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Version:
OaSIS 2025 Version 1.0
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52120.02 – Illustrators

Illustrators conceptualize and create illustrations to represent information through images.

Overview

Example job titles

  • Illustrator
  • Multimedia illustrator
  • Scientific illustrator

Core competencies

  • Digital Literacy to utilize software like Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and other digital drawing tools to create and edit work
  • Critical Thinking and Oral Communication: Active Listening to face challenges such as how to visually represent complex ideas or how to meet client requirements while maintaining artistic integrity
  • Colour Perception to select and blend hues, creating visually appealing images that convey mood, depth and meaning in their artwork
  • Fluency of Ideas to think of multiple ways to represent complex ideas or abstract concepts through images, helping to find the most effective visual solution
  • Creativity and Attention to Detail to conceptualize, develop and produce sketches and final illustrations in order to meet clients' exact communications needs
  • Knowledge in Arts to understand principles of composition, colour theory, perspective and anatomy to create visually balanced and aesthetically pleasing work that meet clients' needs

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • Consult with clients to determine the nature and content of illustrations in order to meet their communications needs
  • Develop and produce realistic or representational sketches and final illustrations, by hand or using computer-assisted design (CAD) software, for printed materials such as books, magazines, packaging, greeting cards and stationery
  • Assist in developing storyboards for electronic productions such as multimedia, interactive and digital products and television advertising and productions
  • Produce 2-D and 3-D animated drawings or computer illustrations
  • May adapt existing illustrations.

Additional information

  • Progression to management or senior design positions is possible with experience.
  • Illustrators may specialize in a particular field such as illustrations for children, advertising, editorials, humour, or medical, scientific or technical illustration, or multimedia design.

Similar occupations classified elsewhere

Exclusions:

  • Advertising managers (10022.01)
  • Graphic arts technicians (52111)
  • Interior designers and interior decorators (52121)
  • Painters, sculptors and other visual artists (53122)

NOC hierarchy breakdown

NOC version

NOC 2021 Version 1.0

Broad occupational category

5 – Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport

TEER

2 – Occupations usually require a college diploma or apprenticeship training of two or more years; or supervisory occupations

Major group

52 – Technical occupations in art, culture and sport

Sub-major group

521 – Technical occupations in art and culture

Minor group

5212 – Graphic and interior designers

Unit group

52120 – Graphic designers and illustrators

Occupational profile

52120.02 – Illustrators

O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 27.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Employment and Social Development Canada has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.