12 Tips to Become an Illustrator Online in 2024

The number of artists, who jockey for becoming popular illustrators is growing and that is mainly due to the lucrative opportunities this profession offers.

However, it takes time to make strides in this sphere, because you need to watch multiple Adobe Illustrator tutorials and hone skills step by step. In this article, we will shed light on different challenges aspiring artists have to deal with when becoming an illustrator and provide helpful tips on how to make a portfolio, advertise your services, and choose inexpensive tools for work.

Before you get down to studying, it is paramount to choose a style that will permeate all your projects and make you stick out from dozens of other illustrators. You can opt for minimalism and transform complex graphic design ideas into simple and straightforward artworks. Or, you may favor realism and 3D style if you want to manipulate more intricate shapes.

There are lots of illustration styles you can try your hand at. When you learn to be an illustrator, it is OK to experiment with different approaches before you discern what fits you best of all.

Vector Illustration. Such illustrations consist of pre-defined shapes and lines. They are crisp and understandable, and can be resized with the quality kept at point.

Flat Design. These are mainly 2D illustrations with vibrant colors and accurate lines. Most UI designs, logos, and icons belong to this group.

Hand-drawn. As the name implies, an illustrator creates textures, lines, and other elements himself/herself by drawing on a Wacom tablet or a similar device. Though drawn elements may lack precision, it is the essence of this genre.

Animated illustrations. This is a mixture of motion and audio that is aimed at telling stories, describing products & services, and the like.

Cartoon illustration. This style involves using exaggerated features, vivid colors, and well-defined lines. Most comic strips, animations, and books for children were created in such a way.

Make sure to flick through works of world-known digital artists like Kiko Rodriguez or Lynn Chen, and such designers as Jack Crossing and Luisa Rivera. Do your best to understand their style and techniques.

There are lots of online courses, so you can study in the comfort of your home. You will grasp basic concepts and will be able to develop your skills at a convenient tempo. The best part of taking part in courses is that you can compile a good portfolio to show to potential clients.

If you can’t afford to purchase a paid course, you can watch video tutorials on YouTube. By taking practice on a regular basis, you’ll understand how to create computer graphics, work with different palettes and texts, as well as create brochures, postcards, calendars, and collages.

If you need complete silence to be in the zone, you can try to create a studio in a separate room in your house. You just need to purchase a convenient desk, chair, and computer with graphic design software installed on it.

Or, you can search for a co-working platform in your region. Most co-working places are designed to mimic real offices, so you can rent not only furniture but also a computer and other accessories.

People who are just learning how to become a digital illustrator often have limited funds, so investing in top-tier computers, laptops, and tablets isn’t an option for them. Fortunately, it is possible to find cheap tablets like ZONKO Tablet for starters. Later, they can switch to a more powerful device, e.g., Wacom Cintiq 22.

A good laptop for graphic design that can withstand both heavy load and simpler tasks is HP 17.3" IPS Touchscreen.

The market is replete with drawing apps, using which you can create vector drawings with ease. If you are looking for free programs to have a go at illustrating, you can use free Adobe Fresco or FreeHand.

These programs have handy tools for creating any picture from scratch be it a human, an animal, a plant, or a whimsical abstraction. If you have basic skills and are ready to hop to paid software, Adobe Illustrator and Sketch are worthy options.

You can also use Photoshop for free for your creative workflow. However, the software supports raster graphics that become pixelated when magnified.

The majority of graphic tablets and styluses support such programs. Thus, you can work on the go instead of being tied to a desk with a computer.

Such a structured collection of works speaks better than words when it comes to presenting your skills. It is easy to create a portfolio on Behance or Portfolios. Then, you can upload it to popular freelance job-searching websites.

However, don’t include all your projects in a portfolio. Evaluate your illustrations critically and choose the best ones.

If you have a scarce gallery of illustrations, you should visit any platform where companies look for artists and learn their requirements. What types of illustrations do they need? Which style they are interested in?

Knowing such details, you can create suitable illustrations. Or, you can start a unique project. For instance, you can prepare illustrations for a favorite book or movie, make a comic book, etc. Thus, you can not only build a diversified portfolio but also draw attention to it through visual content marketing.

To find your place in this sphere, you need to research it very attentively. It is important to differentiate the types of clients and their needs, as well as stay in the loop of the latest trends and techniques.

You should keep tabs on famous graphic designers, successful projects, and efficient promotional channels. For instance, you can subscribe to Printmag, ChipKidD, and similar blogs not to miss a single important piece of news.

When you know current market demands, you have higher chances to meet them and find a well-paid position. Never underestimate the importance of relevant information.

It is very important to keep all data concerning clients, orders, deadlines, and finances in order. For this, you may need to use contact management software and customer service software like Jira or Trello.

You are likely to be in charge of many processes, so it makes sense to get automated tools that will make your life easier.

If you want to earn tidy sums, you have to advertise your services all the time. For social media users to notice you among thousands of other illustrators, you need to come up with offbeat touting methods. It is better to start with specific social media for photographers and illustrators such as Instagram or TikTok. Since they mainly circle around visual content, users are sure to notice your illustrations.

To have a successful Instagram, it is necessary to use appropriate hashtags. For instance, if you learn to be an illustrator, you should add such hashtags as #illustration, #art, #drawing, and #sketching.

Make sure to indicate the programs you can use, your main illustration styles, as well as hard and soft skills. If you experience problems compiling a resume, you can use a resume writing software.

In case you don’t have a list of potential clients, you can post your resume in thematic groups and job-search sites like Indeed. Don’t get disheartened if no one reaches out to you within the first week. Focus on making new illustrations and developing your social networks.

How to become an illustrator without a degree? Where to look for clients? What to start a career path with? You can find answers to these and many other questions in various podcasts.

For instance, you can listen to The Illustration Department Podcast by Giuseppe Castellano or Illustration Hour by Julia Dufossé. Most podcasts are recorded in the form of an interview, so you can understand the twists and turns successful illustrators had to go through and get motivated for your projects.