How does a freelance illustrator help?

A freelance illustrator in the UK uses creative skills and talent to produce visuals that communicate stories and ideas that appeal to the reader's emotions and feelings. They could also work as commercial artists. Some artists are technically skilled and subject experts who work with specific clients to help them create images that not only inform, but also entertain or persuade the viewer to take action.

Some illustrators specialize in humour and use cartoons strips to express ideas while others use pen or pencil sketches, pen and ink, line art, and other forms.

A variety of industries and projects

UK freelance illustrators work in different industries illustrating books, creating newspaper art, in the movie industry creating story boards for authors and playwrights, in the fashion industry creating sketches of garments and settings, art for t-shirts, flyers, brochures and other promotional media. Some also work with digital media to create their illustrations.

Freelance artists' skills

Freelance illustrators have the following basic skills that make them successful:

-Artistic skills - this is the most obvious skill as an illustrator must have the ability to understand the client's brief and translate it into visuals as expected, using creativity and imagination. Some freelancers acquire additional qualifications by attending art courses to develop their talent and learn new techniques and technology. They usually have a comprehensive portfolio of their work to show case their talent and the various styles of illustration they are adept at.

-Technical skills - it is a digital world where the use of computers is a way of life. UK Freelance illustrators also use software to create art and animation for websites. Being technology savvy increases their chances of getting more work while for the client, this is an added advantage as the changes they may require in the illustration can be quickly and easily achieved. They use traditional methods where they produce hand drawn art or paintings or use Computer Aided Design packages to scan their images to facilitate making changes. Some freelancers are specialists in particular areas such as the medical, scientific or technical field where they offer their services to illustrate text books and reference manuals, product descriptions, operation manuals and so on.

-Analytical skills - to analyse client specifications and text before creating draft sketches for approval.

-Communication skills - freelance artists must be communicative and have good people skills to understand what clients want and present their ideas. This also enables them comprehend feedback on their work.

-Business skills - the ability to negotiate prices, deadlines and discuss the styles required while suggesting various options convincingly.

UK Freelance illustrators create original works of art that are copyrighted to the client. Although they may do regular work for some of their clients, they are not employed in an organisation. They often charge rates on a project to project based on the number of hours worked or the entire project. As a result they work flexible hours and usually oblige when a particular client needs a project done in an emergency.