Design and branding · Delivered online · anywhere in Ireland
Illustration
Whether this needs a licence in Ireland
No licence required
Taken from the statute below; not yet reviewed by a lawyer
Illustration: what the job involves
Commissioning original drawings — for a book, packaging, a website, a map, a portrait, a children’s story or a brand character — from sketch to finished artwork. What you may do with the illustration afterwards is agreed as a licence or an assignment, and it is as important as the drawing.
Also asked for as: illustrator · children’s book illustrator · custom illustration · commission a drawing · mascot design
How the job is usually done
- Agree the brief: subject, style, size, number of pieces, where they will be used and the deadline
- Share references and agree the style, often from the illustrator’s portfolio
- Rough sketches for approval of composition
- Revise the sketch within the agreed rounds
- Produce the final artwork in line, colour or paint as agreed
- Deliver files at the right resolution and format, and the licence or assignment in writing
Illustration: what is included
Usually included
- The agreed number of illustrations, from sketch to final
- An agreed number of revisions at sketch stage
- Digital files at print and web resolution
- A written licence or assignment for the agreed uses
Usually not included — agree it separately
- Changes to composition after the sketch has been approved
- Uses beyond those in the licence, such as merchandise or advertising, without a further agreement
- Layout of a whole book or packaging, unless agreed
- The original physical artwork, unless agreed
- Printing and framing
Materials and who supplies them
- Art materials and software — the illustrator’s
- Reference photos, text or a manuscript — supplied by the customer
- The original painting or drawing, where made physically — the illustrator keeps it unless sold with the job
How long it takes
A single illustration usually takes one to three weeks; a set for a picture book or a packaging range can take several months, and late feedback on sketches is the main cause of delay.
When to book
Book illustrators early for Christmas products and book launches — many are booked months ahead.
Illustration: the rules in Ireland
What the official sources say, checked against them on the date shown. A summary, not legal advice — follow the link to read the rule itself.
The author of a work — here the designer or illustrator — is the first owner of its copyright. The exception is an employee working in the course of employment, whose employer owns it. Paying a freelancer or a studio for the work does not by itself move the copyright to the customer.
Applies to: the designer, and the customer who commissions the work
Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000, section 23 · irishstatutebook.ie · Checked 10 October 2026
An assignment of copyright, in whole or in part, is not effective unless it is in writing and signed by or on behalf of the person assigning it. If you need to own the design outright — to register it as a trade mark, to change it freely or to stop anyone else using it — get a signed written assignment, not just an invoice.
Applies to: the designer, and the customer who wants to own the work
Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000, section 120(3) · irishstatutebook.ie · Checked 10 October 2026
Separately from copyright, the author has moral rights: to be identified as the author (paternity) and to object to a distortion or alteration of the work that would harm their reputation (integrity). Moral rights cannot be assigned, but the author can waive them, and a waiver must be in writing and signed by them.
Applies to: the designer, and the customer who will alter or reuse the work
Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000, sections 107, 109, 116 and 118 · irishstatutebook.ie · Checked 10 October 2026
Copying or adapting a work without the licence of its copyright owner infringes the copyright. Stock photographs, illustrations, icons and fonts used in a design are somebody else’s work: they are used under the licence the designer or the customer bought, and that licence sets where, how often and for how long they may be used.
Applies to: the designer, and the customer who publishes the work
Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000, section 37 · irishstatutebook.ie · Checked 10 October 2026
What illustration costs, and why
What jobs on Talqero came to
Not enough comparable jobs yet to publish a range here. Talqero shows a price range only once at least five comparable jobs, agreed prices or offers exist — a range from fewer would describe a handful of jobs, not the market. Post your job and compare the offers you get.
What affects the price
- Number, size and complexity of the illustrations
- The uses licensed: a website only, print, advertising, merchandise or a full buyout
- How long and in which territories the licence runs, or whether copyright is assigned
- Style and technique: line drawing, full colour, painting or 3D
- The illustrator’s experience and demand
- The deadline
What you should get at the end
- Final artwork files in the agreed formats and resolution (high-resolution TIFF or PNG, vector if agreed)
- A written licence setting out the uses, territory and period — or a signed copyright assignment
- A waiver of moral rights, if agreed, signed by the illustrator
- The physical original, if it was included in the sale
What the provider should hand over
- Deliver files at the agreed resolution and colour profile
- Send the signed licence or assignment, stating uses, territory and period
- Explain what needs a further licence, such as merchandise or advertising
Safety
- Ask whether any part of the illustration is generated with an AI tool: if originality and ownership matter, agree in writing that it is the illustrator’s own work
- Do not ask an illustrator to copy a well-known character or another artist’s style closely — it can infringe their copyright
- For portraits of real people, especially children, get their or their parents’ permission before publishing
Illustration: before you hire
Questions to ask before you hire
- Which uses does the price include, and what would extra uses cost?
- Will you assign the copyright, or license it — and for how long?
- How many changes can I make at sketch stage?
- Is it all your own work, without AI generation?
- Do I get the original artwork?
What you can do yourself
Simple icons and doodles are within reach of anyone with a tablet; anything going on a product for sale is worth commissioning, with the rights in writing.
What to put in your task
- What is the illustration for?
- How many illustrations do you need?
- What style do you have in mind?
- How will you use it?
- When do you need the final artwork?
Photos that help
- Examples of illustration styles you like, ideally from the illustrator’s portfolio
- Reference photos of the people, places or products to be drawn
- The text, manuscript or packaging layout the illustrations will sit in
- The final sizes and where they will be printed or shown
Design and branding
Need illustration? Describe the job.
Post it once, free. Professionals anywhere in Ireland reply with their own price and when they could start. You choose, and pay them directly.
Questions about illustration
Does illustration need a licence in Ireland?
No licence is required for this work in Ireland (source: www.irishstatutebook.ie). Ask instead for references and photographs of similar jobs.
What is the difference between a licence and buying the copyright?
A licence lets you use the illustration in agreed ways — for example on your website for three years — while the illustrator keeps the copyright. An assignment transfers the copyright to you, and in Ireland it must be in writing and signed by the illustrator. A licence is usually cheaper and is enough for many uses.
Can I change the illustration later?
Only within what the licence or assignment allows. The illustrator also has a moral right to object to changes that would harm their reputation, unless they have waived it in writing. Agree up front if you expect to adapt the artwork.
Why does the price depend on how I use it?
Because the value of the rights grows with the use: a drawing on a birthday card is worth less than the same drawing on a national ad campaign or packaging sold in every shop. Telling the illustrator all your plans gets you an accurate price.