How To Become an Illustrator
Illustration and words by Garance Dore
How To Become an Illustrator (written by Garance Dore)
1. You have to be very patient and hardworking. It takes a long time to establish yourself and it’s rare for success to arrive in just a couple of years. You have to push yourself every day and remember that breaking into a competitive business is all about dedication.
2. Get your work seen as much as possible—create a website, do your own PR and enter competitions. Nobody’s going to come and hand you a great project—you have to be proactive and inventive. Do things you dream of being commissioned for. I used to give myself fake illustration assignments like doing a Chanel campaign that I would publish on my own website.
3. Potential employers want to know you are a like-minded person and this is something you can show through your clothes. I love brands such as Valentino and Stella McCartney for workwear because I think they are very modern and talk to the modern woman.
4. Editing is very important. If you are showing your portfolio to a high-fashion magazine, select pieces that show a clear, fashion-editorial direction that will inspire the people you’re going to see. It’s better to show 10 great illustrations than 50 average or less relevant ones.
5. Don’t just rely on the internet for inspiration. Leave your studio and surround yourself with creative people—going to an art school, even just for evening classes, is great for this. The job of an illustrator can be very lonely. If you like to meet new people and travel, it’s great to mix illustration with other disciplines like photography and blogging.