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] ------------------------------------------------------------ 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.