Amanda Hall 2

"In terms of what you could expect from them if you were taken on (what they do for their commission) – they can offer you wider visibility within the industry, I believe that advertising/  design clients are more likely to consider an illustrator’s work if it is being introduced by an agent, they will also generally be able to negotiate better contracts – terms and money as well as hopefully take the hassle out of jobs if difficulties arise. There are no guarantees of regular work though – agents are chasing work like the rest of us. I have an illustrator friend who was represented by a top London illustration agency and got a lot of lovely, well paid jobs, but also had long periods with nothing coming through, she began to explore other markets as a result, although the agency work picked up again eventually. I hope that’s helpful, it can be very difficult to get established in doing the kind of illustration work you find satisfying, as well as making a living. I think that you would gain something from approaching some agents. Good luck!"

This another quote from Amanda Hall's FAQ pages, in this interview she discusses the role of agents within the industry. She mentions in a earlier answer that she was given a list of agents by The Association of Illustrators when she was a member. Associations like these can provide benefits, information and help for practitioners. She talks about agents being picky when selecting which illustrators to represent and that a lot of firms reduced their numbers because of the recession so finding an agent could potentially prove difficult. Having an agent is no guarantee of regular work but can help you to gain wider visibility within the industry and remove a lot of stress involving communicating with clients, negotiating price and getting paid. I think a lot of companies will be more comfortable with hiring an illustrator through their agent, they add a level of professionalism that is not necessarily familiar to many creative practitioners. Agents will charge you a fee for their services, usually around 10-15% of the money you make on commissions you got through them. This obviously has an effect on your income but it is offset by agents negotiating better contracts for you.