# ILLUSTRATION BRIEF

> **Disclaimer — not legal advice.** This template is provided free of charge, as is and with no warranty of any kind, and using it creates no attorney-client relationship. It is jurisdiction-neutral: you are responsible for adapting it, for your own legal and tax compliance, and for having a qualified professional in your jurisdiction review it before you rely on it. Full terms: https://trycolo.co/terms-of-use

**Client:** [CLIENT / PUBLICATION / BRAND]  |  **Art director or contact:** [NAME], [EMAIL]  |  **Date:** [DATE]
**Illustrator:** [YOUR NAME / STUDIO]
**Final deadline:** [DATE]  |  **Budget range:** [CURRENCY] [LOW] to [CURRENCY] [HIGH]
**Approver:** [NAME] — the only person whose feedback counts as a round.

## 1. Purpose and context

**What the illustration must do:** [e.g. explain how the product works without words / set the mood for an article about [TOPIC] / make the packaging stand out on a shelf]
**Where it sits:** [e.g. opening spread of a feature article, homepage hero, front of a cereal box, book chapter openers]
**Audience:** [WHO SEES IT, AGE RANGE, CONTEXT]
**Related text or article:** [LINK OR ATTACHED DRAFT]

## 2. Usage and license

| Question | Answer |
| --- | --- |
| Media | [ ] Editorial print  [ ] Editorial web  [ ] Website  [ ] Social (organic)  [ ] Paid advertising  [ ] Packaging  [ ] Book cover / interior  [ ] Merchandise  [ ] Out-of-home  [ ] Other: [ ] |
| Territory | [WORLDWIDE / COUNTRIES / REGIONS] |
| Term | [N MONTHS / N YEARS / PERPETUAL] |
| Print run (packaging, books, print) | [N COPIES / UNITS] |
| Exclusivity | [ ] Exclusive for [TERM]  [ ] Non-exclusive |
| Full buyout requested? | [ ] No  [ ] Yes (priced separately) |
| Can the illustrator show the work in a portfolio? | [ ] Yes, after [DATE / PUBLICATION]  [ ] No |

## 3. Pieces and sizes

| # | Illustration | Final size / ratio | Orientation | Safe area or crop | Due |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [e.g. main hero] | [e.g. 2400 x 1350 px, 16:9] | Horizontal | [e.g. also cropped to 1:1 for social] | [DATE] |
| 2 | [e.g. spot illustration] | [e.g. 60 x 60 mm at 300 dpi] | Square | [NOTES] | [DATE] |
| 3 | [e.g. chapter opener x 8] | [SIZE + BLEED] | Vertical | [NOTES] | [DATE] |
| [#] | [ILLUSTRATION] | [SIZE] | [ORIENTATION] | [NOTES] | [DATE] |

## 4. Text and layout

- **Text sitting on or near the art:** [HEADLINE / TITLE / LOGO / PRICE / NONE]
- **Where the text goes:** [e.g. top third must be clear background]
- **Layout or wireframe attached:** [ ] Yes, [LINK]  [ ] No
- **Lettering by illustrator?** [ ] No  [ ] Yes, text: "[EXACT WORDING]"

## 5. Style references

**From the illustrator's portfolio:**
1. [LINK / TITLE] — [WHAT YOU LIKE: line, color, texture, mood, level of detail]
2. [LINK / TITLE] — [REASON]

**From elsewhere (for direction, not copying):**
1. [LINK] — [REASON]
2. [LINK] — [REASON]

**Not like this:** [LINK] — [WHAT TO AVOID]
**Mood words:** [WORD], [WORD], [WORD]
**Level of detail:** [ ] Simple and graphic  [ ] Medium  [ ] Highly detailed

## 6. Subjects and characters

| Subject / character | Must-have details | Avoid | Reference photos |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [e.g. main character, a nurse in her 50s] | [e.g. scrubs in brand teal, glasses, warm expression] | [e.g. stereotypical poses] | [LINK] |
| [e.g. product] | [e.g. exact shape, logo placement, color] | [e.g. inaccurate buttons] | [LINK] |
| [e.g. setting] | [e.g. small-town pharmacy, daytime] | [DETAILS] | [LINK] |

**Representation and accuracy notes:** [e.g. diverse group of ages and skin tones, cultural details to check, accessibility aids shown accurately]
**Things that must not appear:** [e.g. competitor products, alcohol, specific symbols or gestures]

## 7. Color

- **Brand palette to use:** [HEX / CMYK / PANTONE VALUES or "illustrator's choice"]
- **Colors to avoid:** [COLORS AND REASON]
- **Print limits:** [e.g. two spot colors, CMYK only, foil on [ELEMENT]]
- **Background:** [ ] Full background  [ ] Transparent / cut-out  [ ] White

## 8. Stages and feedback

| Stage | What the client receives | Feedback | Client turnaround |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1. Thumbnails | [2-3] rough compositions | Choose one | [2] business days |
| 2. Sketch | Refined sketch of the chosen composition | [1] consolidated round | [3] business days |
| 3. Color rough (optional) | Color test on the sketch | [1] consolidated round | [2] business days |
| 4. Final art | Finished illustration | Minor adjustments only, [1] round | [3] business days |

Composition changes after sketch approval are quoted as an extra sketch stage. Late feedback moves the deadline by the same number of days.

## 9. Delivery

- **Formats:** [ ] Layered source file ([FORMAT])  [ ] Flattened PNG / TIFF  [ ] Print-ready PDF  [ ] Vector (SVG / AI / EPS)  [ ] Web-optimized JPG / PNG
- **Resolution:** [e.g. 300 dpi at final print size / 2x for screens]
- **Color profile:** [sRGB / CMYK profile specified by printer]
- **File naming:** [CONVENTION]
- **Delivered via:** [PROJECT SPACE / FILE TRANSFER]

**Brief approved by:** ____________________  **Name:** [APPROVER]  **Date:** [DATE]

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### How to use this template

1. Complete section 2 before quoting; usage sets the license fee.
2. Ask for references from your own portfolio first and note the reasons.
3. Get written sign-off at the sketch stage before starting final art.
4. Match the delivery list in section 9 to what the license and fee cover.

*Template provided by Colo (trycolo.co). Not legal advice — review with a qualified professional in your jurisdiction.*