illustrator salary
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- _niko
how much can illustrators make?
any examples of high end illustrators who are bringing in big coin?I'm sure that someone like frank miller who started off in the comic industry years ago making 20-30k must be pulling in millions per year with all his work s in circulation plus all his movie rights etc.
how much would illustrators like these make?
http://www.thanuka.com/
http://www.sampaints.com/
http://ashleywoodartist.com/
- marychain0
Depends on how often you work and who you work for of course, but I know a bunch of freelance illustrators that are pulling about 50K - 60K a year when all is said and done
- robotron3k0
I think most illustrators hustle on project by project basis. There are full time illustrators that work inhouse for agencies doing storyboards and I would think they could bring in 6 figures if they work for a good size shop. And yes, probably the average is probably around 30-50k.
- arthur0
Freelance illustrators have much higher potential earnings than salaried. I've been an illustrator for 12 years. The first 5 or so years weren't so great, barely scratching 40k, but I was very disorganized. The last several years have been very good, but have worked me like a dog. Years fluctuate, but I average between 130k-180k, and I'm not tooting my own horn, just answering the question. I know the big guys make much much more.
This is done through sheer volume of work. I get some good jobs that pay great, but most pay average. I just do a lot of them. I billed over 90 jobs last year.
- WOWCorvo
- Deservedly so, Arthur.detritus
- thx detritusarthur
- indeed. and moreso respectable is your openness about your approach to us.9832892398
- Studiospooky0
I didn't want to answer for fear of sounding cavalier bu the figures mentioned here are very low. I started out in 2005 officially having done just one illustration project prior to that. I did six months earning nothing at all, then it steadily rose. The thing with illustration is you'll get a zillion little one day rush jobs... pieces of editorial, or treating bits of typography or whatever, and the client will pay a good set price or day rate for that. And then maybe three/four times a year you get a big project come in and those really boost the year end figure hugely, but even without those you'd be doing more than 50-60k.
- arthur0
I agree. I wish I could just handle a few big jobs a year, instead of tons of little ones, but I'd have to be a smarter businessman than I currently am.
Studiospooky, it sounds like you and I have had similar disappointments with representation.
- Studiospooky0
Ah, the old representation chestnut. Yes sir. I've had two agents so far and have concluded that they really are more trouble than they're worth in one way or another.
I too aim for the three or four big jobs a year... in fact when I blundered into this I naively thought that was exactly how it would be. Reality is; I spend most every day doing a small job for someone, getting well paid for my day's input, not having a single moment to think about doing any self-initiated work to explore new directions, and then when I get to the end of the year and think about putting my year's work online... its nought but a bunch of odd, one-off bits of client-driven twaddle that don't amount to anything.
Still, it keeps the wolf from the door.
Had a look at your stuff a few weeks back when I first saw you on here. Really good body of work. Nice and understated and seems to have the ability to bend itself across the spectrum of cool vs commercial.
Do you get much UK work, or do you look for it?
- arthur0
"Reality is; I spend most every day doing a small job for someone, getting well paid for my day's input, not having a single moment to think about doing any self-initiated work to explore new directions, and then when I get to the end of the year and think about putting my year's work online... its nought but a bunch of odd, one-off bits of client-driven twaddle that don't amount to anything."
My experience as well. I'm trying to do some self-motivated work now and I'm trudging through it. I seem to have a hard time to find the ability to self-direct. I know I'll find it around here somewhere. I used to conjure it with ease.
I get very little UK work, just a few pieces each year. I'd like more, but haven't yet made much effort to get my name around over there - I should. I admire your work as well, congrats on your success.
My work, I feel it leans more commercial than cool. A fellow illustrator described my work as infographic illustration, and I understand what he meant, though I'm not sure how I feel about that tag.
- Studiospooky0
I understand his infographic interpretation but there's more life and soul in yours than is covered by the term to my mind. Your stuff has a definite cool about it, no doubt. Its very 'art' too. I'm not sure what I mean by that and to say "Julian Opie" would be wrong and way off what I mean, but still... that sort of understated expression.
Anyho, I'm adding an illustrator's links page shortly so I'll stick you on it to up your UK presence a bit. I was anti links pages until I got sitemeter and discovered how many people come to my site via other illustrator's links pages... even people I've never heard of.. so now I'm very pro-links!
Its way past my bed time so I'm shutting down for the night.
Toodlepip.
- vague0
i dont believe for a single second that arthur makes 180,000 a year doing piecemeal tiny bs illustrations.
- arthur0
Well, that's your problem, vague.
I've made much more than that as well during some very good years, so go fuck yourself :)- Hear hear... a lot of status anxiety victims on QBN in my experience.Studiospooky
- marychain0
In all fairness. I just looked at Arthurs website.
I believe it.
- _niko0
i'll have to agree, there are photographers with 5, 10, even 20k day rates so why wouldn't an illustrator be worth even half as much?
- vague0
because he's just not that great. his illys are a dime a dozen.
look at someone like Joshua Smith (hydro74). dude isnt the jesus of illustrations, but hes still much more impressive than arthur, and i guarantee my life he aint making $180,000 every single year. probably half of that.
- Jaline0
arthur has been a member here forever. I totally believe him. Look at his work.
- vague0
yea... yea im lookin.
even this dude: flight404.com, who is infinitely more talented then most people i can think of, does not get paid $180,000 a year. and his work makes silly illustrations look like piss in a bucket.
- Why do you assume to know what hydro74 or flight404 earn?arthur
- univers0
I think it also depends on who represents you as an illustrator.
- migy0
I would say Arthurs work is very well aimed at making money. Lots money people want this kind of work, and i would say Arthur is good at giving it to them. He also has a slick site. Dont get me wrong the work isnt really my cup of tea, but i guess thats why i am skint.
- akrokdesign0
there is a dude on craigslist which pays $10 per illustration. lol.
so, if you make 18,000 illustration, thats 180,000 dollars. hah.
- migy0
heh i might out source my work yo him