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Guides · Small brands

Commissioning a mascot or packaging illustration for a small brand

For shops, cafés, makers and small labels: how to brief an illustrator so the art works on a label, a sign and a social post — and you own the right to use it.

Tell them where it will live

A mascot that only appears on Instagram and one printed on a 5 cm jar lid need different drawing. List every place the art will appear: packaging, sign, website, stickers, merch. Include the printed size of the smallest one.

What to put in the brief

  • Your brand in three words and who buys from you.
  • Your colours and existing logo, so the art sits with them.
  • Poses or variations. A mascot often needs two or three (waving, holding the product, small icon). Ask for them in one job rather than three.
  • Print details from your printer: colour mode and bleed. If you don't know yet, ask the illustrator for a high-resolution file and a vector or layered version.

Ownership

For a brand mascot you'll usually want more than a standard licence — the right to use it on anything you sell, for as long as you trade, and to have it redrawn by someone else later. Say so in the brief so the illustrator prices it in. If you need full copyright, ask for it in the proposal.

Paying safely

You pay the quoted price when you award the job. We hold it while the illustrator sketches and you approve or ask for changes, and release it only when you approve the final files.

Post a brand brief How it works & fees

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