To help a magazine story really shine, give it an illuminating illustration. Here, the 2024 Circle of Excellence winners in the illustrations category share their advice for marketing and communications team members collaborating on graphics and illustrations.

Communicate clearly and thoroughly

“My best tip for working with an illustrator is to approach the collaboration like coauthoring a visual narrative. As the art director, you’re not just crafting the vision; you’re setting the stage for a story to unfold, with the illustrator breathing life into that story. To do this effectively, you need to begin by addressing the storytelling essentials: who, what, when, where, why, and how.

“Keep communication open, providing clear and thoughtful feedback that keeps the story on course. Trust the illustrator’s instincts to enhance the narrative with those special, surprising elements that often elevate a project from good to extraordinary. That’s where the magic happens—when the final result not only meets but exceeds your original expectations.”  — Camila Ordorica Arango, Art Director at TecScience, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico

See the illustrations for "Beef Sans the Cow," TecScience's article on innovative food production—a 2024 COE winner for illustrations.
 
 

Work with the right artist

“When we decided to profile an alumna living in war-torn Ukraine, we knew we would not be able to set up the kinds of photo shoots we would normally do for such a story. We hired illustrator Yevgenia Nayberg, an award-winning artist in New York City who herself hails from Kyiv. That was the most important decision we made. We had worked with her before on a lighter feature and we knew what she was capable of. The fact that she is Ukrainian was an added bonus in our storytelling.” 

— Chris Saunders, Managing Editor, NC State Magazine, North Carolina State University, U.S.

See NC State Magazine's article "Volya," winner of a 2024 COE Award in writing.

Offer creative flexibility

“The best collaborations with illustrators happen when art direction inspires rather than hinders the illustrator’s creativity. The art director should work with the editorial team to come to a shared understanding of their vision for the illustration, but the direction should give the artist enough latitude to bring their own vision to the piece. After all, art directors hire an illustrator based on their creativity and vision. The most successful artwork comes when artists have the opportunity to exercise both.” 

— David Hopson, Creative Director, Barnard College, New York, U.S.

See Barnard Magazine's Innovation Issue, winner of a 2024 COE Award for illustrations.