The following rates are based on A4-size projects, commissioned by self-publishing authors, or non-publisher companies or organisations. These rates demonstrate the extensive time and work involved in commissioned book illustration projects, assuming a high professional level and experience of the illustrator in addition to conceptual input and research. 

For all illustration work, an agreement should be in place between both parties before illustration work is begun. Please see our Trade Publishing Agreement for Illustrators and Author Commissioning Illustrator template agreements.

Trade publishing arrangements typically do not pay a commission – instead, the illustrator is paid in advances and royalties. By comparison, educational publishers commonly commission illustrators, offering a work-for-hire contract or ‘royalty-free contract’, with a lump sum for the illustration work.

For ‘one-off’ or single illustrations paid on a flat fee – for example, for editorial illustrations or private usage – add 20 percent to the illustration rates. For online or commercial usage, a limited time agreement of a maximum of two years and an indication of the type of access should be specified. 

Ideally, the illustrator should be paid a commission for the illustrations and royalties for the sales, however the ASA understands self-publishing authors are rarely equipped to accommodate royalty payments. If copyright is assigned to the commissioner in the agreement, the fee should be increased by 20% as compensation for lack of royalties, renegotiations, and additional income. Moral rights should always be retained by the illustrator for attribution.

Where publishers or other commissioners intend to bundle additional tasks with one particular illustrator (e.g. colour illustration, cover design, book design and lettering), the ASA recommends the commissioner to quote for each individual job component, or negotiate a reasonable package rate with the artist that does not undercut the total of all job components by more than 15%.

For additional rates for illustration and design work, please see our Comics Rates of Pay.