I’m not a graphic designer though I do draw sometimes (on paper). Right now I am working on a permaculture gardening book and I am looking for a graphic illustrator to collaborate as a co-author, for creating simple instructional illustrations with color. This book will be heavy on illustrations, so I’d love to form a long-term partnership—especially with someone passionate about gardening!
The illustrations would be clear, simple sketches that will help teach practical gardening techniques, such as:
Step-by-step guides (e.g., making living fences from willow cuttings)
Building raised beds (wood, logs, stone, etc.)
Companion planting arrangements
Landscapes (swales, ponds, earthworks)
Here’s an example of the style I like (ignore the background—just the fence illustration!): Kest Fine Art — A Wattle Fence (I like the depth and color for clarity).
I am looking for a partner to monetize this book with after it’s done instead of just hiring someone to do the illustrations.
I’ll provide references and sketches to make the process easier. If you’re looking to build your portfolio and are interested in being a co-author on this series of books on eco-friendly gardening, let’s collaborate! Or if you know someone who might be interested, feel free to share.
Comment/Message me if interested! Looking forward to working together!
Pretty sure asking for free work is against one of the core rules of the forum.
Designers and illustrators deserve to be paid for their work, just like any other professional. A “what if” partnership with the hope of future monetisation isn’t a fair model, illustration is labour, and labour should be compensated. If you’re serious about creating a quality book, hiring an illustrator properly is the right approach.
Pretty sure if I asked a landscape gardener to do the work for free, promising they could add it to their portfolio for exposure and I’d share it with my followers, I’d be told exactly where to stick it. The same logic applies here.
Exposure and portfolio pieces don’t pay the bills. You either pay for the work, or you don’t get it.
I assume you’re proposing to split the profits from your book with an illustrator. However, doing free work for someone hoping to get paid in the future is called spec work. Most designers reject this practice as a bad business practice. The forum has a policy on spec work.
However, you’re framing your proposal as a partnership. Even so, you’re stating your preferred style for illustrations rather than deferring to the illustrator, which sounds less like a partnership than a job for hire.
I’ll leave the post here in case someone wants to negotiate with you in private, but we don’t have many professional illustrators on the forum. As usual with job postings, I’m closing the thread to additional comments. Good luck with your book.
