With a well-prepared portfolio and commitment to the profession, RMCAD graduates are well-qualified for entry-level positions in advertising agencies, commercial studios, in-house corporate art departments, multimedia organizations, and other creative art businesses.
Like many other art and design fields, illustration tends to be very competitive. Some illustrators work “in house” for an employer full-time. However, most illustrators work freelance either representing themselves or working with an agent.
Freelance markets have become global, thanks to the Internet. Successful illustrators are multi-talented, combining painting, drawing, computer skills and illustration. Because of this, many find profitable work in related fields such as animation, fine arts, graphic design and teaching.
Opportunities
The following is a list of just some of the career possibilities for students with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration:
- magazine illustrator
- newspaper illustrator
- billboard designer
- editorial illustrator
- merchandising or retail product illustrator
- freelance illustrator
- architectural or interiors illustrator
- technical illustrator
- instructional illustrator
- scientific or medical illustrator
- postage stamp designer
- book or children’s book illustrator
- storyboard illustrator
- textbook illustrator
- music industry illustrator
Salaries
In a free-lance environment, salary data is quoted in hourly wages. Entry-level computer production artists earn an average of $18/ hour. Illustrators who have progressed to senior designer, artistic director or principal generally earn $50/ hour to $200/ hour. Some of the best opportunities are on the East or West coast. Many recent RMCAD graduates are earning $15/hour to $50/hour.
Placement Rates
Of our 2003–2006 graduates from RMCAD's Illustration program who are available for placement, 79% are working in the Illustration field, with many of them as successful freelancers. The overall placement rate for all 2003-2006 RMCAD graduates is 86%.