This so helpful thank you so much for sharing. It is such a fun and intéresting field. I always wanted to give it a go but it feels quite scary at times to find the right angle to break in. Those questions you asked and brief are a great point to start though 🥰
So glad this was helpful. It is an overwhelming space if you are not familiar with it - but it is really fun and interesting! Have fun with the sugestions in the post and let me know how you get on. :-)
A little late to the post, but this information is SO helpful and timely! I’m in the very beginning stages of building a surface design portfolio (mainly for apparel & fabric), and food motifs are some of my favorite subjects. Thanks for sharing these insights, and I would absolutely love to see more on the topic of illustration for brands.
Hi Jeanessa! Thanks for reading and for your comment! I'm so glad this was helpful. I'm in the process of planning a series of posts along this thread. Specifically around helping to build your folio too, so stay tuned, and welcome!
I am curious as to how much an illustrator might earn in this field?
I have done extensive illustration work for a food brand in-house ( mainly working as a designer / marketing). I produced hundreds of illustrations in a consistent style for them… now being used as part of a design system.
I think I might re think the way I present my portfolio now.
Hi Amy. Costing illustration work is a huge topic - and not one I am fully qualified to answer. Licensing of artwork for brands depends on many factors: global reach vs local market reach, the length of time the images can be used for, whether the illustrations are bought outright or not - these are the things that an agent can address directly with the client. When you work in-house for a brand, and are employed on the payroll, your contract most likely determines that all the work you create for them is not your IP, but belongs to the agency, so it would be charged out to the client as inclusive of the project fees. If an agency hires an external artist / illustrator then the fees structure is usually additional and charged out separately, which is when proper licensing agreements need to be worked out depending on the useage requirements.
Another great post Raj! It’s so easy to forget that when shared, the things you do on a daily basis can be of such tremendous value to those in parallel industries. More!
Wow Raj , thank you! This post was truly insightful and very clear. Do you give one on one consultations too?
I guess I should start with asking all the questions you’ve just asked us in your post… reviewing my work and looking at brands I love and could see my work on or in…then checking my website to see if I need to move around any work.
Hi Charlotte! I'm totally open to giving 1-2-1 consultations on portfolio's for sure! If I have more interest I can open some slots. But hopefully this post is a good kick start on the 'core stuff' that you can work on, and then when you get to a point and want a fresh pair of eyes, we could go over everything together and refine it.
I have one steady illustration client that I work with, making illustrations to their style(s), but it's my goal to build up my this side of my business. I'm not sure my all-caps thank you says enough about how grateful I am for your insights and thoughts you shared here!
IM THRILLED that I could help. Honestly this is what I am doing for myself so it struck me that it would be useful for other illustrators - especially as I am so used to bein on the other side of the table! I am planning more focussed posts around this topic but will likely be more in depth briefs and my approach.
I loved this! Such a great piece and lots of food for thought, thank you so much for sharing Raj! I just need some time now to go away and explore some projects (the fun part!!)
This is great Raj, thank you for the insights. At the stage of working on making images I love - had always imagined fabric as my end goal (due to a love of pattern) but this opens up all sorts of other possibilities. Hmmm!
I'm always surprised how few illustrators know about this area of work. Patterns and artwork for fabrics can translate so well into this space! Have fun with the exploration with your work! I'm loving that stage too!
This is so brilliant, thanks so much! I’m already working on some new projects that will fill gaps in my portfolio & this has made me identify some more. Ace, thank you! :)
You're welcome Niki! I know you've worked for brands before so much of this is probably familiar. I am going through this process for myself as a means of planning my illustration folio. Its handy having been on the other side of the table! Let me know how you get on!
Yes it’s familiar, but it’s always a great reminder to have a list. I always presume people realise that if I can do a complicated scene I can also do a single simple icon, but it’s good to be reminded that these need to feature too. I’m at the stage where I have so much work in my archive that selecting the best bits are hard so this checklist helps a lot :)
Yes exactly! Sometimes the simpler scenes are trickier because you have to use less visual elements to describe what is going on. It's a totally different challenge for the image. If you have a really complex scene, you could show how different sections could work across a range. For example, a scene of characters walking down a street, a long panoramic image, could be shown across 4 different front facing biscuit packs, but each flavour shows a different character as the hero. Your folio could show the 'complete scene' and then how the sections transpose onto pack. This is often a great way to demonstrate how one image can hold together a range.
Thank for this insightful post and for bringing back great memories of my time being a brand manager in the FMCG sector. I sat on the other side of the table…working with agencies and designers to create and define the brand image and identity for different products. So much fun!
Somehow I forgot that you were a brand manager! It is a fun area to work in isnt it?! And so exciting to walk into a store and see your projects on the shelf!
This so helpful thank you so much for sharing. It is such a fun and intéresting field. I always wanted to give it a go but it feels quite scary at times to find the right angle to break in. Those questions you asked and brief are a great point to start though 🥰
So glad this was helpful. It is an overwhelming space if you are not familiar with it - but it is really fun and interesting! Have fun with the sugestions in the post and let me know how you get on. :-)
A little late to the post, but this information is SO helpful and timely! I’m in the very beginning stages of building a surface design portfolio (mainly for apparel & fabric), and food motifs are some of my favorite subjects. Thanks for sharing these insights, and I would absolutely love to see more on the topic of illustration for brands.
Hi Jeanessa! Thanks for reading and for your comment! I'm so glad this was helpful. I'm in the process of planning a series of posts along this thread. Specifically around helping to build your folio too, so stay tuned, and welcome!
Thanks for such an interesting read.
I am curious as to how much an illustrator might earn in this field?
I have done extensive illustration work for a food brand in-house ( mainly working as a designer / marketing). I produced hundreds of illustrations in a consistent style for them… now being used as part of a design system.
I think I might re think the way I present my portfolio now.
Hi Amy. Costing illustration work is a huge topic - and not one I am fully qualified to answer. Licensing of artwork for brands depends on many factors: global reach vs local market reach, the length of time the images can be used for, whether the illustrations are bought outright or not - these are the things that an agent can address directly with the client. When you work in-house for a brand, and are employed on the payroll, your contract most likely determines that all the work you create for them is not your IP, but belongs to the agency, so it would be charged out to the client as inclusive of the project fees. If an agency hires an external artist / illustrator then the fees structure is usually additional and charged out separately, which is when proper licensing agreements need to be worked out depending on the useage requirements.
In short - its a tough one to answer!
Thanks, I probably didn’t word what I meant very well.
I was just interested in the sort of range an illustrator might earn from this kind of work.
But I guess from your reply it sounds like it can be anything and depending on many different factors.
Thanks again 🙂
Another great post Raj! It’s so easy to forget that when shared, the things you do on a daily basis can be of such tremendous value to those in parallel industries. More!
Thanks Stephen! I'm really excited to dig in a bit more - it's so gratifying to know it helps other creatives!
Wow Raj , thank you! This post was truly insightful and very clear. Do you give one on one consultations too?
I guess I should start with asking all the questions you’ve just asked us in your post… reviewing my work and looking at brands I love and could see my work on or in…then checking my website to see if I need to move around any work.
☺️
Hi Charlotte! I'm totally open to giving 1-2-1 consultations on portfolio's for sure! If I have more interest I can open some slots. But hopefully this post is a good kick start on the 'core stuff' that you can work on, and then when you get to a point and want a fresh pair of eyes, we could go over everything together and refine it.
Sounds great!! 👍 thanks Raj!
Absolutely loved this post, thank you Raj. I would absolutely be interested in any more of your insights in the future! x Nell.
I look forward to sharing more! Thank you for your kind comment. :-)
THANK YOU RAJ! This post is so helpful you have no idea! 🙏
I'm SO glad!
I have one steady illustration client that I work with, making illustrations to their style(s), but it's my goal to build up my this side of my business. I'm not sure my all-caps thank you says enough about how grateful I am for your insights and thoughts you shared here!
IM THRILLED that I could help. Honestly this is what I am doing for myself so it struck me that it would be useful for other illustrators - especially as I am so used to bein on the other side of the table! I am planning more focussed posts around this topic but will likely be more in depth briefs and my approach.
I loved this! Such a great piece and lots of food for thought, thank you so much for sharing Raj! I just need some time now to go away and explore some projects (the fun part!!)
So glad it got you thinking! Have fun!
This is great Raj, thank you for the insights. At the stage of working on making images I love - had always imagined fabric as my end goal (due to a love of pattern) but this opens up all sorts of other possibilities. Hmmm!
I'm always surprised how few illustrators know about this area of work. Patterns and artwork for fabrics can translate so well into this space! Have fun with the exploration with your work! I'm loving that stage too!
This is such a great post! Thanks Raj for all the tips and suggestions, perfect for any illustrator wanting to get into working with brands!
My pleasure Nanette!
Brilliant tips! So much inspiration and ignites something in me from my time in manufacturing. Can’t wait to try out the mini briefs
Great! I'd love to know how you get on with it! Its a really exciting space to create work for, I'm so glad its inspired you!
This is so brilliant, thanks so much! I’m already working on some new projects that will fill gaps in my portfolio & this has made me identify some more. Ace, thank you! :)
You're welcome Niki! I know you've worked for brands before so much of this is probably familiar. I am going through this process for myself as a means of planning my illustration folio. Its handy having been on the other side of the table! Let me know how you get on!
Yes it’s familiar, but it’s always a great reminder to have a list. I always presume people realise that if I can do a complicated scene I can also do a single simple icon, but it’s good to be reminded that these need to feature too. I’m at the stage where I have so much work in my archive that selecting the best bits are hard so this checklist helps a lot :)
Yes exactly! Sometimes the simpler scenes are trickier because you have to use less visual elements to describe what is going on. It's a totally different challenge for the image. If you have a really complex scene, you could show how different sections could work across a range. For example, a scene of characters walking down a street, a long panoramic image, could be shown across 4 different front facing biscuit packs, but each flavour shows a different character as the hero. Your folio could show the 'complete scene' and then how the sections transpose onto pack. This is often a great way to demonstrate how one image can hold together a range.
Thank for this insightful post and for bringing back great memories of my time being a brand manager in the FMCG sector. I sat on the other side of the table…working with agencies and designers to create and define the brand image and identity for different products. So much fun!
Somehow I forgot that you were a brand manager! It is a fun area to work in isnt it?! And so exciting to walk into a store and see your projects on the shelf!