Looking to hire an artist, designer, illustrator, creative (whatever you want to call us) for your next project, but feeling overwhelmed, wondering if you are making the right decisions? Allow me to help! Here some things to consider when hiring an artist that you may have not considered if you're new to working with freelance artists.
Their Style
This one might seem obvious, but it’s super important! Every artist has their own unique voice and style. If you come across someone who says, “I can do it all! I’ll draw whatever you want!” they’re likely still in the early stages of their artistic journey, experimenting with different techniques and figuring out their direction. And that’s totally okay! But it might make it harder for you to envision the final piece. On the other hand, an experienced artist with a well-defined style and a strong portfolio gives you a clearer idea of what to expect before the project even begins.
Instead of reaching out to the first artist that comes to mind, take the time to find someone whose style truly resonates with you. The better the match, the smoother the design process will be. As artists grow in their careers, they learn to recognize when a project isn’t the right fit for their style and will often refer you to someone better suited. So before reaching out, ask yourself: “Is this the artist who can bring my vision to life?” If the answer is no, that’s not a reflection of their skill—it just means they aren’t the right fit. The right artist won’t just meet your expectations; they’ll exceed them. If you can scroll through their portfolio or social media and love everything you see, you’re on the right track!
Level of Experience
Both seasoned and entry-level artists can offer a great collaborative experience, but it’s important to understand what you’re paying for and ensure they can deliver. No matter how long an artist has been in the industry, they should have some form of credibility—whether it’s a strong portfolio of personal or client work that showcases their skills. While a newer artist might have an impressive body of work, they may not yet have case studies demonstrating how their art has solved a problem or delivered results for clients. When choosing an artist, remember that great art alone isn’t enough—you also want someone who is easy to work with, communicates well, and can bring your vision to life. Look for case studies or testimonials on their website and social media to get a sense of their professionalism and reliability. Bonus points if an artists has returning clients who are stoked on working with them! You can look into their other clients or brands that have collaborated with them to see how their art translates to various products and mediums.
Pricing- what everyone is curious about!
Pricing matters—not just in terms of affordability, but also in what you’re actually getting for your money. If an artist's prices seem unusually low, that can be a red flag. Before thinking, "Wow! That’s a great deal—I’ll go with them!" consider what you might be sacrificing by choosing the "cheaper" option. Are they experienced? What deliverables will you receive? Will you get high-quality vector files, or just low-resolution JPEGs? Are revisions included? Will they respond to your emails promptly? Will they take the time to understand your brand and vision? Will they provide multiple design variations?
I’ve had clients politely tell me my prices were out of their budget (which I completely understand), only to return six months later in a panic because the artist they hired didn’t deliver the experience or final product they needed. Now, they’re back to square one, having spent more time and money in the long run.
Some artists will be out of your budget, and that’s okay! The further along an artist is in their career and the more in demand they are, the higher they can—and should—charge. That said, I truly believe there’s always a win-win collaboration where both the artist and client feel good about the exchange. Keep in mind that high prices don’t always guarantee excellence, and low prices don’t necessarily mean an artist is inexperienced. Pricing is subjective and depends on an artist’s business model. This is why checking testimonials and case studies is so important—they give you insight into whether past clients felt the artist was worth the investment.
It’s also completely okay to ask as many questions as you need about the creative process and what’s included in the price. A professional artist should have a PDF or guide outlining their services, process, and final deliverables. If anything is unclear, ask!
If you’re a smaller brand not producing large quantities of products, your budget may differ from a larger business selling thousands of units. This is important to consider. A $2,000 design fee might be a minor expense for an established brand with consistent sales, but for a new business, it could be a big investment. If you're just starting out, consider working with up-and-coming artists or licensing pre-existing designs at a more affordable rate rather than commissioning a custom design, which is a premium service.
Copyrights/ Licensing Structure
Before working with an artist, it’s important to understand their business model and whether you’ll own the design or if the artist retains ownership rights. Some artists transfer full copyrights for custom designs, while others use a licensing structure. In many cases, and what the process that I personally use is: copyrights are only transferred for branding projects where the design will represent a business indefinitely. However, for product and merchandise collaborations, artists often retain copyright ownership and grant a license for a client to use the design for a specific period.
Why do artists license their work? Art licensing is a common practice that allows artists to maintain control over their creations while giving businesses the right to use them. Instead of transferring copyrights, artists typically grant exclusive licenses for a set term, ensuring the client has sole usage rights while the artist retains ownership. This protects the artist’s creative integrity, allows for license renewals if a design becomes successful, and helps maintain brand consistency for both parties. If you're working with an artist, be sure to discuss licensing terms, renewal options, and any required artist credits upfront to ensure a clear and fair agreement. Licensing isn't all about money, it's also about protecting art and giving credit where it's due.
Questions the artist should be asking you!
When hiring an artist, there should be two stages of questions: an initial set to determine if you’re a good fit to work together, and a more detailed set once you’ve agreed to collaborate. Yes, this requires effort on your end as the client—but taking the time to provide clear answers will ensure a smooth design process.
Before Working Together, the Artist Should Ask:
What is your brand, project, or organization? What do you do, and what’s your mission?
Can you provide links to your website or social media?
What is your project brief? (Describe in as much detail as possible what you’re looking for.)
What’s your budget?
How big is your company or organization?
Have you worked with an artist before?
What’s the timeline for the project?
These questions help the artist understand your needs and assess whether the project is a good fit. If both you and the artist decide to move forward, they should ask more specific questions to ensure a successful collaboration.
Once You Agree to Work Together, the Artist Should Ask:
Dimensions/sizing requirements
Preferred medium
Color preferences
Printing process details
Inspiration or reference images
A deeper explanation of your vision and ideas
Any required text
Needed file types
Other project-specific details
The exact information needed will depend on the project, but if an artist isn’t asking you enough questions, they may be skipping important steps—potentially leading to miscommunications or missing elements in the final product.
For example, if you're hiring an artist for a T-shirt design, they need to know if it will be printed on light, dark, or colored garments, as this affects how the design is created. If the design is for screen printing, it must be separated by color and labeled with the correct CMYK Hex codes for production.
If an artist asks a lot of questions, that’s a good thing! It means they’re making sure you’ll get exactly what you need while minimizing revisions. Speaking from experience, I’ve learned the hard way how crucial it is to ask the right questions upfront. Taking the time to plan and discuss logistics at the beginning prevents setbacks later, making the entire process smoother and more efficient.
Wishing you an awesome creative process on your next project!
This information is just scratching the surface- but hopefully it helpful to understand some of the basic things to know and look out for when finding the right artist for your next creative project.