Orange Man stock illustration series by Leo Blanchette  --  iconic 2010s business character concept

My Story as a Stock Illustrator in the 2010s

My Story as a Stock Illustrator in the 2010s Stock illustration became a race to the bottom–but once, it was like printing your own money. For a few brief years, I watched my work ripple across the internet and spill into the real world: billboards, magazines, even corporate brochures I never touched. It was thrilling, in its strange way. During the 2010s, I was a young father trying to make enough to stay home with three small children. That search for income turned into a long, unpredictable journey. ...

November 2, 2025 · 29 min · 5991 words · Leo Blanchette