Hireillo, an independent service for professional illustrators and other creatives, has just released State of Illustration 2025 – its latest annual report offering the most comprehensive analysis of artists and professional creatives by the company yet.
Compiled by Darren Di Lieto, illustrated by the talented children’s and commercial artist, Beach, the 7th Edition of the report, available to download here, is based on fully anonymised data collected from around 1500 artists, illustrators, and other creative professionals surveyed over several years.
Thos surveyed include freelance illustrators, in-house illustrators, artists and related creative professionals. Participants – over a third from non-English speaking countries – represent a diverse mix of ages, genders and nationalities, and many are strongly independent as self-employed business owners.
The Report outline key trends in the illustration industry, the findings that less participants are now working as full time illustrators in 2024 since 2022, and, sadly, income growth declined since 2020, with significantly more people earning less by 2024.
“The number of illustrators earning the same also decreased,” the report notes. “Being an illustrator is challenging and has never been more so.”
Despite the drawbacks of working in the industry, and the impact of AI technology – a range of creators offering their opinions in the report – the majority of artists still enjoy their job, but struggle with the finding a good balance between client based and personal work. There’s also been a decline in the number of creative who feel they are achieving a good life-work balance in their lives.
“These reports require a significant investment of time and effort, but I truly believe they are worth it,” says Darren. “This year’s edition represents the most comprehensive analysis of artists and professional creatives that I have ever undertaken.
Download the State of Illustration 2025 here: shop.hireillo.com/l/state-7 ($18)
Hireillo (hy-uhr-il-oh) is an independent service for professional illustrators and other creatives. It was were founded as Hire an Illustrator (HAI) in 2005 by former freelance illustrator Darren Di Lieto on the back of the success of the Little Chimp Society (2004-2021).
Established in 2005, they provide advice, community, portfolios and connection with clients for freelance illustrators and other creatives.
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Animation, Art and Illustration, Comic Art, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Other Worlds
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