I'm just curious on how many do it. I've done it a few times and it really makes a difference in my point of view. But i guess it comes down to money. What would you be willing to pay for custom illustrations for your text?
Being a designer as well as a copywriter, I usually create my own illustrations for my text and also other people's writing! I think I prefer to create my own, but if I had to purchase one it totally depends on the size, complexity and detail of the illustration!
A few times I've bought stock photos for articles but I doubt that I'd ever commission illustrations or even buy them.
I'm actually in the process of purchasing a lot of illustrations for my blog (mostly concept products) that couldn't have been visualized any other way (I'm rubbish at designing). At first I was getting quotes of $100-400 per illustration! Which I was considering, until I posted a job on elance.com and got them done for $30 a piece. I think I was lucky though, as you usually get what you pay for!
Generally, I think they are worth the money. I'd expect to pay $15-25 per hour, so as long as the illustrations looked like they had the right amount of time and effort spent on them - I'm happy (not always the case unfortunately). I also ask for a layered .PSD and exclusive ownership rights of each illustration. I'm afraid I can't show any examples yet Do you have a portfolio? I'm always interested in finding new designers!
Sure, I have a portfolio and I'm a designer eventhough the question was me as a web entrepreneur xD zwebdesign.se