How to go about getting illustration work

[WorldCupWanda]

Hi

My daughter is at University studying art. She is keen to do some work illustrating books, comics etc. I was hoping some people on here might know how to go about getting some work or experience in this field.

Thanks in advance

As far as I know its not a kind of job that pays well. I think there were people on here previously posting about it, so will leave the detail to the professionals.

I would say she needs to build up a portfolio of work, maybe illustrate a few books to show off her work. Also build up presence online. I would say its a very competitive field with a lot of incredibly talented people so she needs to be very good and have her own distinct style. Its a question of knocking on many doors.

It's just to do whilst she's at university really whilst she's building up her work. It's not her full career choice at this point.

My sister has worked as a children's books illustrator for 35 years. She earns a decent living and she is generally booked for worked about 18 months ahead
Your dd will need an agent in the first instance.
Publishers work with authors and agents to find suitable illustrators.
Its not really something that can be done as a side job at uni unless you find a very niche area and are very lucky.
There are lots of illustration groups online, maybe join some of them for specific advice.

It’s extremely competitive and not really the kind of thing people just do at uni as a sideline. I know a couple of people who are illustrators. They’ve both been doing it for decades and have a ton of contacts and connections, and finding work is still a huge struggle for both of them.

Should she not be the one researching this? Half the battle in getting any kind of creative work is connections, so she needs to start trying to make them herself.

I paid an illustrator for 20 pages for my children’s book, it was in region of £200 beautiful illustrations as well… but it really doesn’t pay well op. This isn’t something she could do full time, the market is very saturated and unfortunately people are favouring AI illustration as well. :(

Well I said I would ask on here as she doesn't have mumsnet... 🙄

I don’t do illustrations, but work and studied in a similar creative field.

Freelancing websites (upwork, fiver, various Reddit commission subs) the pay will be absolutely awful you have to be bargain bucket to compete with ai and people from other countries, but it can give you a wide range of different types of work for her portfolio and learning to deal with problem clients etc, lots of revisions. Do them the best she can and then use the reviews, experience, the work she can share etc to get better paid freelance work