ILLU, a new platform created by Augustinas Paukštė of andstudio, aims to democratize the illustration industry by offering artists an opportunity to directly monetize their art, thereby challenging industry norms.
Illustrators and graphic designers face a number of difficulties in today’s illustration marketplace, from finding consistent and well-paying work to standing out from the crowd with a unique style. Now with the rise of AI models capable of rapidly producing high quality images, it has become more difficult, and more necessary, to combat the impression that AI will come to replace custom illustration all together.
This week’s launch of ILLU, a platform where illustrators can directly monetize their art, sets up a challenge to these industry norms. Created by Augustinas Paukštė, co-founder of the award-winning design studio andstudio, ILLU aims to establish a balanced, artist-friendly ecosystem where illustrators and clients can connect over quality, authentic illustrations with a story.
Reimagining the illustration marketplace
ILLU is a curated illustration marketplace where illustrators can showcase their work and businesses can find artists to help tell their story. ILLU’s curatorial team handpicks its participating illustrators, from new talent to well-known artists, with an eye toward keeping the platform up-to-date on the latest trends and ongoing work. Illustrations are arranged in sets that portray a range of themes and concepts, and many have adaptive colour palettes and compositions, allowing businesses to match them to a particular brand identity.
“Our aim is to bridge the gap between illustrators and clients, to make the world of illustration more accessible, efficient, and fulfilling for all,” says Paukštė. “We know from experience that illustrators are struggling these days to secure long-term commission work. Meanwhile, the market is saturated with stock photos and inauthentic AI-generated art that can’t meet businesses’ needs for effective brand imagery. This is where ILLU comes in, to bring businesses and illustrators together.”
Where compensation and creativity merge
When it comes to payment, ILLU emphasizes the importance of clear and fair compensation for illustrators. Artists receive a percentage from all sales of their work—50% from regular purchases and 75% from extended licences—offering the potential for a more stable source of income.
“Our goal is to democratize the illustration world, which has been dominated by big illustration agencies and lengthy commission processes that limit creativity,” Paukštė says. “For illustrators, it is important not only to work from commission to commission, but also to continuously search and improve their style and work on their passion projects. ILLU’s platform aims to merge economic viability with creative freedom.”
A community of creators and curators
Beyond just a digital marketplace, ILLU also serves as a community and educational hub. “ILLU gathers a vibrant and diverse group of curators and illustrators that will foster improvement,” says Paukštė. “Our curators are passionate about the success of our artists, and they are an active presence on the platform, offering support through educational webinars, discussions and friendly advice.”
“We also educate businesses on improving their visual appearance and offering the best possible visual products for a fair price. Essentially, there are two sides: illustrators and clients, and we are working to bring them together, to make the illustration industry work better, as a more balanced and lucrative ecosystem.”
Source: ILLU
A Fresh Palette for the Illustration Industry: How a New Platform is Empowering Artists through Curation and Community added by newsroom on
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