Books vs Commercial Work — Choosing Your Direction as an Illustrator
- Andrijana Hasan
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
After a while, a quiet question starts to appear:
What do I actually want to do?
Not just “I want to draw.”Not just “I want clients.”
But:
What kind of projects do I want to spend my time on?
✸ The illusion of “doing everything.”
At the beginning, it feels natural to say yes to everything.
Children’s books.
Packaging.
Posters.
Social media visuals.
Editorial pieces.
You’re exploring. Learning. Trying to find your place.
And that’s completely okay.
But over time, this approach starts creating confusion — not only for clients, but for you.
Because different types of illustration work require very different things.
You also start noticing that some types bring joy to you while others you outgrow or just lose interest in them.
✸ Book illustration: slow, immersive, emotionally driven
Working on books is a very specific experience.
It’s long-term.
It requires consistency.
It asks for storytelling, character development, and emotional depth.
You’re not just creating single images.
You’re building a world.
And that takes time.
Often months.
Sometimes longer.
It can be incredibly fulfilling — especially if you’re drawn to narrative work.
But it also requires patience, structure, and the ability to stay focused on one project for a long period.
✸ Commercial illustration: fast, strategic, adaptable
Commercial work is different.
Projects are usually shorter.
Deadlines are tighter.
Communication is faster.
Expectations are clearer.
You’re solving visual problems.
Helping a brand communicate.
Supporting a campaign.
Translating ideas into visuals that serve a purpose.
It requires flexibility, clarity, and the ability to adapt your work within defined constraints.
And very often, it is better paid.
✸ Two different rhythms
This is something that often gets overlooked.
Book illustration and commercial work don’t just differ in content.
They differ in rhythm.
Books:
– long timelines
– deep focus
– slower financial return
Commercial:
– shorter cycles
– faster pace
– more frequent income
Neither is better.
But they create very different lifestyles.
✸ Why this matters for your portfolio
Your portfolio reflects your direction.
If you mix everything without intention, you create uncertainty.
If you show mostly book work → you attract publishing clients.
If you show commercial applications → you attract brands.
If you show both, but without structure, clients don’t know where to place you.
And when clients are unsure, they usually don’t choose.
✸ You don’t have to choose forever
This is important.
Choosing a direction doesn’t mean locking yourself into it forever.
You can:
– start with books and move into commercial
– combine both over time
– shift as your interests evolve
But at any given moment, clarity helps.
It helps you:
– build a stronger portfolio
– communicate more clearly
– attract more aligned projects
✸ What should you choose?
Instead of asking:
“What pays more?” or “What looks better?”
Try asking:
What kind of work do I enjoy doing repeatedly?
What kind of projects match my energy and lifestyle?
Do I prefer long focus or shorter cycles?
Do I want stability or variety?
✸ A more realistic approach
You don’t have to choose only one.
Many illustrators build a combination:
Books for creative fulfillment. Commercial work for financial stability.
But that balance only works when both sides are intentional.
Not random.
✸ Clarity first, expansion later
At the beginning, clarity matters more than expansion.
You don’t need to show everything you can do.
You need to show what you want to be hired for.
That decision alone changes:
– your portfolio
– your positioning
– your clients
– your pricing
This part is the most important one to understand, and also the one constantly evolving as your illustration career grows.
✸ If you’re still figuring out your direction
If you feel like you’re somewhere in between —trying different things, but not fully clear where to focus — that’s a very normal phase.
But without clarity, it’s difficult to build a portfolio that actually supports your goals.
That’s exactly why I created the Portfolio & Client Roadmap for Illustrators.
It’s designed to help you:
– define your direction
– structure your portfolio accordingly
– and position yourself in a way that attracts the right type of work.
If you want to approach this more intentionally, you can explore it here:
✸ A small shift that changes everything
When you stop asking:
“What can I do?”, and start asking: “What do I want to be known for?”
Your work starts aligning.
Your portfolio becomes clearer.
And your decisions become easier.
There is no perfect path.
Only the one you build intentionally.
And that intention — more than talent — is what shapes your career over time.
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