginners. The average salary of an illustrator in the United States is $50.60 per hour or $54,067 per year.

This wide salary range illustrates the difficulty of defining a budget and making the best hire. For the same project, you might have applications from candidates who have vastly different experience and expectations. That’s why we advise setting a budget in advance and even including it in your job ad.

Illustrator interview questions

To evaluate illustrators' skills and experience, the first step is to use skills tests and look at portfolios. Once you identify your most promising candidates, you can invite them to an interview for a more in-depth assessment of their qualities, talent, and knowledge. 

Here are some sample interview questions you can use: 

1. Can you talk about a time when your work was pivotal in communicating a corporate message or campaign?

2. Describe a project where you had to illustrate a complex idea or concept. How did you approach it?

3. What role does research play in your illustration process?

4. How do you ensure consistency in your illustrations across various platforms and mediums?

5. How do you prioritize and manage multiple illustration projects with tight deadlines?

6. Describe a situation where your initial idea for an illustration was rejected. How did you pivot?

7. How do you adapt your style to fit a brand's guidelines?

8. How do you handle feedback or revisions from non-design teams or stakeholders?

9. How familiar are you with our company's brand and visual identity? How would you approach illustrating for us?

10. What tools and software do you use in your work?

11. What's the most challenging project you've worked on, and how did you handle it?

12. How do you keep your skills up-to-date and stay informed about the latest design trends?

If you need more inspiration, you can check out our 45 graphic design interview questions or 60+ interview questions for web designers. Although they’re for different roles, there’s an overlap between many of the questions you could ask to evaluate an illustrator’s skills.

Hire the best illustrator stress-free

According to research done by Zippia, more than 87,000 graphic designers or illustrators are currently working in the United States. Not to mention the artists you might find on social media who are freelancers or simply aren’t employed as illustrators.

So, finding the perfect match for your business in this sea of talent can be a tough challenge. 

An artist’s resume or portfolio in Behance or ArtStation won’t give you the full picture. How can you know if they’re good communicators, for example? Or if they know how to manage their time efficiently? 

The best way to find out is to use a skills assessment platform like TestGorilla. You can combine up to five different tests from the test library to create your own customized assessment and streamline your illustrator recruitment process.

Start your free trial of TestGorilla today to find the best illustrators out there – and hire faster and without bias.