TrendX

August 2025

With a constant flurry of imagery posted online and via social media every second, 24/7, it’s very hard to see what’s really going on in illustration simply by browsing. What’s popular, what the algorithms show us, what clients are commissioning and what attracts  consumers can all be very different things.

Our quarterly TrendX report takes an evidence-based approach to the question, aiming to identify existing and emerging trends in the illustration market using data collected every month by IllustrationX. And to help us understand the data, we rely on insight from our  team of experienced agents around the world.

In a sense, we gather information throughout the journey our clients take when commissioning work. This report considers web visits to both our style and artist portfolio pages; enquiries, again by style and/or artist; the volume of jobs taken on by each artist, taking into  account the aesthetic of the work; and finally we look at the revenue each illustrator generates.

Because we represent over 200 artists around the world, and have a website that receives over 100,000 monthly visits, the data pool is significant and analysing it every quarter is an eye-opener. The styles people looking at, enquire about and book artists to create do  change quarter on quarter and year on year.

Choosing the right illustration style and then finding an illustrator who can execute it isn’t always easy, so we hope TrendX proves useful to commissioners. Equally, we’ve been improving the search tools on our site. You can now upload reference images to find artists  working in styles that complement what you have in mind, and soon you’ll be able to use our voice-activated search. Just tell your device what you’re looking for and our tech will bring you the best matches.

While technology is causing much uncertainty in the creative industries, we’re using its positive aspects to support human ingenuity and artistic creativity.

Trending: Big colours, big shapes, subtle textures

• Five of our 20 highest-earning artists work in this style
• Seven of our 20 most-booked artists work in this style
• Three of our five most-visited artist portfolios are in this style

Artists working in a colourful, pop style led the way in the second quarter of 2025. Browsing the data for both our highest-earning and most-booked artists reveals an emphasis on vibrant colours and big, impactful shapes, nuanced with some subtle shading and textures.

In some cases, gentle, organic lines are a feature of the artwork, but not to the exclusion of geometric forms. However, harder edges and corners tend to be softened by blending the colours to create an airbrush-style effect, hand-rendered shading or a touch of patterning.  It’s a digital look, often driven by tools like Procreate, but it’s also very effective. This style combines impact with tactility. Sometimes it’s suggestive of Pop Art, while not quite forcing its way into that category.

With inflation, the situation in Gaza and so forth, perhaps the optimism of such artwork provides an escape from bad news and  uncertainty. Bright palettes, bold imagery and lively themes help lift the spirits. While these characteristics feature with our southern
hemisphere in particular, at the moment the look is prominent throughout our roster.

 

Artists to watch

Heedayah Lockman

Wenjing Yang

Barbara Tamilin

Trending: Etching and engraving

• Enquiries about this style up 200% quarter on quarter
• One of our top 10 most-booked artists works in this style
• One artist working in this style saw a 3900% increase in enquiries

Artwork with an etched, engraved or block cut look will always be appropriate for certain projects. It’s a traditional, hand-crafted aesthetic that goes back centuries to the earliest days of the printing press and image reproduction. Moreover, it’s fascinating to see how the artist balances positive and negative space in an etched image, achieving fine detail and a certain amount of shading while keeping the overall message clear and to the point.

Used in food and drinks packaging, it conveys a sense of authenticity about the product. The meticulously created artwork reflects the  care and attention to detail that goes into whatever’s inside. It might be made according to an age-old recipe or process, honed over time for the perfect flavour. In editorial and publishing, an etching instantly transports the viewer into days of yore, ready to absorb the  narrative.

Though this is a niche category, we have a group of highly talented artists capable of creating incredible work in this style. The uptick in enquiries and jobs has been a pleasant surprise. In uncertain times, harking to the past is calming and comforting for many, which could account for the increased interest in etching and engraving.

 

Artists to watch

Becca Thorne

Caroline Church

Studio Duco

Trending: Atmospheric watercolour

• Enquiries about watercolour artists up 67% quarter on quarter
• Two of our 20 highest-earning artists work in this style
• One artist working in this style saw a 3900% increase in enquiries

From storybooks to fashion illustration to key art for advertising campaigns, watercolour is a medium that generates instant atmosphere. The second quarter of 2025 saw interest in this area increase significantly, leading to more bookings and lucrative projects for artists  proficient with this most flexible of traditional creative media.

Often, the atmosphere and intrigue come about through the artist’s technique – their understanding and manipulation of the way their paints wash over the paper, seeping and diffusing into its surface. There’s a random aspect to how this occurs and guiding this unpredictability is part of the magic as broad, colourful strokes create a feeling.

Yet watercolour can also be a very precise medium, full of detail. Some of our watercolour artists create incredibly intricate illustrations, deftly mixing their colours to achieve the tone they want to convey. It’s a different approach, with the atmosphere is carefully evoked through layer upon layer of color.

With its handmade associations and the feeling that goes into each brushstroke, watercolour is a very human alternative to AI generated imagery. Our clients appreciate its timeless appeal.

Artists to watch

Petra Dufkova

Parakid

Marta Spendowska

Emerging: Up to three children’s illustration

• Two of our five most-enquired-about artists are children’s illustrators
• Three of our five most-visited portfolios belong to children’s illustrators
• Three of our 20 highest-earning artists are children’s illustrators
• Three of our 20 busiest artists in the quarter are children’s illustrators

Imagery for kids’ books and educational publishing is a forté for IllustrationX. With our diverse stable of children’s illustrators we receive a large volume of web visits and enquiries in this area. Our artists have credits in some of the world’s best-selling children’s titles.

Despite the rise of digital media aimed at children, the bedtime story remains sacred and learning to read with a parent continues to provide quality time for families around the world. One area in which we anticipate growth is in picture books for very young children and we are looking for artists specialising in this field, who can bring fresh looks and new ideas to this category.

While the numbers quoted above are for the wider children’s illustration category, they demonstrate the enduring popularity of kids’ books and the artists who make them happen, as well as our agency’s expertise in the field.

Artists to watch

Genna Blackburn

Nathaniel Eckstrom

Dalia Awad

Trending: Messy type

• One of our 20 highest-earning artists works in this style

Scribbly, splattery, doodly lettering is the perfect way to bring character to a project – no pun intended! The type might have an urban edge to it, a lackadaisical painterly feel, it might be jaunty and naïve, lacking in confidence. Or it might look as though the letters have been hastily cut from card and quickly glued to a surface. Whatever the case, the best examples give the impression that the message is handmade and comes from the heart.

In many cases, the letter forms can be integrated with props, characters or patterns that add  eaning and give the viewer further entry points to the communication. Animation can add yet another dimension, making the imagery more impactful in online and social media scenarios.

The possibilities are far reaching and while messy type per se is a niche category for IllustrationX, we represent a range of artists highly capable of honing their handmade lettering to a variety of applications. More broadly speaking, illustrated text is always popular and is part of projects we facilitate month in, month out.

 

Artists to watch

Tallon Type

Mau Cardoso

Lee Hodges

Words by Garrick Webster