Fashion Illustrator

Job Description:

First things first: what exactly is a fashion illustrator!?

They are many things, to be honest, but at their essence, they are an artist who takes a fashion designer's vision to life through drawings.

Fashion illustrators work closely with their clients to make their dreams a reality. Fashion encompasses many aspects, including traditional fashion pieces such as dresses, sweaters, jeans, and t-shirts. But there is more to it. A fashion illustrator will also be drafting and helping to create socks, accessories, hats, and bags. They are involved in the innovative and varied fashion trends of each season and deliver them through a wide range of art mediums including sketching, digital art, and even watercolor painting.

A fashion illustrator is someone who loves to work with people, has a knack for drawing and expressing themselves creatively, and loves clothing. When a designer wants to finalize their concept, they would work directly with a fashion illustrator who would then draw and design the concept before any prototypes of the pieces are made.

As I mentioned, it is challenging to accurately describe the day in the life of a fashion illustrator, because each day is simply different. Depending on your personal goals and skills, you may wish to focus your work on editorial illustration, fashion, beauty packaging, live sketching, and selling work.

Your workplace will also vary. Depending on their goals, fashion illustrators can work for themselves, or be employed in a fashion house, boutique, magazine, or design studio.

Salary average: 59,345 - 102,000

Occupational Outlook: The fashion industry is constantly evolving, and the demand for fashion illustrators can fluctuate accordingly. While some periods may be more lucrative with high demand for illustrators, others may experience a slowdown. From 2020-2030, 3% for all graphic designers; and 0% for fashion illustrators.

Links to Learn More About This Career:

Educational Requirements:

To become a fashion illustrator, you have to have a bachelor's degree, hands-on training in illustration and computer graphics, a talent for drawing the human body by hand and by using specialized computer programs, and an understanding of fashion design and merchandising.

University of Kentucky

Address: 101 Main Building, Lexington, KY 40506-0032

Website: www.uky.edu

Information on the Major: https://ci.uky.edu/academics/majors-minors-and-certificates

Northern Kentucky University

Address: University Dr, Highland Heights, KY 41099

Website: www.nku.edu

Information on the Major: https://www.wku.edu/art/graphic-design-cert.php

WKU University

Address: 1906 College Heights Blvd, Bowling Green, KY 42101-1000

Website: https://www.wku.edu/

Information on the Major: https://www.wku.edu/art/graphic-design-cert.php

Soft Skills, Characteristics, and/or Abilities Need For This Career:

Strong drawing skills
Can handle criticism
Knowledge of trends
Creativity
Attention to detail
Flexible
Knowledge of computers
communication skills
Can negotiate

Software Knowledge Needed For This Career:

Adobe Illustrator for drawing any type of sketch from scratch.
Repsketch for repurposing premade sketches to create a variety of fashion products.
Affinity Designer for designing art prints, icons, and logos.
Sketchbook for expressive drawing and concept sketching.
Procreate for those who like drawing on iPad.

Pros and Cons to being a fashion illustrator

Pros (Positives to this Career)

Work at home or the workplace.
Work for famous and big fashion designers.
Seeing your work on models and people.

Cons (Negatives to this Career)

Competitive
Getting told "no" over and over.
Time-consuming
Tight deadlines.

Typical Working Conditions For This Career:

You can work anywhere while being a Fashion Illustrator. You can work at home, on the go, at a coffee shop, anywhere!

Career Researched By: Olivia Burleson