AI technology is changing many fields that were expected to be immune to its touch. The creative design fields were among those that many people assumed would be unaffected by AI.
However, AI is clearly changing the artistic profession. The market for NFTs was worth over $41 billion last year. Of course, artists are finding other ways to utilize AI in their designs as well.
One of the biggest reasons that AI is disrupting the marketing profession is because it helps create better designs. This is a huge benefit for many brands.
If you are looking to hire a designer, you will want to find out if they have a knowledge of AI-based design practices. This can help you get a higher quality design at a better rate.
Finding an Illustrator that Understands AI Design Practices Can Help Significantly
An illustration is a form of art that uses drawings, sketches, and other images to create pictures. Illustrations have been around since ancient times but they haven’t lost their popularity even today. From creating simple line drawings to creating complex virtual reality simulations, illustrators have mastered their craft over centuries.
Today, AI technology helps them create even better designs. You may be amazed by some of the huge benefits of using AI to come up with better graphics.
The use of illustration is widespread in many industries, including advertising and design. For example, an advertisement for a product may be illustrated with a drawing of the product or its key features. It’s also used in movies and video games to create visual effects that can’t be achieved by other means.
Today, you can hire an illustrator to create just about anything. Whether you want a simple illustration of your favorite character or a complex one inspired by your favorite story, many professional services are available to help you out.
Many illustrators are using AI to offer better services for their clients, such as creating better web designs. Here are some ways they can create better designs with AI:
- They can use old vintage photos as a basis for their designs. AI tools such as the Colorize filter in Photoshop enable them to turn them into color photos.
- They can use AI to remove the backgrounds of images and turn them into beautiful silhouettes that can be used in their designs.
- They can use AI to automate many of their designs, so they can create numerous designs more quickly.
- Text-to-image AI tools such as Freepik AI Image Generator, StarryAI and DALL-E allow users to create designs by simply entering a text prompt. You can find some great examples of art created with DALL-E in this article on Quartz.
If you want to get the best value for your budget, it can be a good idea to hire an illustrator with a knowledge of AI. If you’re looking for professional illustration services, here are some tips to help you find the best one:
Know your requirements
Before you start looking for the best illustrator services, it’s important that you know about your requirements. AI technology can help them create great designs, but they need to know what you need first. This will make you feel more confident and deliberate about your search to weed out options, shortlisting the best of the best talent to hire.
- Are you looking for a simple black-and-white line drawing or an elaborate full-color digital illustration?
- Do you need vector art, or do you want raster graphics?
- Do you need a logo, a website design, or both?
- Are you looking for a specific style?
- What is your budget range?
These are some basic questions to ask yourself before contacting any illustrator. Even the best AI tools in the world won’t help them if you haven’t communicated your needs first. There are many types of illustrations, and each one has its own requirements. For example, if you want to create a comic strip or a children’s storybook, then you’ll need an illustrator who can work in those genres.
Define your budget
Once you’ve settled on what type of illustration you want, the next step is determining how much money you’re willing to spend on it. That’s because two main factors determine how much an illustrator will charge: their experience and your needs.
Experienced and well-known artists will likely charge more than newbies, as they have a proven track record and can be more selective about who they work with. If you only want a quick sketch done in pen or pencil, then a rookie artist may be fine for your purposes. But if you need something more professional-looking or if your project has a lot of detail that needs to be captured exactly right (like an infographic), then hiring an experienced pro will probably end up being worth the investment.
The other major factor is the complexity of your project. If you need to draw an entire scene with multiple characters, that will take more time than a simple portrait or logo. And if you want to include lots of small details (like the veins in leaves), then that will require even more time and care from your artist.
The good news is that you can usually get a better price by hiring an illustrator with a background in AI design. They can accomplish the same task with less work, which will save you money if they are charging you fairly.
Check their style
The next step is to check their style. As you’re browsing through portfolios, take note of the type of artwork being created. What does it look like? Is it colorful? Does it have a lot of detail or not? This will help you determine if the illustrator’s style matches up with what you are looking for and your project’s tone. The key here is finding someone with experience in creating illustrations similar to what you are going for so they can meet all the requirements within your budget and time frame.
It’s also important to note that the style of the work you choose should be consistent with what you’ve seen in their portfolio. If it’s not, it could be a red flag that they are not experienced enough or don’t have the skill set for what you need to be done.
If the artist’s style is not what you are looking for, the first thing to do is ask if they have any other examples of their work. If there are other pieces that you like better than what they have submitted, it could be worth asking them to make some changes before moving on with your search.
Check their portfolio
The next thing to do is check their portfolio. Look for examples of their work, particularly the illustrations they would provide you with.
- How many projects have they done?
- How long have they been doing these types of illustrations?
- Are these similar to what you need, or are you looking for something different?
This can also help you see if the illustrator has experience in your industry or with similar companies, clients, and industries as yourself.
Ask for a free trial
A free trial is a great opportunity to test the artist’s ability to communicate and deliver. The more you know about the person you’re hiring, the better it will be for your business.
If you ask for a free trial, ensure you get one. This can also give you time to evaluate whether or not your illustrator is a good fit for your project based on their speed and ability to communicate with clients.
If an artist agrees to provide a trial but doesn’t follow through with it (or takes too long), this might mean that they’re not very serious about working with clients, so don’t hire them.
Bonus Tip: If you are planning to hire an illustrator for the first time, start with a small project. This will help you get a feel for how they work and whether or not they’re a good fit for your business.
AI Helps Illustrators Create Great Designs but You Still Need to Ask the Right Questions
AI technology has significantly changed the state of the graphic design profession. It offers many benefits, but you still have to do your research when finding a professional.
The bottom line is that if you’re going to hire illustration services, do your research and be prepared. When hiring an illustrator, it’s important to establish clear expectations for the project so everyone is on the same page. Finding the right illustration service for your business can be challenging, especially if you don’t know what to look for. We hope that these pointers will help make your search easier and more efficient.