By Mark Stutzman
The global pandemic abruptly altered the interpersonal relationships that have long defined the creative team experience. Yet, professionals living on the edge of convention have always proven pliable and technologically skilled, allowing them to seamlessly migrate their daily work disciplines into their residential spaces. Suddenly, the entire creative industry found itself adopting the lifestyle of the modern freelancer, tethered together only by Wi-Fi signals and a shared sense of self-governance.
Today, illustrators and art buyers share an independent commonality unlike anything seen in previous decades. Since the golden age of commercial illustration in the 1930s, the dynamic between the maker of art and the buyer of art has been distinctly separate. Historically, an artist’s life existed in stark contrast to the office-dwelling cohorts who paved the way for anticipated imagery. Outside talent would occasionally make the trek to corporate workplaces to share physical portfolios, hoping to make a lasting impression and secure a new assignment.
Regardless of how a product or service is sold, illustration fundamentally emerges from a joint interest in creating something entirely new and unique. The one-on-one dynamic between art directors, art buyers, clients, editors, producers, film directors, and ideally, the artist themselves remains a vital nexus for creative synergism. This treasured collaboration provides fertile ground for inventing and reflecting memorable images of who we are as a society. Our cultural narratives, societal norms, and evolving aesthetics consistently lay the groundwork for exceptional illustrations.
In earlier eras, beyond fading in-person interviews, art directors relied heavily on physical Rolodexes, comprehensive artists’ directories, and direct-mail promotional pieces to keep their fingers on the pulse of emerging trends and fresh talent. Portfolio review days—essentially functioning as speed-dating events for creatives—were a popular way to streamline the search for new talent and forge meaningful bonds with artists operating outside traditional office walls. The field has always been fiercely competitive, and cultivating up-and-coming creators or employing seasoned industry veterans has long served as a proven path for art directors and designers to earn prestigious awards and professional recognition.
Finding that talent, however, remains a daunting and ongoing endeavor, according to Eng-San Kho, a partner at Love & War, a small but chic Manhattan branding agency. He remembers a time when his office was regularly inundated with sales sheets and promotional postcards from artists and photographers, mailers that typically fell into one of three categories. Some samples were immediately discarded, some were carefully saved for later reference, and a select few were pinned directly to the studio walls. Today, online search engines make discovering new talent somewhat easier for art directors like Kho, but the sheer task of sifting through countless options and narrowing down search criteria can still become all-consuming.
As art directors and buyers trawl the internet for viable talent, however, stock catalogs and in-house digital imagery continually threaten commissioned work. When facing tight deadlines, professionals often default to readily available solutions. The temptation to bypass custom illustration in favor of pre-existing commercial assets presents a persistent challenge for the contemporary creator.
The Tension Between Stock Imagery and Original Art
"If we’re up against a tight deadline, we often rely on stock photography," Kho explains, highlighting the economic realities of the modern agency environment. "The cost of licensing existing art versus commissioning new art is often easier."
In many instances, the authentic touch of an artist’s hand is substituted with cobbled-together digital imagery and the standard tricks of the trade. While these digital assemblages can certainly look appealing, they ultimately pale in comparison to the unique magic that emerges from actively collaborating minds. A stock asset may successfully fill a blank space on a page, but it does so without requiring the commissioning of outside services or the expansion of creative margins.
Kho notes that some clients may find themselves unequipped to handle the complex creative process that comes with commissioning original artwork. Managing an illustrator can impose greater demands than certain project managers can professionally handle. However, having a staff member who is already familiar with developing original concepts for illustration can effectively coach coworkers and clients alike, transforming the endeavor into an enjoyable and exciting collaborative process.
The digital age has now settled into a permanent staple of everyday life, crossing every demographic and industry sector. Standing out in this crowded marketplace becomes increasingly difficult when every designer has access to the exact same suite of digital tools and stock libraries. A prevailing visual sameness can feel safely on-trend, but it ultimately misses the raw individuality of fabricating art entirely out of thin air.
Interestingly enough, this widespread dearth of originality is carving out a renewed place for traditional illustration. Some forward-thinking firms are actively reviving the tradition of print media and tangible product premiums to reach audiences with a tactile advantage—something their competitors may simply not be able to afford. There is a growing awareness and appreciation for traditional visual media and hand-crafted art amidst a digital glut of software effects designed to merely resemble true illustration.
While technology successfully connects everyone across vast geographic divides, the sheer convenience of a mouse click can also construct a virtual wall characterized by single-dimension communication. It is entirely possible to complete a project from start to finish without ever speaking to a collaborator in person, but professionals warn against falling prey to this isolated workflow. Each project represents a vital opportunity to foster camaraderie, trust, and inspiration between creative services, and the final product invariably benefits from those fundamental human tenets.
Greg Burke, Senior Creative Director at Atlantic Records, is perpetually searching to evaluate what visual talent is available to him, recognizing that artist selection is never a one-size-fits-all proposition. He is tasked with the complex role of developing visual continuity for top recording artists across multiple platforms and mediums. Developing imagery, packaging, and physical merchandise is a labyrinth riddled with subtle artistic requirements. The nuance, uniqueness, and core essence of each recording artist’s sound must be translated into thoughtful imagery that accurately represents them to the public.
For many years, Burke has bookmarked his favorite artists in hopes that the right project will eventually ignite a fresh working relationship. He occasionally seeks creative talent that fits a highly specific assignment, and these targeted searches continually add to his extensive collection of illustrator names. Burke’s years of experience have taught him that an illustrator’s style may evolve significantly over time. Older references that he fondly recalls and believes might fit an immediate project may no longer be part of an artist’s current repertoire. Nevertheless, maintaining a handy reference arsenal consistently helps spark new creative ideas.
Burke’s search criteria always begins with identifying fundamentally talented individuals. He then carefully evaluates the broader body of work an artist has curated to ensure that a single captivating image is not merely a fluke, but rather consistent with their overall portfolio.
"There are times when you may see an image that you love, but the rest of the portfolio is inconsistent and all over the place," Burke notes.
He finds reassurance when each piece in an artist’s portfolio matches the strength of the specific work that initially caught his eye. He remains completely open to artists who possess diverse styles, provided they demonstrate true mastery across each distinct approach. When shopping for an artist, Burke looks at the collective strength of their work to confirm they can consistently fulfill a specific creative direction.
As a professional courtesy to the talent and to preserve the overall integrity of a project, Burke emphasizes that he will never ask an artist to create something he is not confident falls well within their established capabilities. In his professional opinion, doing so is an inherent setup for failure.
Faced with the reality of hard industry deadlines, Burke requires unwavering professionalism from every artist he hires. Acknowledging that each creative person operates differently, he routinely engages in direct conversations regarding timing and process. As a reliable gauge, Burke will select a piece an artist has previously completed and ask precisely how long it took from start to finish, allowing a realistic project schedule to be built around that empirical example.
Spicing Things Up in the Agency Environment
Kho and his team maintain a deep passion for infusing original art into their agency work whenever the opportunity arises.
"We try out a specific artist who might not be the obvious choice for a project," he explains. "We like to see what they’ll bring to the table."
More often than not, Love & War carefully tailors the assignment to the artist in the same thoughtful way they tailor their broader work to meet a client’s specific business needs. Ultimately, the priority is ensuring that the final output serves the targeted audience and fulfills core business objectives, rather than being dictated by a rigid design agenda or fleeting internet trend, according to Kho.
Nurturing artist relationships remains critically important to Kho and his team, who take full advantage of video calls whenever possible. Being able to see the person they are speaking with personalizes and significantly expedites the working process. Kho also appreciates that creative work takes center stage during screen-share presentations with clients, eliminating outside room distractions and focusing all attention directly on the artistic proposal.
The agency also values having a reliable roster of creative professionals they can depend on or keep queued up for future assignments. Returning to an established, positive working relationship introduces a level of mutual confidence and operational efficiency that Kho says helps every project run much more smoothly overall.
When Eyes Meet Across Disciplines
Burke describes personal relationships with artists a bit differently depending on the specific circumstances of a campaign.
"There are illustrators who will always be a go-to because of the quality of their work and their great communication skills," Burke says. "But there are times that a project will be a one-off, and you are fully aware that you may not be using this illustrator again."
Creative briefs can also dictate how much hands-on control Burke needs to exert over a given project. While some assignments afford artists a greater degree of flexibility and input, others require strict oversight of the final product. Art directors like Burke want the artists they collaborate with to fully understand the inherent parameters of commercial art. Commercial assignments frequently come with the potential disappointment of outside client revisions, making it essential that artists understand the practical confines of the trade.
A distinct boundary exists between fine art and commercial art, and art directors deeply appreciate illustrators who embrace the commercial reality that sometimes requires taking one for the team rather than indulging in unbridled individual expression.
"An illustrator must also understand that at times directions for revision will come from a recording artist or other outside sources," Burke points out.
He readily acknowledges that necessary revisions implemented merely to appease a client may not always enhance the aesthetic quality of the artwork. In those challenging moments, both he and the illustrator share in the mutual disappointment. Yet, strong professional bonds can form throughout the arduous journey of satisfying clients, even when the final outcome strays far from the initial creative inspiration.
The inception of this valued relationship between an illustrator and a commissioning body can vary widely. It may result from a deliberate search using professional directories like the Workbook or stem from direct referrals from trusted industry colleagues. Similarly, Love & War relies heavily on word-of-mouth referrals for new business, talent connections, and everything in between.
"We don’t seek referrals for new commissions, but we do our best to spend enough time interviewing newly found illustrators to make sure we’re all aligned on scope and expectations," Kho notes.
Internal conflicts can occasionally arise among art directors regarding the sharing of newly discovered talent. On one hand, finding an exceptional illustrator naturally prompts a desire for exclusive access; on the other hand, an art director rarely wants to see a talented creator miss out on broader career opportunities.
"I freely share illustrators whom I respect and whose work I admire with colleagues," Burke says proudly. "I’m a little jealous when someone else gets to use one of my recommendations that I may never get to use myself, but I get over that pretty quickly when I see the amazing work in the end."
Burke typically reserves his personal artist recommendations for art directors he deeply respects, viewing his matchmaking efforts as a natural extension of his broader commitment to facilitating impressive visual work.
Ultimately, relationship-building remains an indispensable part of sustaining a long-term career as an illustrator. With assignment work no longer as plentiful as it once was, solidifying robust connections keeps the door open for future commissions. If each new professional relationship results in only a single project, maintaining a full annual schedule requires an exhaustive roster of fresh clients. As Kho observes, assignment work is not a guaranteed component of every incoming project; much of an agency’s daily output involves broader design solutions that may not require illustrative elements at all.
For an illustrator, building valued and sustainable professional relationships boils down to a few core elements: consistently meeting deadlines, delivering high-quality and reliable work, maintaining open communication, and skillfully accommodating a client’s evolving needs. A successful commission is ultimately measured by delivering precisely what was promised to the client.
Creating commercial art for a living will always present unique challenges and remain in a state of constant evolution. Yet, as long as the foundational kinship between artist and buyer remains strong, both entities can look forward to a bright and promising future.
