Darren Di Lieto
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darrendilieto.com
Darren Di Lieto
@darrendilieto.com
170 followers 240 following 460 posts
Creative Director at Hireillo · 🔗🌳 linktr.ee/dilieto
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Reposted by Darren Di Lieto
hireillo.com
To celebrate the launch of our new book, "First Commission, Proper Business", we're offering a special discount of 50% to the next 50 people who buy it.

Use the code FIRST50

Buy now: shop.hireillo.com/l/proper-business
First Commission, Proper Business
First Commission, Proper Business is a practical handbook for illustrators, artists and visual creatives who want to understand the business side of their work.Getting your first paid commission is ex...
shop.hireillo.com
September 17, 2026 at 3:20 PM
Reposted by Darren Di Lieto
hireillo.com
How much should I charge? Do I need a contract? What rights am I giving the client?

First Commission, Proper Business is a practical business handbook for illustrators, built around the questions we hear again and again at Hireillo.

Buy it here (PDF version):
shop.hireillo.com/l/proper-bus...
A hand holds a book in front of a black bookcase. The book is yellow with blue and red text that reads First Commission, Proper Business. Alongside the text is are illustrations of people engaged in art and business activities. One holds a giant pencil, another stands by a pound sign. There is a hand with a thumbs up by a contract, a person standing with an invoice, and at the bottom of the book cover is a desk and office area with a dog snoozing beneath it. A hand holds a book in front of a black bookcase. The back of the book is shown. The cover is yellow and there is black text describing the book.
September 16, 2026 at 3:44 PM
darrendilieto.com
You probably didn’t notice, but I’ve been keeping my head down for the last few months finishing a book I started in 2024 and working on improvements to Hireillo.

The book is finally finished 🙌 It’s a business handbook for artists. 😉 shop.hireillo.com/l/proper-bus...
Illustration of a person drawing with a giant pencil next to bold text reading First Commission, Proper Business on a yellow background. Subtext mentions practical guides for illustrators, artists, and visual creatives.
September 16, 2026 at 1:09 PM
darrendilieto.com
Just got my copy of BLAG (Issue 09), which includes an article I wrote about freelance contracts! 🙌

Really happy with how it turned out. There’s something particularly nice about seeing your words properly printed on a page.

How cool is @davidcousens.bsky.social's artwork!
A hand holding a paintbrush is shown on a colourful magazine cover with the text BLAG and Summer 2026 / Issue 09. Next to it is an open magazine with an illustration and article about freelance contracts.
July 22, 2026 at 1:47 PM
darrendilieto.com
Excited to share I’ve written an article for an upcoming issue of BLAG magazine. Thanks to Sam for the invite. It covers contracts, including outputs, revisions, scope creep, and kill fees.

Looking forward to artwork by @davidcousens.bsky.social ❤️

Sharing a few shots from Issue Six. More soon!
A hand holds a green and gold magazine titled "BLAG" against a light green wall. A hand holds open a magazine on an article featuring photos of street art, a decorated chair, and text about an art exhibition. The background is a plain light green wall. A hand holds open a magazine featuring an article titled "Seeing is Believing: Sign-Painting for the Silver Screen," with text and images of vintage-style painted signs.
March 30, 2026 at 2:02 PM
darrendilieto.com
I’ve just updated my Ultimate Artist Contract Template and I’m really proud of how much stronger it is now.

If you work with clients, this will make your life easier.

Find out more about the updates here: www.hireillo.com/blog/a-stron...
Screenshot of an online product page for "The Ultimate Artist Contract Template," featuring an illustration of two hands shaking.
February 25, 2026 at 2:29 PM
darrendilieto.com
I wrote a thing on using social media as an artist. It reads a bit like a conspiracy theory, but it's honestly not. Please give it a read and let me know what you think.
hireillo.com Hireillo - Hire an Illustrator @hireillo.com · Feb 18
If you think posting art on your socials is the magic ticket to getting clients, think again! Read what really works in this honest breakdown of social media for illustrators.

👉 www.hireillo.com/blog/social-...
A person sits inside a whimsical, complex machine with tubes, gears, and robotic arms mixing colors and painting on a canvas below.
February 18, 2026 at 1:54 PM
darrendilieto.com
I wanted to chill for 10-minutes, so I thought I'd share a photo I took near Littlehampton a few months ago to encourage others to do the same. 🕊️
A rocky breakwater stretches into the sea under a cloudy sky, with sun rays breaking through. Pebbles cover the beach in the foreground. Black and white photo.
February 16, 2026 at 4:01 PM
darrendilieto.com
My laptop case was looking a little worse for wear, so I treated it to a shiny new one! Which means cracking out a fresh batch of stickers. 😃 How many artists do you recognise and can name?
A hand holds a laptop covered in colorful cartoon and Halloween-themed stickers, with a café interior blurred in the background.
February 9, 2026 at 11:21 AM
darrendilieto.com
I wrote this as a script for a video on why artists should have an identifiable illustration style, but who has time to record videos these days? So, I’ve turned it into a blog post instead. Check it out on Hireillo!

www.hireillo.com/blog/one-sty...
One Style to Connect Them All: Why You Need a Unified Visual Voice
Artwork by Torbjörn Källström Hello, Darren here. If you’re reading this, you’re probably an illustrator, designer, visual thinker, doodler-of-doodles, or some delightful mixture of all three. Today I...
www.hireillo.com
February 3, 2026 at 2:53 PM
darrendilieto.com
Talked comics, industry, and real life with @jasonpiperberg.bsky.social

👉 youtu.be/DJPJ5Z-g5WU

Potential podcast: 300 DPI 🎙️ Thoughts?
Artist Jason Piperberg holds up two issues of the comic "Neighbor Necromancer," partially covering their face, with colourful art visible on the covers.
January 29, 2026 at 1:26 PM
darrendilieto.com
We made a podcast! 🎙️🙌
hireillo.com Hireillo - Hire an Illustrator @hireillo.com · Jan 23
For the very first episode of 300 DPI, Darren Di Lieto turns the mic on his co-host Jason Piperberg. Jason talks about making a living in comics, building popular digital brushes, and shares his thoughts on pay, creative ownership and how AI is reshaping the industry.

🎙️ youtu.be/DJPJ5Z-g5WU
300 DPI: The Reality of Making a Living in Comics
YouTube video by Hireillo
youtu.be
January 23, 2026 at 3:59 PM
darrendilieto.com
It’s been a minute since my last update, so here are a couple of photos taken by second-year student Poppy Frith of me reviewing portfolios at last week’s Industry Ready event at DMU. It was great to be invited back again this year and to check out the students’ work.
A bearded man points at a computer screen, guiding a person with reddish hair, in a busy college studio setting. Two people sit indoors at desks having a conversation, with other people working in the background.
January 21, 2026 at 2:34 PM
darrendilieto.com
I had a nice little chat with Tom Froses about the State of Illustration and the industry in general, if you fancy checking it out. 🙂
hireillo.com Hireillo - Hire an Illustrator @hireillo.com · Dec 19
This week, our creative director @darrendilieto.com joins @mrtomfroese.bsky.social on the Thoughts on Illustration podcast. Together, they have an honest conversation about confidence, pricing, late payments, mental health, and the quiet pressures that illustrators face today. youtu.be/UzMmz2o7y9g
The State of Illustration Report | Interview with Darren Di Lieto of Hireillo
YouTube video by Mr. Tom Froese
youtu.be
December 31, 2025 at 9:52 AM
darrendilieto.com
Love this document!
December 30, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Reposted by Darren Di Lieto
hireillo.com
Awesome illustrators to follow in 2026! 💥

go.bsky.app/5RwifQf
December 30, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Reposted by Darren Di Lieto
hireillo.com
This week, our creative director @darrendilieto.com joins @mrtomfroese.bsky.social on the Thoughts on Illustration podcast. Together, they have an honest conversation about confidence, pricing, late payments, mental health, and the quiet pressures that illustrators face today. youtu.be/UzMmz2o7y9g
The State of Illustration Report | Interview with Darren Di Lieto of Hireillo
YouTube video by Mr. Tom Froese
youtu.be
December 19, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Reposted by Darren Di Lieto
hireillo.com
We had a smashing time at Thought Bubble this year! 😃
A collage of photos from a comic convention, featuring people posing, comic books, colorful art prints, and a promotional event sign for Thought Bubble Comic Convention.
November 18, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Reposted by Darren Di Lieto
hireillo.com
Whether you are an artist or someone who hires artists, the 𝐔𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭 template is perfect for you!

· Customize for various jobs
· Reuse with future projects
· Document the agreements between parties
· Enjoy peace of mind knowing you are protected

hireillo.gumroad.com/l/artist-con...
Two hands shake in front of a document titled "Ultimate Artist Contract Template," with art supplies illustrated above the text.
November 6, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Reposted by Darren Di Lieto
dailycartoonist.bsky.social
The new State of Illustration 2025 report from @darrendilieto.com has some good news—and some tough news—for illustrators.
www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/20...
State of Illustration 2025: Anxiety Rising, Income Is Not
The annual survey from Hireillo (Hire an Illustrator) has released its annual State of Illustration 2025 report, drawing on survey responses from 1,500 illustrators worldwide. The report offers a snap...
www.dailycartoonist.com
August 26, 2025 at 8:19 PM
darrendilieto.com
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.
October 6, 2025 at 2:58 PM
darrendilieto.com
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.
September 30, 2025 at 10:30 AM
darrendilieto.com
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".
September 25, 2025 at 2:38 PM
darrendilieto.com
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.
September 24, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Reposted by Darren Di Lieto
hireillo.com
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.
September 18, 2025 at 9:04 AM