How To Hire a Cartoonist or Illustrator - what do cartoonists charge and what you need to know

If you are looking to hire a freelance cartoonist there are a variety of avenues you can explore.

You could hire a cartoonist or illustrator via freelancer sites where you register and post a project and various artists, illustrators and cartoonists would bid for the project based on your brief and budget. This is a paid service.



Generally you would request samples of the cartoonists or illustrators work or request to view the artists portfolio when considering their bid. Afterall, the cheapest bid may not be from the most reliable or talented artist.

You can also search the Internet for cartoonists, artists and illustrators and check out their published work, samples and testimonials, fees and services etc. This is a less time consuming process and you  can browse cartoonists websites at your leisure and contact them as you please. You are not tied into a freelancer webiste contract but will have to view the individual cartoonists own terms and conditions. You also will not have to pay a fee to a freelancer site for using thir services.

Whatever you decide there are a few things to consider when hiring a cartoonist.

Can that cartoonist deliver your cartoon to your timescale?

Not all cartoonists work at the same speed or have the same space available to complete your project. They may for example have other projects on the go which might delay yours as generally freelance cartoonists work on a first come first serve basis.

Can that cartoonist deliver your cartoons as the file type and image size, resolution etc. that you require?  Do they possess the necessary technical skills?

Does the freelance cartoonist you hope to commission or hire have the necessary drawing or vector software and technical knowledge to be able to meet your design, print and publication needs? Many cartoonists are talented artists but they lack design and technical skills so it is very important to check these details before you commission a particular cartoonist. This also applies to hiring any type of graphic artist or illustrator. You might need to get the details from your sign maker or printer regarding image file type etc. as you won't neccessarily have a clue what is required as it is all Greek to anyone not in the biz!

Is the cartoonist able to work with text?

This might seem like a daft thing to consider but if you want a cartoon logo designed by a cartoonist then you need to ensure that your chosen cartoonist knows how to work with different fonts in order to ensure the cartoon logo has a strong and defined design element. The finish should look professional as does any logo but with the flare and originality that a cartoonist can bring to the table. Not all cartoonists are familiar with design software or can work with text, so request samples if this is a service you require.

Does the cartoonist have testimonials?

Most professional cartoonists will have built up a comprehensive cartoonist portfolio and will have supporting testimonials from happy clients. Check that these are genuine, look at the art work provided and take note of what the client says about the cartoonist and the service they delivered.

Does the cartoonist communicate well? Do they revise their cartoons and are their extra charges for doing so?

When you are trying to decide what you want for your cartoon design you will find that the first draft may not meet your expectations in large or small ways and you may alter your original brief or you might simply requests tweaks of the cartoonists draft image. It is very important that you feel free and relaxed about this 'tweaking' process and do not feel obliged to accept the first cartoon design submitted. Professional cartoonists will be used to tweaking their cartoons and will not shrink back in horror when you make these requests. Check the cartoonists terms regarding revisions though as some will only revise a certain amount of times before they start making extra charges. Find out what the extra charges are and when they kick in!!

Keep the lines of communication open whether it be by email or phone as the dialogue might flow back and forth a few times before you are 100% happy with your cartoon design. If you have a tight deadline this revision process could slow things up if you are not available to respond to the cartoonists queries.

Does the cartoonist draw in a style you like?



Some clients expect cartoonists to be able to mimic any other cartoonist on the planet and when they request their cartoon services they suggest a particular famous cartoonists style for their project. This might be possible with some artists to greater and lesser degrees. Some cartoonists may have their own very clearly defined cartoon drawing style and be very reluctant to mimic someone else. It is also important that the cartoonist is not in breach of any other artists copyrighted material and so for that reason they will never directly copy something...at least..preferably they won't!

Check out the cartoonists portfolio and cartoon samples to see if you like their drawing style. If you do great but if not...then it's not wise to proceed.

What do cartoonists charge..how much should I pay a cartoonist?

I have done a fair amount of research regarding how much cartoonists charge for their work as it appears in some places to be a closely guarded secret. Thus to break it down for you so that you know where artists are coming from with their rates, below are the results of my own research into this otherwise grey and ambiguous area. There will of course be variations and exceptions at both ends of the scale, but this guide contains my personal view based on my own findings.

I have thus far noted that in general cartoonists charge no less than £50 for a single cartoon, some may do it for £20 a cartoon, but that is the base rate. It is usual to pay in the hundreds not the tens for a single cartoon depending upon its usage.

'Usage' is a key factor.

The more people that will see the cartoon and the greater exposure it reaps for the publisher etc. the higher you're likely to be asked to pay for the cartoon.

For example:

You may pay as little as £20 for a caricature that is drawn for a personal gift but you may pay £200 plus for the same image if it is to be used for promotional, advertising features etc.

Another factor affecting price is skill.

Skill these days may reflect more regarding technical skill than artistic. Though artistic skill is of course and always will be the most important factor, that skill has be translated onto printed and online products if it is to be used for commercial purposes.

A lot of time and skill is required in the modern age to create cartoons that can be used for printed and online purposes. The path to learning can be self-taught or via a variety of courses, but it is a steep learning curve which takes a lot of time, patience and tolerance, especially for the artist who isn't keen on technology.

There are artists who can draw brilliantly for example but who do not have the technical skills to put their image online, edit it digitally or prepare it for printing. The more technical and artistic skills an artist has, the more they are likely to charge for their work. These artists fall into the realm of graphic designers due to their graphic design skills and may even be degree qualified or trained in order to offer these enhanced image editing results.

This is no different to any other skilled trades person who charges more based on their training and individual skills.

Regarding how much time it takes to complete a single cartoon. It is closer to hours/days and not minutes. Thus if you are recruiting an artist for a paid post and want to pay an artist their 'working' rate.

Consider:

• How much artistic and technical skill is required for the project you have in mind.
• How many images are required, then consider each image is perhaps a days work - this will help you with a fair rate per image.
• How the images will be used. Is it a non-profit project or are there profits involved. How many people will see the art work?

Regarding those seeking FREE artist and cartoonist services:

There are always people who will work for free (initially) but they don't work free for just 'anybody'. There has to be substantial evidence that the project will be 'worth' something to the artist either via good and demonstrative exposure, building up a useful portfolio, or guaranteed future profits.

If you are writer seeking an artist to work for free you thus need to first demonstrate YOU are a good writer who has the potential and the contacts and perhaps a promise to get published with profits.

Finally, art is a passion but for those who do it for a living it has to pay the bills so when working artists are asked to donate their considerable time and skills freely, while it might be a nice idea in a perfect world...it doesn't put food on the table.

I hope you found this article detailing a few FAQS re how to hire cartoonist useful. I will add to it as I think of more points that might be helpful. In the meantime, please check over my cartoonist services website and if you have any questions regarding any of the above, just holla!