While 2024 has been pretty morale-sapping for many illustrators, perhaps 2025 will bring new hope and enthusiasm to the sector. We are settling down to the idea that AI is just a tool, and while it can replicate artists’ styles, the output is derivative by definition and often flawed. Nothing can replace true human creativity, and a personal touch is something clients will always crave.
And, to put things in context, the wider creative industries have had a rocky year, too, impacting the demand for illustration. Elections in the UK and the US led many big brands to put off their decision-making and budgeting – they want to see the lie of the land economically before investing in creative. Meanwhile, there is war in Europe for the first time in a generation, the Middle East is on fire, the climate crisis looms over us all and political instability – deliberately provoked or otherwise – …