Live illustration is a really engaging way to add something memorable to an event. It gets a wow! It gets a round of applause, and people love seeing their thoughts and contributions up on the big screen at the end of the day - it’s a really special moment.
So… you’re keen, but how much does it cost? How much does live illustration or graphic recording cost in the UK, and what factors affect the price?
TLDR: prices normally start at about £600 for a short one to two hour workshop with most types of client and project. But obviously there’s loads of factors, and most events are longer than this. So let me give you a breakdown of what could affect the cost to help you get thinking, and then at the end, I’ll tell you how to get a quote.
First, a side note: no hourly rates
Illustrators normally don’t have an hourly rate. If you’re used to working with designers or other types of creatives, you might expect one. But for live illustration, you’ll usually get a whole project fee, which covers all the work, prep and expenses wrapped up in one lovely, tidy bundle.
Event duration
Usually you’ll get some sort of better deal if you have a longer event. Just because an event is six hours doesn’t mean it’s necessarily six times the cost of one hour, if that makes sense. Once the illustrator’s there and they’re settled in, they can just keep drawing! To a point 😅
You’ll also probably get better value if there are other deliverables, like infographics or extra things to add on afterwards. We illustrators love big projects because we can really get our teeth into them.
Digital or physical
When it’s digital, there are no materials to bring, just an iPad or a laptop. Usually the artist will just need a plug socket, a table and a chair, and they can edit throughout the day.
Digital might be cheaper than physical, because physical means pens, paper and a lot of stuff to bring. They might need to drive to bring everything, pay for parking, and so on. But it really depends on each individual illustrator and how they work.
Preparation
I’ve done some events where we’ve prepared parts of the design in advance because the client wanted to approve it. This isn’t common, but this sort of thing adds an extra cost. Or, we might agree some kind of template or character designs, or there might be a flyer design. Any sort of extra thing that’s needed before the event to enhance the live illustration will cost more than having the artist turn up to live scribe exactly what happens on the day.
Deliverables
It’s helpful to think about what the illustrations will be used for afterwards, and whether they’ll need to be changed at all. If the illustrations are just going to be used internally for comms, that will probably be slightly cheaper than if they’re going to be used for advertising or anything that’s for profit.
It also depends on whether you need multiple illustrators to cover the event. If there are going to be lots of breakout rooms, that’s a different job from one illustrator sitting in one auditorium all day.
Edits and new materials
Most project fee quotes will include changing any spelling or a slight rework of elements. But if there are going to be any major changes, or you want new materials made from the images, like social media posts, that would be an extra cost too.
Location and travel
This is a pretty obvious one, but it’s worth a mention. If the illustrator is local, it’s probably going to be cheaper than if they have to hop on a train and pay for train fare, or pay for taxis, petrol or parking. Illustrators might add a small hourly cost for travel into the package quote, and they might add other small fees for parking and lunch. Again, this will all be wrapped up in your final quote.
It’s a good idea to let your illustrator know if you can cover or provide travel or food separately through your company at a cheaper rate, as that might save you a bit of cash.
When the event is
If it’s a rush job and you need someone ASAP next week, that might be slightly more inconvenient and cost more if someone has to rearrange their other engagements. If you’re planning well ahead, you might be able to snag a better deal on live illustration costs.
How to get an exact quote
Get as much info as you have, ideally the event agenda, but don’t worry if you don’t have it yet! Often we don’t need it until a week or two before the event, so no pressure. More information means the quote is right the first time, and that could be handy for any funding bids if you’re working on getting a research grant, etc.
So - now you know how much live illustration costs, and what affects the price. Luckily for you… I’ve got this handy form right here. If you’re looking for live illustration in the UK, please do get in touch using this form. It will gather all the information that I, the live illustrator, need, and I can send you over an exact quote as soon as possible.
I really look forward to hearing from you, and I hope all of your events go brilliantly!
