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Fashion Illustrator

I want to be one
Who This Career is For?
This career is suitable for those interested in fashion and drawing. Aspiring individuals must have an incredible eye for fashion and an ability to judge and choose appropriate colors & designs that selectively translate the designer’s notions into illustrations. Fashion illustrators are therefore an essential part of the fashion designing team and work alongside designers. If you crave to work with fashion designers, and if you have a strong background in art, graphic designing, media & marketing, you should consider a career in fashion illustration.

If you have an overenthusiastically creative mind, and are up to date with latest fashion styles and trends, you are perfectly suited for this job. This career will require you to make utmost use of your creative potential and will ultimately help to set your talent into motion.
Want to know more about it?
The fashion industry is dependent on how products make an impact on the customers, which is mostly implemented by means of advertising layouts and designs. Fashion illustrators may work either as free lancers or be employed at designer stores, advertising agencies etc. Fashion illustrators are required to draw for magazines, brochures, & other print material for adverts. They conceptualize and exemplify the designer’s ideas into eye catching images that appeal to the consumers and lure them into trying out or purchasing the product.

A fashion illustrator in simple words is a graphic designer who is responsible for two types of jobs. Firstly, he must be able to prepare sketches & drawings, usually with media such as paint, charcoal, and pencils. Secondly, he must have know-how of creating images with the help of computer software (e.g. CAD, Photoshop & Adobe Illustrator), which illustrates the item to be marketed. Examples of such items include apparel, garments, jewelry & accessories or even shoes and footwear. Another responsibility of these illustrators is to inform sewers of the sewing pattern and oversee the final look of the garments.

Fashion illustrators must also be well versed with photography and animation. They need to be able to analyze, edit and organize their work. There is a high level of accuracy and precision required for this career.

A bachelor\'s degree in from a fashion school may help you succeed in this industry. Degrees in Fine Arts, Visual Arts, and Fashion Design & Illustration may be of your advantage. Additionally, formal training in art & graphic design may be required by some employers.

Field experience through internships and apprenticeship programs also serve to polish your skills as an illustrator and add to your portfolio. For freelancers, courses in business management may be of great use.

What are Salary Prospects?
Salaries for fashion illustrators depend on the level of expertise & experience. In the U.S., an annual income within $29000 to $90000 can be expected. A strong fashion educational background from a reputable institute also helps to determine the starting salary of an entry level fashion illustrator.

A strong portfolio, years of experience, and a job with a major fashion company like Versace or Calvin Klein is required to reach to the top of the salary range.
How is Life?
Life as a

fashion illustrator

can be both, an easy sail through or a challenging experience. If a designer is finicky, he may give you a hard time by rejecting or disapproving your work until it is executed according to his standards. But as long as you are good at and enjoy what you do, you may find the work extremely pleasurable.

Mostly, the job requires you to work either at home or in the office, making extensive use of computers and sketchbooks. Fashion illustrators should aim at being effective communicators, listeners and team players because the work involves interaction with designers, artists, and even clients or customers.
What Perks come along with this career?
A fashion illustrator may enjoy a great deal of flexibility in work schedules, particularly if they are self employed or freelancing. Fashion illustrators employed by companies are often offered a decent salary, along with additional benefits such as discounted rates of the company’s products. A fashion illustrator may have the advantage of working with famous designers, artistic directors and models.

With time, illustrators are able to prepare their own sample designs & drafts that may augment their portfolio and make it powerful
Which Downsides are there in this career?
Since the fashion industry is extremely competitive, employment opportunities are available only to those with a strong education & portfolio. Jobs may not be available in every city. Starting salary may be low and an entry level fashion illustrator must be prepared to work long, irregular hours. Illustrators hired by designers may be subject to working under deadlines to meet the designer’s needs. Some work may be too technical and may require further assistance.
How is Competition?
Compared to other fashion careers, employment opportunities for fashion illustrators are anticipated to be below average in terms of growth. This is mainly because the duties of fashion illustrators can now be carried out by artistic directors, photographers and other professionals exposed in the field of arts & design.

Also, such jobs are limited to certain geographical locations and hence fewer positions are expected to be offered. However, those working as free lancers may have promising opportunities and aspiring illustrators should try for jobs in fashion feature films and clothing catalog companies.
Locations where this career is good?
Jobs are usually centered in fashion capitals of certain countries for example, U.S.A (New York), Mumbai (India)

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