Tips on Becoming an Illustrator in Illinois

The state of Illinois is infiltrated with creative commercial businesses in search of local illustration design professionals.  Illinois artists who work as illustrators create everything from high tech engineering diagrams to video game characters to comic book art to text-related illustrations and much more.  As a result, talented Illinois illustrators find ample opportunities in this highly specialized field of visual arts. 

Illinois Schools and Training Programs for Illustrators

Illinois is replete with local art schools – not to mention accredited colleges and Universities - offering courses and degree programs in illustrative arts.  Accredited Illinois colleges with arts departments include Chicago's American Academy of Art, Rasmussen College in Rockford, Northwestern Business College in Bridgeview, Westwood College in Calumet and Vatterott College in Quincy, to mention only a few.

Other educational options include the acquisition of technical illustration skills and professional degrees online.  Popular accredited internet schools of art and design include National University, Post University, Full Sail University, Stratford Career Institute, University of Phoenix, DeVry, The Art Institutes and ITT Tech.  Many accredited online art schools additionally provide local facilities.  University of Phoenix has campuses in Chicago, Schaumburg, Mokena and Warrenville.  ITT Tech is located in Oakbrook, Springfield, Mount Prospect and Orland Park.  DeVry is located in Addison, Chicago, Downers Grove, Elgin, Gurnee, Naperville, Schaumburg and Tinley Park.  The Art Institute maintains training centers in Chicago, Schaumburg and Tinley Park. 
 
Working as an Illustrator in Illinois

Software suppliers, IT corporations, educational media providers, printing companies and publishers are just a few Illinois companies hiring local illustration artists.  Some illustrators work for top Illinois graphic design firms.  For a few examples, Lewis Media Group in Chicago, Combined Technologies in Libertyville, KTLLC Communications in Maryville, Hess Design Solutions in Homewood, Digital Obscurity in Forest Park and Schultz House of Graphic Design in Elmwood Park.  Other Illinois artists create precise illustrative designs for high tech engineering firms like Sargon Engineering in Chicago, Midwest Engineering in Peoria, Lamboo in Springfield, Crescent Innovation in Elgin and Danimal in Crystal Lake, among others.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, professional illustrators who work full time at Illinois-based corporations claim an average annual salary of around $41,080, with a reported mean hourly wage of about $19.75.  Illinois businesses employ roughly 440 full time illustrators.  However, these figures do not apply to the employment stats of local freelancers.

Skills of a Professional Illustrator

Steady work as a professional illustrator requires not only skills but competence.  Professional illustrators can produce many original, innovative designs in rapid succession, often employing  a variety of current styles and traditional media.  Illustration artists are also fully proficient with related digital design software applications.  Popular illustration design programs include Adobe Illustrator, PhotoShop, 3D Studio Max, Macromedia-Freehand and Intaglio, among numerous others.