Book Cover Illustrators

Job Description:

Book cover illustrators create art, text, and graphics for book covers. They design the cover and jacket of a book. They base it off of the theme, idea, or mood of the book.

Salary: The range is from $16,500-$115,000 with an average of $49,585

Occupational Outlook:

Most job openings are in Washington, Illinois, and California
Most require skills apart from just cover designing,
Most book cover illustrators work as freelancers
Cover illustrators are usually in high demand, especially with Children’s books.

Links to Learn More About This Career:

https://theartcareerproject.com/careers/book-cover-illustration/

Educational Requirements:

There isn’t a set degree you need to get, but most hold bachelor’s degrees in some form of art or graphic design.

University of Kentucky

Address: Lexington, KY

Website: https://www.uky.edu/

Information on the Major:

https://finearts.uky.edu/savs/graphic-design

Kentucky Wesleyan College

Address: Owensboro, KY

Website:

https://kwc.edu/

Information on the Major: https://kwc.edu/academics/academic-programs/majors/graphic-design/?rform=0

Rhode Island School of Design

Address: Providence, RI

Website: https://www.risd.edu/

Information on the Major: https://www.risd.edu/academics/graphic-design

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

Understanding of visual storytelling

Problem-solving skills
Adaptability
Good communication skills
Good with deadlines
Creativity
Ability to work with others
Can communicate visually

Software Knowledge Needed For This Career:

List the software typically used in this career or that you should know include Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Affinity Photo, and/or Gimp.

Pros and Cons to Choosing This Career

Pros (Positives to this Career)

You can work anywhere

You can set your own rates
You have a level of artistic freedom

Cons (Negatives to this Career)

Some genres are hard to convey in the design
Initial set-up can be costly
Salary isn't always steady

Typical Working Conditions For This Career:

Full-time might be 40 hours per week, more if there are upcoming deadlines. Book cover illustrators might work in an office, and work with editors, authors, and publishers. Freelancers can choose their hours, and often can work from home.