Hire expert illustrators in Chicago, US

How To Hire an Illustrator in Chicago, United States

To kick things off, choose what type of illustrator you need for your project.

Custom illustrators can be hired directly from the following pages:

• Children's book illustrators for hire
• Comic illustrators for hire
• Logo artists for hire
• Designers for hire

Next, it's time to start the hiring process:

Finding An Illustrator For Hire

Looking for illustrators might seem like a time-consuming affair.

Twine simplifies the process of looking for an illustrator by implementing a vetting process, matching clients to creatives through over 10 different criteria.

Here's a quick overview of how to hire an illustrator using the platform:

1. Post up a job, detailing the nature of your project
2. Wait for illustrators to pitch on your brief
3. Review your pitches and choose a candidate
4. Negotiate your terms
5. Sorted!

Tips For Writing Your Job Brief

Here's an interesting statistic:

60% of pitches for jobs online have been abandoned due to the application's length or complexity

Although Twine manually vets all pitches that a client receives, it's really important to make sure your brief is clear and concise to maximize the volume of high-quality pitches you receive.

By posting a clear and concise brief for your illustration, freelance illustrators will be able to quickly gain an understanding of your project and determine if they're a good match.

To maximize your chances of receiving high-quality pitches, make sure to include the following information within your job brief:

• Who you are

• What you require (and why)

• The size & scope of your project

• References of work you like

• Target audience

• Budget

• Deadline

If you'd like a more in-depth look at how to structure your project brief, check out our illustration project brief example .

How Much Does It Cost To Hire An Illustrator in Chicago, United States?

The cost of hiring an illustrator will vary significantly from project to project.

For example, if you wanted to hire an illustrator for a children's book, it would cost you a lot more than hiring a logo designer for a basic business logo.

Using the data from our network of freelance illustrators, here are the ranges you can expect for a day's work (7-8 hours):

Here are the price ranges in GBP:

How much does it cost to get a book illustrated?

Using the data from our platform, book illustration can vary from $80 to $2,000. The average price of a book illustration on Twine is $546.67

How much do illustrators cost per image?

Cheap illustrations can cost as little as $20, whereas more expensive pieces can cost as much as $450. Using the data from our platform, the average cost per image on Twine is $68.93.

In general, the more images you require, the cheaper the cost per image will be.

If you'd like a more thorough overview of illustrator rates, head over to our freelance illustration marketplace to view current listings, alongside our network of custom illustrators for hire.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why hire an illustrator?

Here's the thing:

As tempting as it might be to use stock art…

Your customers will spot it in an instant.

And do you know what they'll think?

They'll think you've taken shortcuts with your product.

You need an illustrator to produce original work if you want to showcase the time, effort and energy you've put into your work.

If that doesn't convince you, here are three further advantages of commissioning original illustration work:

Retain creative autonomy

Working with stock art can force you to compromise on your product in order to make the artwork fit. Hiring a freelancer lets you tailor the art to your product.

Stand out from your competitors

90% of information processed by the brain is visual. An original, eye-catching illustration is an excellent way of setting yourself apart from the competition.

Keep your costs down

Top-quality stock art is expensive, with many providers locking you into an extensive subscription plan. An original illustration will not only be far-superior in quality, but often more cost-effective than stock art.

What are the advantages of hiring a freelance illustrator over an agency?

Great question!

Here are the top three advantages of hiring a freelance illustrator over an agency:

Price point

With office space, employee benefits and set working hours, agencies have high overheads factored into their costs. Hiring a freelancer cuts out the middleman and provides you with a top-quality result at an effective price point.

Experience

Top-notch illustrators will often start their careers at an agency before moving on to freelance work. This makes freelancers some of the most experienced & knowledgeable professionals in the game.

Specialism

Most agencies target a broad market. Instead, many freelancers will specialize in a particular niche of illustration, such as children's books or album artwork. This allows you to choose a professional who lives and breathes your particular project.

What are you waiting for?

Twine is one of the best freelance sites for illustrators. Post a job now and hire an artist online in a matter of hours. You can also take a look at freelance illustrator's portfolios on the platform to see what our creatives have to offer.