As an art buyer, I have a driving need to seek out and find new talent. While I often look through art-rep sites and awards annuals, there are many web sites I look to specifically to find fresh faces and styles. Here are a few of my favorite illustration themed sites, in no particular order:

Drawn! The Illustration and Cartooning Blog

Drawn! is a multi-author blog devoted to illustration, art, cartooning and drawing. Drawn often posts really cool animations by talented illustrators, and occasionally features "how-to" videos by illustrators of various mediums. Drawn's connections to the worlds of cartooning and animation leads to some illustrator links that you don't generally see on other sites.

Illustration Friday

Illustration Friday began as a weekly illustration challenge, where a weekly topic is posted (on Fridays - hence the name) and the resulting links posted for all to peruse. Founded by illustrator Penelope Dullaghan, the site now features artist interviews and a fantastic blog that I regularly check up on to find new talent.

IllustrationMundo

Illustration Mundo is a great portal for everything illustration related. Founded by illustrator Nate Williams, Illustration Mundo allows illustrators to create free profiles in their searchable illustrator database, publish news items, participate in forums, read interviews, and communicate with other illustrators. It's also a great place for art buyers to seek out new and emerging illustrators.

ILLUSTRATIVO

Some seriously cute and well crafted images at this blog! I have only recently started visiting here, but I have a feeling I will be back for more.

illoz

Illoz is a carefully curated portfolio site for illustrators. I love the "free cheezy music" and the "dork view": a special page that shows all kinds of statistics and facts about who is being looked at, in real time! I would much like to see the art director side of the site, but they are highly selective, and tend to turn down art buyers who also work as illustrators, or so I've heard.

Today's Inspiration

Leif Peng collects illustrations from the the forties and fifties. Not a good place for new talent (obviously), but a fantastic place for stylistic inspiration! These illustrators really knew how to capture their audiences.

Do you have any favorite illustration sites? Add them in the comments below!