We surveyed 2,324 illustrators to learn what personality traits and interests make them unique. Here are the results.


Holland Codes

Illustrators are artistic and realistic

Illustrators tend to be predominantly artistic individuals, meaning that they are creative and original and work well in a setting that allows for self-expression. They also tend to be realistic, which means that they often enjoy working outdoors or applying themselves to a hands-on project.

If you are one or both of these archetypes, you may be well suited to be an illustrator. However, if you are conventional, this is probably not a good career for you. Unsure of where you fit in? Take the career test now.

Here’s how the Holland codes of the average illustrator break down:


Big Five

The top personality traits of illustrators are openness and social responsibility

Illustrators score highly on openness, which means they are usually curious, imaginative, and value variety. They also tend to be high on the measure of social responsibility, indicating that they desire fair outcomes and have a general concern for others.

Once again, let’s break down the components of the personality of an average illustrator: