Illustrator
Key facts
Illustrators provide a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text or idea. Illustrators can work for books, magazines, journals, comic books and other publications.
Illustrators are visual communicators who translate written content or abstract concepts into engaging images. Your work might involve sketching initial ideas, creating detailed artwork using various media (digital or traditional), and collaborating closely with writers, editors, and art directors. The specific tasks depend on the project and client, but a keen eye for detail, a strong understanding of visual principles, and the ability to adapt to different styles are essential.
- • Conceptualizing and developing illustrations based on project briefs and client requirements.
- • Creating sketches, storyboards, and final artwork using digital or traditional techniques.
- • Collaborating with writers, editors, and art directors to ensure visual consistency and alignment with the overall project goals.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Figures cover Science and engineering professionals — 274 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Malta.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person’s chances. It describes a market.
Reported demand · Typical pay · Where it is heading (United States, Ireland, Australia, Malta, United Kingdom)
| Reported demand | Typical pay | Where it is heading | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Not reported | $62,960 2025-05 | +2.1% 2024–2034 · BLS 2024-2034 |
| Ireland | Not reported | — | +35.5% 2023–2035 · Cedefop 2026 * |
| Australia | Assessed as balanced Jobs and Skills Australia 2025 * | — | — |
| Malta | Shortage reported ELA/EURES 2024 * | — | — |
| United Kingdom | Not reported | £31,236 2025-provisional | — |
* Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS)
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Open Government Licence v3.0
Do you guide students, clients or employees? Use this occupation data in your organisation.
Future Outlook for illustrator
The outlook for illustrator reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could illustrator change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
Model-based estimate. Use it as a planning signal, not a guarantee.
Compare this to your profile
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- follow a brief
- consult with editor
- consult with business clients
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- contextualise artistic work
- analyse texts to be illustrated
- select illustration styles
Tasks most exposed to automation
- gather reference materials for artwork
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Arts, Entertainment, & Design
A typical day as an illustrator
09 09:00 · Morning ensure visual quality of the set
10 10:30 · Mid-morning perform ideation activities
12 12:00 · Midday analyse texts to be illustrated
14 14:00 · Afternoon consult with business clients
15 15:30 · Late afternoon contextualise artistic work
17 17:00 · Wrap-up gather reference materials for artwork
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
What you need to do this work
The skills, knowledge and tools this role calls for — and the traits and rewards that come with it.
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follow work schedule
Manage the sequence of activities in order to deliver completed work on agreed deadlines by following a work schedule.
-
finish project within budget
Make sure to stay within budget. Adapt work and materials to budget.
-
contextualise artistic work
Identify influences and situate your work within a specific trend which may be of an artistic, aesthetic, or philosophical natures. Analyse the evolution of artistic trends, consult experts in the field, attend events, etc.
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analyse texts to be illustrated
Analyse texts to be illustrated by researching and checking sources.
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consult with editor
Consult with the editor of a book, magazine, journal or other publications about expectations, requirements, and progress.
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consult with business clients
Communicate with clients of a business or business project in order to introduce new ideas, obtain feedback, and find solutions to problems.
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perform ideation activities
Implement the different techniques to generate ideas. Sketching, prototyping and brainstorming are examples of these techniques.
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follow a brief
Interpret and meet requirements and expectations, as discussed and agreed upon with the customers.
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interpret illustration needs
Communicate with clients, editors and authors in order to interpret and fully understand their professional needs.
-
select illustration styles
Select the appropriate style, medium, and techniques of illustration in line with the needs of the project and client's requests.
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gather reference materials for artwork
Gather samples of the materials you expect to use in the creation process, especially if the desired piece of art necessitates the intervention of qualified workers or specific production processes.
-
ensure visual quality of the set
Inspect and amend the scenery and set-dressing to make sure the visual quality is optimal with in constraints of time, budget and manpower.
art history
The history of art and artists, the artistic trends throughout centuries and their contemporary evolutions.
ICT software specifications
The characteristics, use and operations of various software products such as computer programmes and application software.
- copyright legislation
- graphic design
- intellectual property law
- labour legislation
- desktop publishing
- multimedia systems
Path to become an illustrator
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Bachelor's or equivalent level
348 programmes in 22 countries teach the core skills of this job. Plus 157 short courses that build single skills.
A few examples, taught in the language of this page:
Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design and Illustration
Atlantic Technological University · Ireland
Master Scientific Illustration
Zuyd Hogeschool · the Netherlands
Higher Certificate in Arts in Visual Communications and Design
South East Technological University · Ireland
Koulutuskeskus Salpaus · Finland
Graphic Design Practice
Technological University Dublin · Ireland
These are 6 of 505.
Sources
- 1. Source: Europass Qualification Dataset Register (European Commission)
- 2. Bron: DUO open onderwijsdata
- 3. Source: Opintopolku.fi (Finnish National Agency for Education)
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does illustrator fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
For organisations
The data on this page, working for your students, clients and staff.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of software do illustrators typically use?
Is it common to work as a freelance illustrator?
How important is a portfolio when seeking illustration work?
How much does Illustrator pay in the United States?
Sources: ESCO O*NET Cedefop BLS Data updated October 3, 2026 About our data