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Darren Di Lieto @darrendilieto.com · 6d

Over the weekend at Mil-D-Con, I watched actor Mark Williams (known for The Fast Show and Father Brown) participate in a Q&A session. He certainly doesn't suffer fools gladly, and it was delightful to watch. 🙂

Three-panel image of an older man with gray hair and glasses sitting on a blue armchair, holding a microphone, then standing and waving while leaving the stage.

Darren Di Lieto @darrendilieto.com · 12d

Twelve 12x18-inch prints, and I'm out of matte black ink. They were fresh cartridges, yikes. 😱 ... Luckily, I have more ink arriving tomorrow.

Four colorful retro movie posters with bold illustrations and dramatic titles partially overlapping on a cutting matt.

Darren Di Lieto @darrendilieto.com · 17d

It's my forty-third birthday, yay! 🥳 Time doesn't half fly. Shown is a fun little gift my fantastic partner got me. 🙂 Now it's time for cake and lots of it! 😋

A small figurine of a dog wearing a hat sits calmly in a burning room at a table with a mug. The base says "THIS IS FINE".

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Darren Di Lieto @darrendilieto.com · 18d

I'm sorry for the radio silence. I've been swamped and have been working on a top-secret project, while also trying to go to the gym more regularly. Here's a photo I took during a recent trip to London.

Tall modern office and apartment buildings with glass and metal facades, photographed from below against a partly cloudy sky.

Reposted by Darren Di Lieto

Hireillo - Hire an Illustrator @hireillo.com · 24d

We hope you're having a good week! Yesterday, we (re)published an interview with art director @tommykane.bsky.social from the 2007 offline archive. Tommy is a brilliant artist and a remarkable person; some might even call him a genius! Enjoy. 😁

🔗 www.hireillo.com/blog/tommy-k...

Black and white portrait of an older man with a beard and mustache, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a denim shirt, looking to the side.

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Darren Di Lieto @darrendilieto.com · 25d

I had an interesting chat with @mrtomfroese.bsky.social yesterday for his Thoughts on Illustration podcast. I'm looking forward to the episode, which I expect will be released sometime in October/November. 🎙️

Split image of two men: left man with a gray beard wearing a bird print shirt outdoors, right man with a short blond beard in a green plaid shirt holding a mug indoors.

Darren Di Lieto @darrendilieto.com · 28d

Morgan is selling a few books I picked up on Kickstarter several years ago. They have been sitting on my shelf since then.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/15732093...

Reposted by Darren Di Lieto

Hireillo - Hire an Illustrator @hireillo.com · Sep 9

If you're an artist seeking a contract for your next commission, the Ultimate Artist Contract is perfect for you! 👉 shop.hireillo.com/l/artist-con...

Buy once and get free lifetime updates! The lawyer-reviewed template includes terms that prohibit AI (LLM) training.

Two hands, one tattooed, shake against a background featuring art supplies and the text "Ultimate Artist Contract Template".

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Darren Di Lieto @darrendilieto.com · Sep 6

Stop doom-scrolling and enjoy nature. Maybe touch some grass? There's always tomorrow for work and social media. I took this photo of the ducks and birds at Bradgate Park near Leicester.

A shallow pond surrounded by grass and trees with several ducks and birds near the water's edge on a cloudy day.

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Darren Di Lieto @darrendilieto.com · Sep 2

It's nice to see that the State of Illustration is getting some coverage. 😃 Thank you downthetubes.net (John Freeman) and @dailycartoonist.bsky.social (Alan Gardner)! 🖖 #stateofillustration #weareillustrators #illosurvey

1. bit.ly/dtt-state7
2. bit.ly/tdc-state7

Screenshot of a report excerpt discussing illustrator income, featuring a chart about artist job satisfaction and an illustration of two people holding up signs.

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Darren Di Lieto @darrendilieto.com · Aug 28

I host livestreams now. 😃

Hireillo - Hire an Illustrator @hireillo.com · Aug 28

Join us for a livestream Q&A session with US attorney Kiff Stahle on September 10th! There will be a curated live chat where you can ask all of your pressing IP-related legal questions. Tickets are $20 and limited, so be sure to reserve your spot now! 🔗 kiff-sep25.eventbrite.co.uk

A person stands against a blue textured wall. Text reads: Hirello presents A LIVE Q&A with Legal Eagle Kiffanie Stahle. Hosted by Darren Di Lieto.

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Darren Di Lieto @darrendilieto.com · Aug 28

That's me done emailing everyone who said they wanted to be told about the latest State of Illustration report. If you didn't get an email from me, please reach out or subscribe to my Gumroad list. I think I've earned the right to take a five-minute break. I might go for a walk. 😁 shop.hireillo.com

A LEGO minifigure sits on the rim of a speckled blue cup with a light beverage inside, next to a calculator and a stack of pink sticky notes on a cluttered desk.

Darren Di Lieto @darrendilieto.com · Aug 26

Over the bank holiday weekend, I worked with four clients, helping them with their budgets and finding the right illustrators. It's a lot of behind-the-scenes work, but it's rewarding to connect people and help them earn a living.

Screenshot of a website called "hire an illustrator," displaying a search bar, category filters, and illustrated portfolio thumbnails from various artists.

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Reposted by Darren Di Lieto

Aimee Cozza Illustration @aimeecozza.com · Aug 22

This report is great because it shows you things like what other illustrators, on average, are being paid for work so you can set your prices appropriately and fairly, amongst a lot of other helpful metrics

Hireillo - Hire an Illustrator @hireillo.com · Aug 21

The 2025 State of Illustration report is out!

👉👉👉 shop.hireillo.com/l/state-7 👈👈👈

The 7th Edition of the report was created using fully anonymised data from around 1,500 artists, illustrators and other professional creatives, who were surveyed over multiple years. ✊ #WeAreIllustrators

Two people run from a large, yellow, machine-like creature that is spitting out documents. Text reads "2025 Edition," "State of Illustration," and a shop website link.

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Reposted by Darren Di Lieto

Darren Di Lieto @darrendilieto.com · Aug 20

The latest State of Illustration report is finally available! 🙌 I will be promoting it properly over the next few weeks, but I wanted to give my followers on my personal pages a heads-up before I start doing that.

You can find the report at shop.hireillo.com/l/state-7

Cartoon of a large yellow robot chasing two people with documents. Text at bottom reads "State of Illustration 7th Edition".

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Reposted by Darren Di Lieto

Hireillo - Hire an Illustrator @hireillo.com · Aug 21

The 2025 State of Illustration report is out!

👉👉👉 shop.hireillo.com/l/state-7 👈👈👈

The 7th Edition of the report was created using fully anonymised data from around 1,500 artists, illustrators and other professional creatives, who were surveyed over multiple years. ✊ #WeAreIllustrators

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Darren Di Lieto @darrendilieto.com · Aug 21

It's out! 😃 shop.hireillo.com/l/state-7

State of Illustration, 7th Edition (2025)

Check out our latest report on the illustration industry. It’s packed with valuable insights and delves into the trends and market shifts that have impacted the industry over the past eight years, as ...

shop.hireillo.com

Darren Di Lieto @darrendilieto.com · Aug 20

I’m feeling a bit rundown, probably burned out, but it’s such a relief to have the report out in the world. I really hope people find value in this project; it has literally taken years off my life, and I want that effort to have been worthwhile.

Darren Di Lieto @darrendilieto.com · Aug 20

The latest State of Illustration report is finally available! 🙌 I will be promoting it properly over the next few weeks, but I wanted to give my followers on my personal pages a heads-up before I start doing that.

You can find the report at shop.hireillo.com/l/state-7

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Darren Di Lieto @darrendilieto.com · Aug 18

I thought I'd share a photo of my desk, as it's not looking horrendous at the moment. What does your workspace look like? Please feel free to post yours in my comments or tag it with #OnMyDesk via your account. 😉

Dual-monitor workspace with a tablet, keyboard, mouse, blue mouse pad, microphone, and several accessories on a wooden desk. One monitor displays creative software.

Darren Di Lieto @darrendilieto.com · Aug 15

Thanks Matt!

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Reposted by Darren Di Lieto

Hireillo - Hire an Illustrator @hireillo.com · Aug 15

Ready to take your art career to new heights? I'm excited to offer additional portfolio review sessions this month! This is a fantastic opportunity to refine your work and become more business savvy. Join me at shop.hireillo.com/l/review-with-darren and take the next step toward success!

Testimonial from Jeanna Pappas praising Darren Di Lieto of Hireillo for effective portfolio review and art sales advice, with Jeanna's photo in a yellow frame at the bottom right.

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Darren Di Lieto @darrendilieto.com · Aug 15

I doubt it'll happen, but I'm hoping to reclaim some of my evenings and weekends for a month or two after I've released the report into the wild. I can't continue to work myself into the ground for what I believe is for the good of the community if it's taking more out of me than I can give.

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Darren Di Lieto @darrendilieto.com · Aug 15

I hate that asking people to pay for my work is making me so anxious. I created the report in my own time, with no intention of taking on sponsors or advertising for it.

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Darren Di Lieto @darrendilieto.com · Aug 15

I'm worried about the negative feedback I'll receive for this decision. I can't keep shilling myself for a pittance and expecting the goodwill of others to keep me afloat, as I always tell our illustrators: you have to know your worth.

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