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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Graphic Illustrator Assistant

💰 $35,000 - $55,000

DesignIllustrationCreativeMarketing

🎯 Role Definition

We are hiring a Graphic Illustrator Assistant to support creative production across branding, packaging, advertising, and digital channels. The ideal candidate will assist with vector and raster illustration, prepare files for print and digital delivery, adapt concepts into polished assets, and maintain organized creative libraries. This position reports to a Senior Illustrator or Art Director and requires strong skills in Adobe Creative Cloud (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign), attention to color and typography, and the ability to translate briefs into production-ready artwork.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Junior Graphic Designer
  • Art/Illustration Intern
  • Production Artist

Advancement To:

  • Mid-level Illustrator / Graphic Designer
  • Senior Graphic Illustrator
  • Lead Designer or Art Director

Lateral Moves:

  • Motion Graphic Designer
  • UX/UI Visual Designer
  • Packaging Designer
  • Editorial Layout Designer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Collaborate with senior illustrators and art directors to translate creative briefs into polished vector and raster illustrations, ensuring stylistic consistency with brand guidelines across print and digital channels.
  • Create and refine original vector artwork in Adobe Illustrator for logos, icons, infographics, labels, and packaging dielines, ensuring scalable, editable, and production-ready files.
  • Produce high-quality raster illustrations and digital paintings in Adobe Photoshop and Procreate, including detailed textures, shading, and compositing for campaign and social media assets.
  • Prepare, preflight, and export final artwork for multiple outputs (print, web, mobile, social) with correct color profiles (CMYK, RGB), bleed, trim, and resolution to meet vendor specifications.
  • Convert and optimize complex layered PSD files into clean, labeled, and fully editable Illustrator or InDesign files while maintaining fidelity to the approved concept.
  • Assist in developing and updating artboards, style tiles, and visual mockups that communicate layout, scale, and hierarchy for stakeholder review and approval.
  • Support senior artists in storyboarding and sequential illustration tasks for animated or interactive projects, producing clear frame-by-frame visuals and annotated notes for animators.
  • Create and maintain an organized digital asset library (AI, EPS, PSD, SVG, PNG) with version control, naming conventions, and metadata to streamline cross-team collaboration and reuse.
  • Execute color correction, retouching, and compositing tasks on photography and illustrations to match creative direction and maintain brand color accuracy.
  • Translate hand-drawn sketches or low-fidelity concepts into polished digital illustrations while preserving the original intent and character of the artwork.
  • Prepare dielines and flat artwork for packaging, verifying dimensions, spot varnish/foil placement, and die-cut alignments in collaboration with production vendors.
  • Liaise with print vendors and production specialists to troubleshoot prepress issues, review proofs, and implement revisions to ensure print quality and on-time delivery.
  • Produce web-ready assets including optimized SVGs, responsive image sets, and lightweight PNG/JPEG exports while ensuring accessibility and fast load performance.
  • Iterate quickly on revisions from internal stakeholders and client feedback, maintaining a clear revision history and communicating changes to the creative team.
  • Assist in creating social media templates, post variations, and promotional assets that adhere to platform specifications and brand voice.
  • Support cross-functional teams (marketing, product, UX) by adapting illustrations for UI elements, app icons, and micro-illustrations that improve user experience and brand recognition.
  • Ensure typography choices are paired correctly with illustration work by preparing outlined artwork or linked font files, and by performing typographic adjustments for legibility and hierarchy.
  • Enforce file organization standards, naming conventions, and archive policies to reduce duplication, speed onboarding, and maintain a single source of truth for creative assets.
  • Conduct visual research and trend analysis to suggest fresh illustration styles and techniques that align with campaign objectives and audience preferences.
  • Assist with producing presentation-ready decks, pitch materials, and client-facing comps that clearly demonstrate concept, application, and scalability of illustrations.
  • Support accessibility and localization efforts by adapting illustrations to different cultural contexts, languages, and regional color and printing standards.
  • Track time and progress against project timelines, escalate potential delays, and propose pragmatic solutions to meet delivery milestones without compromising quality.

Secondary Functions

  • Support day-to-day asset requests from internal teams, including quick-turn social assets, email banners, and campaign variants.
  • Maintain and update master style guides and illustration libraries to reflect approved visual systems and usage rules.
  • Participate in creative reviews and critique sessions to provide constructive feedback and to align on improvements and efficiencies.
  • Help onboard and train interns or new assistants on production workflows, file standards, and software best practices.
  • Assist with ad-hoc mockups for client meetings, ensuring designs are presented in context (device screens, packaging mockups, signage).
  • Monitor project tickets or task boards, update statuses, and provide estimates for illustration-related work.
  • Assist in archiving completed projects and preparing handoff packages for external vendors or cross-functional teams.
  • Perform routine quality assurance checks on exported files for color shifts, transparencies, and element misalignment.
  • Support sustainability and cost-efficiency initiatives by recommending optimized print methods and material-saving artwork layouts.
  • Help maintain hardware and software inventory, flagging required upgrades for optimal illustration production.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator (advanced vector drawing, pen tool mastery, pattern creation, and asset exports).
  • Strong skills in Adobe Photoshop (masking, compositing, color correction, retouching).
  • Working knowledge of Adobe InDesign for multi-page layout and packaging comps.
  • Experience with Procreate or other tablet-based digital painting tools for freehand illustration.
  • Solid understanding of color theory, spot colors, CMYK/RGB conversions, and color management for print and digital.
  • Familiarity with prepress and print production workflows, including dielines, bleed, trim, trapping, and proofing.
  • Competence exporting and optimizing assets for web: SVG, responsive image sets, and optimized PNG/JPEG.
  • Typography fundamentals including kerning, tracking, font pairing, and preparing outlined type for production.
  • File management and version control best practices (naming conventions, asset libraries, cloud collaboration tools).
  • Basic knowledge of UI/UX principles and ability to adapt illustrations for digital interfaces.
  • Experience creating packaging artwork and preparing files for dieline templates.
  • Familiarity with vector file formats and compatibility concerns across platforms (AI, EPS, SVG, PDF/X).
  • Ability to create and maintain style guides, mood boards, and visual system documentation.

Soft Skills

  • Strong attention to detail and visual accuracy under tight production timelines.
  • Excellent communication skills to receive, interpret, and implement creative direction and client feedback.
  • Collaborative mindset with the ability to work across design, marketing, and production teams.
  • Time management and task prioritization to handle multiple projects concurrently.
  • Problem-solving orientation with a focus on practical, production-friendly solutions.
  • Receptive to critique and iterative feedback while preserving concept integrity.
  • Adaptability to shifting priorities and evolving brand or campaign requirements.
  • Professionalism in client-facing situations and internal review meetings.
  • Curiosity and appetite for learning new tools, techniques, and industry trends.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Associate degree, certificate, or equivalent training in Graphic Design, Illustration, Visual Communications, or related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Illustration, Fine Arts, Visual Communication, or equivalent professional experience and portfolio.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Graphic Design
  • Illustration
  • Visual Arts
  • Multimedia Design
  • Communication Design

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 1–3 years of professional experience in illustration, graphic production, or design support roles.

Preferred:

  • 2–4 years supporting senior illustrators or creative teams with a demonstrable portfolio of vector and raster work across print and digital mediums. Experience with packaging or advertising production and direct exposure to prepress/print vendor coordination is highly advantageous.
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