illustrator

An illustrator is an artist who creates images to accompany text or convey information. Illustrators work across publishing, advertising, product packaging, and digital media, producing editorial illustrations, children's books, concept art, medical diagrams, technical drawings, and more. They may work traditionally with pencils, inks, watercolors, and acrylics, or digitally using software and drawing tablets. Education in fine arts or illustration, strong drawing skills, and knowledge of color, composition, and storytelling are common foundations. The work often involves collaboration with authors, designers, and editors, and may require adapting to a defined style or brand guidelines. The illustration process typically includes researching concepts, creating rough sketches, developing a consistent visual language, and producing final images in multiple formats.

Illustrator can also refer to Adobe Illustrator, a vector graphics editor developed by Adobe Systems. First released in 1987, it focuses on creating scalable vector graphics using Bézier curves and anchor points. It is widely used for logos, icons, typography, and illustrations that require scalability. Key features include the pen tool, layers, paths, brushes, and support for color profiles. Output formats include AI (native), SVG, EPS, and PDF, enabling compatibility with other design and publishing workflows. As part of Adobe Creative Cloud, Illustrator integrates with Photoshop and InDesign. While ideal for clean lines and scalable artwork, it is less suited for photo editing or raster-based artwork. Alternatives include CorelDRAW and Affinity Designer.