Earlier this year, I asked freelance illustrators about their paid work and how they found it. Please note that this was an informal survey conducted across my social platforms, and not meant to represent all illustrators. Thanks to all those who participated!
209 illustrators participated. I created this polls mainly to gather information to use in my Marketing Boot Camp For Busy Illustrators at the SCBWI Winter Conference in NYC.
Main takeaways:
Referrals and word of mouth were key in finding paying freelance illustration work. Building connections and relationships with others in the industry is important.
Social media also played a major role in helping illustrators find work. Most popular was Instagram, followed by Twitter and Bluesky. Note, however, that a number of respondents said that while Twitter used to be a great way for showcasing their work and attracting clients, this was no longer the case.
For more details and results, keep reading:
Q. What kind of work have you been paid for? (multiple answers allowed)
68% Book illustrations
52% Book covers
43% Advertising and branding visuals
32% Editorial images
OTHER includes: murals, album art, portrait commissions, custom pet art, zine projects, TTPRG, web-based commission work, educational graphics, board games and tabletop game visuals, comics, character design, furry art and concept art, sports team mascots, map, game ephemera, puzzles, games, fabric, magazine illustrations, web logos, posters for associations and institutions, greeting cards, stage backdrops, emojis, event live paintings and caricatures, museum exhibit panels, podcast covers, Twitch emotes, park signage, company mascots, coloring books.
Q. How do you primarily find freelance illustration work?
69% Social Media (Instagram, Bluesky, etc)
48% Through a personal website or portfolio
35% Direct outreach to clients or companies
19% Networking at events or conferences
17% Portfolios sites (Behance, ArtStation, etc)
7%. Online marketplaces (Fiverr, Upwork, etc)
OTHER includes: Agents and Agencies, Etsy, LinkedIn, Discord, selling work at comic coventions, posting on industry-specific sites (like BoardGameGeek.com), Reddit channels.
Q. Which social media platform has been the most effective for showcasing your work and attracting clients?
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Q. How important has building connections or relationships with others in the industry been in finding work as an illustrator?
46% Extremely important
26% Very important
21% Somewhat important
7% Not very important
0.48% Not important at all
Q. How often do you update your portfolio or website?
45% Every few months
27% Once a year
16% Monthly or more often
8% Rarely or never
4% I don’t have a portfolio or website
Q. What types of clients do you typically work with?
63% Individual commissions (personal projects)
55% Publishers (children’s books, magazines, etc.)
37% Small businesses or startups
36% Self-publishing authors
13% Advertising or marketing agencies
11% OTHER includes: Local associations, corporations, games industry, animation industry, authors, researchers, private commissions.
Q. What is your biggest challenge when marketing yourself as an illustrator?
69% Finding time to market consistency
54% Knowing where to find clients
45% Building an online presence
40% Feeling confident about promotion myself
32% Understanding how to price my work
8%. OTHER includes How to stand out as an illustrator, balancing business with the creative aspect, knowing how to negotiate contracts, AI flooding social media, juggling different types of art for different audiences.
Part 2 coming soon!
Also see Survey and Poll Results archives.