Commissioning
Start with a story.
Shape the right image.
The subject and its destination determine the drawing. These are three ways an illustration brief can take shape.
Editorial illustration
An image that opens a story
For a feature, essay or digital article, an illustration can establish tone and bring an abstract idea into a recognisable scene. The starting point is the central thought: what should a reader notice or feel before reading the text?
What to define
A single lead image, supported by agreed dimensions and intended placements. Text-safe space, a mobile adaptation or an additional crop should be included in the brief when needed.
Useful starting material
Article topic or draft, audience, placement, dimensions, publication date and intended usage.
Discuss a similar brief ↗Spot illustrations
A small image with a specific job
A spot can add character beside a heading, mark a topic or give a short passage its own visual cue. It needs a readable silhouette and a clear idea at a small size. Extra detail should support that idea rather than compete with it.
What to define
One spot or an agreed set, composed around a shared palette and scale. Each drawing needs its own subject; a set is more than the same symbol in different colours.
Useful starting material
Number of illustrations, topics, smallest display size, background requirements and where the set will appear.
Discuss a similar brief ↗Illustrated sequences
Several moments, one visual language
A sequence connects images through rhythm, recurring shapes and a consistent point of view. It can follow a place, a routine or a change across a short series, with each frame adding something the previous one did not show.
What to define
An agreed series of related scenes, with the relationship between frames established before final artwork. Page order, text and pacing shape the composition.
Useful starting material
Story outline, number of scenes, reading order, accompanying text, formats and the intended publication.
Discuss a similar brief ↗A clear brief leaves
room for discovery.
- Find the central thought. Establish the audience, context and message before deciding what to draw.
- Agree the direction. Define composition, palette, review stages and what needs to remain consistent.
- Prepare the intended output. Confirm dimensions, file formats, usage rights and final approval responsibilities.