Hi all I am interested in learning illustrations and vector art.
Any advice on how to get started?

Download Inkscape a open source vector program and play with it until you learn it.  Look through vectors at all the sites to see what's popular, what's over done and what needs doing.  Create as many illustrations as you can.  See what sells and what doesn't.  Rinse and repeat.

Do the big sites like Istock, Dreamstime, SS, etc accept illustrations from inkscape or are they wanting Illustrator CS only? I think I may have read something along these lines somewhere but not sure. So should I start with illustrator directly ?

most people use illustrator.  It is far ahead of inkscape but both work.  inkscape is free so if you are tight on cash go with inkscape.  if you are wanting to be productive use illustrator.

My suggestion would be to perhaps try both.  You can download illustrator from adobe with a 30 day trial.  Download it, watch as many tutorials as you can on youtube and lynda.com and anywhere else you can find and see if it is for you.

Do the big sites like Istock, Dreamstime, SS, etc accept illustrations from inkscape or are they wanting Illustrator CS only? I think I may have read something along these lines somewhere but not sure. So should I start with illustrator directly ?

iStock accepts work in .eps format v8.  Doesn't matter where it came from.  However, if you have no skills or experience using the software, you are a long ways away from submitting to iStock, so don't worry about that part.

Spend 4 years at art school. That's funny! 

Spend 4 years at art school. That's funny! 

While I don't think that is necessarily a requirement, I understand where the comment came from. It is a bit exasperating to see someone worrying about which software to use for their submission when they seem to have skipped a few of the fundamental steps to becoming an illustrator. Owning a copy of the program does not make one an illustrator. Basic drawing skills are kinda important (though I will admit seemingly not a requirement on some sites).

Spending 4 years drawing non-stop improves your ability no end.

And more important, keeps them away from uploading 

You can't use transparencies anyway, illustrator 8.0 turns blends into raster art.  That's no good, it will just get you big fat rejections.  If there's a way to use transparencies and the blending modes and save to eps 8.0 without issues, please someone fill me in. 

4 years in college didn't teach me crap about software - they just give you the basics in about a week.  I'm glad I started teaching myself back when in high school.  It's basically up to you to learn the software in the graphic design world.  No wonder why there are so many terrible designers; these schools crank them out so fast and they hit the job market not knowing what the heck they're doing.  I know - I've had to interview droves of them, only later to find out they couldn't do simple things like make a proper selection in Photoshop.  Thats the point when they got the boot and we had to throw the ad back up on craigslist, only to get 50 more applications every day.

Same here, I think I'm one of 5 that I know actually have jobs in the field.  There was probably a total of around 60 in my graduated class that were going for design as their major.  Some of them make it, but they're stuck in dead end jobs like newspaper or catalog layout.  Usually those types of jobs are $12-16/hr at best.  Or they're stuck working in sweat shop print centers or commercial presses.

How much does it take to make one of those 5000 dl backgrounds with swirling lines Not 4 years.   No wonder people wanna try when they see those.

Ha!
Much agreed.  Of the top fifteen most popular files on IS, seven are vectors, of which 5 are floral or "swirl" backgrounds.  One is a set of banners and the other is silhouettes with colored background.  I mean the artists no disrespect because these vectors are exquisitely done and very pleasing to the eye.  But like magnum said, who can't look at these rather simple illustrations and say to themselves "I could probably do that."  Obviously quite a few as the search terms "floral background" on IS produces 18,683 files.

However, vector programs have a very steep learning curve.  Those inclined to learn the programs most likely already have an affinity to or at least an interest in art to be willing to spend the time learning the program.  Since you NEED vector software to create vector illustrations, learning to operate the software is probably the most important thing.  As mentioned above there are graphic design graduates who can't even make a proper selection in Photoshop.  And there are probably a lot of art school grads who are crap artists.  Luckily the good and hardworking artists are rewarded by having higher sales by producing a higher quality and thus more desired product.     

I applied once to IS but my submissions were considered too simple.  And they are.  I am not AI master and I lost by small freehand drawing skills years ago in technical drawing.  Nevertheless, the humble illustrations I am able to make sell well - my best-seller in DT, BigStock and FT are illustrations (3 different ones) and I got a few ELs with them too. 

So even if it seems I am not to the level of being in IS, it doesn't matter.

Regards,
Adelaide

i also think that my initial thread was misunderstood. I did not mean to get the latest software etc. I do firmly believe however in learning the system that would be accepted from the outset, after all what's the point of knowing how to draw if you can't use illustrator if thats the accepted standard of software?? or even becoming familiar with another software to start with if the output from it will not be accepted, might as well persist from the beginning with the correct thing even it it may seem daunting.

Thanks again madelaide, your posting is more along the lines of info I was looking for.

Here is a great article that touches on some of the issues with various software programs, as well as explains why the eps 8 compatibility is so important:

http://www.istockphoto.com/article_view.php?ID=156

Quote from: vlad_the_imp on March 04, 2009, 06:55

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Hi all I am interested in learning illustrations and vector art.
Any advice on how to get started?

Spend 4 years at art school.
Unless you are exceptionally talented you will get nowhere otherwise (see all the 2nd rate vector artists clogging up all the sites and getting next to no sales)

   Nonsense, how do you know what stock clients may or may not want?

I have created work to imitate pre-schooler's drawings that have sold very well.

When my children where young they created some artwork and I posted them on Zazzle for them.  4 years latter they still sell on t-shirts and stamps.

Just because a style dose not meet your standards dose not make useless. Vlad  

I've been producing artwork as a paid freelancer for 34 years and never been in an "art school".

 I have to agree with Mr D! however I did have 4 years at SVA in NYC and I can say it did very little for my more simple styles. I made a tattoo dragon set that took 15mins to ink, scan and format and its made over $2000+ in 18 months with 100,000+ views on istock and xpert each and my top seller on SS. so sometimes the standard rules of quality and time don,t apply to sales. I have found a balance between time/quality to make a consistent money amount and a very good living. Plus flooding the market with too much work at once can turn your style into a fad not a living everything in business is about a good balance.  

i also think that my initial thread was misunderstood. I did not mean to get the latest software etc. I do firmly believe however in learning the system that would be accepted from the outset, after all what's the point of knowing how to draw if you can't use illustrator if thats the accepted standard of software?? or even becoming familiar with another software to start with if the output from it will not be accepted, might as well persist from the beginning with the correct thing even it it may seem daunting.

I strongly disagree with this. Vector illustration is more a state of mind, particularly if you use the pen tool a lot. You have to think differently about how to create an image. Learn it in one program (even in Photoshop) and transferring to another vector program should be like driving a different make of car. Sure, it takes a while to become really productive (all the tools, hotkeys etc) but don't get too hung up on any particular software.

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I've been producing artwork as a paid freelancer for 34 years and never been in an "art school".

Yes, there are a few people who are untrained and manage to sell work, even enough to make a living. It's rare though.Going to art school not only improves your drawing skills but teaches you how to understand design and visual communication. Learning how to use Illustrator does not make you an illustrator. The proof is there to see on any 'latest vector uploads' section of any stock site. There is huge amounts of crap on istock and other sites, most of it produced by the untrained. The top sellers , illustration-wise, on istock, are all art school graduates. I would remove all the crap and the work from photographers who think they'll have a go at vectors because they pay better, the site would be a vast improvement.

I'm sure all the pro photographers would like to get rid of the amateurs in that field too.

after all what's the point of knowing how to draw if you can't use illustrator if thats the accepted standard of software??

Good luck with that!

Everybody has a chance if they accept the challenge and work hard to overcome the obstacles it represents. But there is definitely no chance if you don't believe you will need to improve your drawing skills as well as learning the software.

After this statement, I think your chance on becoming a good vector artist is less than the possibility of you winning the lottery.

The many books on how to use Illustrator don't teach drawing skills, only how to use the tools.

They will never teach drawing skills. Drawing skills MUST be learned traditionally. Once you learn them then you will need some time to get used to illustrator tools.

You can watch videos on how to use illustrator on adobe.com, on youtube, on lynda.com or on vtc.com

They will all teach you how to use the software. You can be sure that they will never teach you drawing skills. Because illustrator is not a magical tool that will turn dummies into picasso. Illustrator is only there to help you utilize already existing drawing skills. Don't expect any tutorials on that.

I was definitely not harsh. If he/she would like to draw vectors, then he/she will have to improve traditional drawing skills. Better tell people the truth than make them happy with a false statement.

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That's a false statement, trust me

Well I know most of the top 20 vector artists (are you in that group, I think possibly not) and the vast majority are artschool trained.

Well I am not. Entering microstock 4-5 years late doesn't help either.

But outside microstock I don't think that top 20 is much ahead of me. Anyway, my point is education is very important. Limiting it to art school is ridiculous. Some people can be very well educated without an art school. As I said I studied animation and Graphic design AT SCHOOL, and illustration from books and all sorts of resources.

So I still studied art and illustration but not at school. You saying "4 year spent at art school" being a must, is really not working for everyone.

Not only the books but I had the chance to be trained in person by a very famous cartoonist and learn many technical aspects of illustration from him.

It is really ridiculous to think that you can't be successful without art school. There are many ways people can learn art.

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You saying "4 year spent at art school" being a must,

Nowhere have I said it's a must. However, having been in the business quite possibly more years than you've been alive, I've met a lot of people and the majority, the vast majority, are art school graduates. It is possible to teach yourself but it's not just about learning how to use illustrator, it's also about looking and seeing and absorbing the collective knowledge of your tutors and lecturers and fellow students. It's about opening up to a whole wide world of artistic influences, not just illustration but fine art and studying whole areas connected to and influencing and influenced by art. I never said you can't be successful without art school, it's just a lot harder.

I agree that you have to work much harder if you have not gone to art school. You said all top sellers are art school graduates. I don't agree with that. If you are limiting the top sellers to 20 people only than you may be right, but I think even top 100 consists of good sellers and not all of them are art graduates.

As I said there are many ways to study. Especially nowadays. It is astonishing the material you can find on the internet. All the knowledge of tutors you are talking about are there. Just google it!