When you first learned to read, you probably enjoyed books with a lot of pictures and very few words. The pictures were important for making the book fun, but also for helping to tell the story. If you didn’t understand the words, you could look at the pictures for help. As you got older and understood longer words and sentences, you probably still enjoyed seeing pictures and maps in books or on the computer screen. Even for adults, pictures, diagrams, and maps can be very enjoyable and helpful. Most of these pictures and drawings are the work of illustrators.

Most children learn to draw pictures when they are very young, and some people continue to develop their skills long after childhood. Knowing how to draw well is an important part of being an illustrator, but the career involves much more than that. In the past, most illustrators worked with a pen or pencil and paper. Some of them still work that way, especially when they do illustrations for books or magazines that come out in print. Now, however, many illustrators work with computer programs and software to create drawings with colour and movement. They might illustrate video games, movies, and television commercials. Anything with pictures can use the services of a good illustrator.

Being able to draw and to use the right software is an important part of becoming an illustrator, but it is not the only important thing. Learning new techniques and developing natural talents can help people find work in the field and to make a good income. Some illustrators become successful in their field just through practice, but many people find it helpful to study their craft at a university or community college. A four-year Bachelor of Illustration degree can help give students the background information they need to get god jobs, and shorter community college programs can give a very practical basis for a career in illustration.

Do you like putting pictures and words together? Maybe you should consider becoming an illustrator.