4 Working with an Illustration Client

One way that illustration often differs from the Fine Arts is that the work is often done either in conjunction with a text (which we will discuss in the Publishing Workshop section) or with a client.

Creating an illustration project with another party can be a challenging and daunting prospect. You are not working to please yourself but another, who may be demanding, have little solid concept of what it is that they need, or may need you to work at breakneck speed while keeping a level of quality. Sometimes artists are asked to work beyond their natural styles to give the client what they need for their project. Sometimes the illustrator can use the work in their own self-promotion materials (like social media or website) and sometimes they work nearly anonymously. You may or may not be able to retain the rights to the work you create, depending on the agreements reached in the artist-client contract. And then, there’s that pesky problem of payment. How do you know what to charge? How to you ensure payment?

But working well with clients is a great way to build your artist’s portfolio and support yourself in your career.

There are things you will need to be aware of–some of which will apply to all of your illustrations and some of which are particular to working with clients–that you should be aware of before you undertake a project such as this.

This chapter will endeavor to tell you the “things I wish I’d known” about this process–so you do not need to learn them the hard way. We will discuss contracts, selling artwork, professionalism, and give a sample client-based illustration assignment (working with a local farm to create an archive of usable botanical illustrations).