What companies hire illustrators?

Companies in illustration, video gaming, and animation hire illustrators. Design Garden and Studio MH hire illustrators to create new designs and draw different things based on specific recommendations from clients. This is a very common path for many illustrators.

How To Become A Graphics Illustrator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a graphics illustrator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Abby Guido

Graphic illustrators are creative professionals who create visual content for printed or digital media publications. They work closely together with clients and the members of their team, using their artistic skills for advertising or marketing purposes.

You will be hired to use your imagination. The clients' ideas and copywriters' words and slogans will be your starting point, as well as sketches and other visual pointers. You will transform these into images creating drawings or other visuals by hand and with the help of creative image editing software and other technologies. You have to master various styles and mediums and deliver work within set deadlines that align with the demands of the client. You will be expected to communicate your progress and make adjustments as the client sees fit.

A degree in fine arts might be required of you if you want to land this position. You will need to have a portfolio of works to prove your experience and skills. Being familiar with the use of computer-aided design and image editing software will also be necessary. You will have to communicate your artistic concepts clearly, work with the team efficiently, sometimes under pressure, to deliver materials on time.

What general advice would you give to a graphics illustrator?

Abby Guido

Assistant Professor, Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University

We've all heard the buzz about networking, and there is so much buzz because it works. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is both up to date and active. Connect with all of your past professors, classmates, and anyone and everyone you meet in a professional setting. I often tell students to get into the habit of searching for any classroom guests, or guest lecturers, to connect, thank them for their time, and build their network. Share content. Write articles, or reshare those you find interesting.

Every job I have ever received in my career has been through someone else I know. I share this with students to help them see the value in relationships. I always remember the students that took the time to write a handwritten thank-you note. And I think of them when I get an email asking if I know any students are looking for work.

ScoreGraphics IllustratorUS Average

Salary

5.1

Avg. Salary $64,943

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.2

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.37%

Asian 10.42%

Black or African American 3.42%

Hispanic or Latino 10.63%

Unknown 4.99%

White 70.17%

Gender

female 47.06%

male 52.94%

Age - 37

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 37

Stress level

4.2

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.5

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.9

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a graphics illustrator

Explore graphics illustrator education requirements

Most common graphics illustrator degrees

Bachelor's

70.1 %

Associate

17.2 %

Master's

5.4 %

Start to develop specific graphics illustrator skills

Skills	Percentages
Adobe Photoshop	13.90%
Graphic Design	8.32%
Adobe Indesign	8.21%
Sketch	6.85%
Web Design	6.77%

Complete relevant graphics illustrator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New graphics illustrators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a graphics illustrator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real graphics illustrator resumes.

Research graphics illustrator duties and responsibilities

Lead the development and execution of several overhead presentations, advertising design, brochure marketing, and desktop publishing initiatives.
Involve in developing HTML and JavaScript for client side presentation and, data validation on the clientside with in the forms.
Create computer graphics and animation.
Proofread catalogs, ads and packaging.

Prepare your graphics illustrator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your graphics illustrator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a graphics illustrator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable graphics illustrator resume templates

Build a professional graphics illustrator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your graphics illustrator resume.

Apply for graphics illustrator jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a graphics illustrator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first graphics illustrator job

Jacqueline Alvarez

Graphics Illustrator

My passion for creating artwork began when I was five years old. Art held significance to me in a way that creativity has enabled me to express myself that cannot be communicated through words.

My name is Jacqueline Alvarez and this is my story about how I became an illustrator. In Chicago, I received my BFA degree in animation from DePaul University. Along with a double minor in illustration and drawing. I attended the School of Art Institute of Chicago during high school for the pre-college program. My mother brought me coloring books and animated movies which helped me learn about art. By incorporating color into coloring books, it made me feel calm and relaxed. Furthermore, when I watch animated films I become fascinated by the characters who were brought to life through drawings. At the time, I was unaware of the possibility of pursuing a career as an animator or illustrator until high school, when I initiated research into the academic field I aspired to pursue in college. However, I did what I could to improve my art by practicing with pencil and paper every day. I had the support of my classmates, teachers, family, and friends who expressed their admiration for my drawings. Their words were an inspiration to me and gave me the strength to keep going.

One of my paintings was part of the exhibition at SAIC in 2019. Now I’m a published illustrator for the children's books in the multi-award-winning Nurse Florence series. I have a passion for creating drawings that incorporate elements of nature and integrate complementary colors. After graduating, I also began freelancing in illustration and making animation for clients. There has been a significant learning curve and numerous aspects that have proved to be challenging, but simultaneously, it has been enjoyable. I am grateful to those who supported me throughout my journey in order to get here.

How do graphics illustrators rate their job?

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Graphics illustrator reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2019

Pros

However for today's living we need food so, as that motion graphics is a great way in which people regularly needs graphics for each and every purpose.

Cons

Technical Issues