illustrator salary
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- 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.
- Randd0
you've even irritated me now, vague
- pr20
I kid around all day long, work only 10 days a month and get laid on almost each set i'm working on and still make almost 70k a year. And it's only the begining of my carrier with my ass barely out of school. So even though 180k sounds a lot i trust the guy is making that much.
PS. Of corse u realize this post is only to bring up the fact that i get laid a lot, right?
- 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.
- kodap0
I feel so bad, I had to take a low-budget commission with urgency this weekend, for a two-day+1/2 spent in an illustration work.. it fuckn bothers me, I feel like a slave now. damn. (I need the money, couldn't negotiate) fuck reps!
- also, how are the contracts with agents? can't you be with more at the same time?9832892398
- MLP0
one market that's relatively easy to get into is magazines. the inudstyr is so incestuous that if you're good, people will use you regularly and find out about you very quickly.
going by what i've hired out on the low-end, you can do very well billing freelance.
- migy0
heh i might out source my work yo him
- vague0
aw stop tuggin at my heartstrings, please.
- 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 really like Vague's point of view normally, I tend to think he hits at an underlying truth even if his manner trips people into an automatic disagreement for no reason other than they dislike his constant critiquing. I have to say though Vague, you have got this whole thing here the wrong way round, completely.
- MLP0
arthur... nice work btw.
also lately there are a ton of dudes doing mag work and their stuff is so simple i don't understand how they get paid what they do. some are just monotoned shots with a little vector work on top. so, if you're good, there's plenty of people doing it that you're better than.
- 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.
- marychain0
I think what Vague is trying to say...is that 180K - 200k is a very high yearly income. It is not the norm for an Illustrator to achieve this for a variety of reasons...lack of talent, lack of speed, iniative, representation or experience to name a few. Hell..180K is way above what 90% of the world makes...so it is a bit unusual.
However...more power to Arthur an the lot for getting there. Arthur...you have amazing work...and obviously lots of business savvy and experience. Kudos to you sir.
- 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.
- roundabout0
Nice work there arthur, 180K, fuck me!. Maybe you could give me some business advise?
- Just find out a way to make money doing what you enjoy. Then work your ass off.arthur
- Sounds about rightroundabout
- 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?