About Women Who Draw
Overview
Women Who Draw was a free, open directory of female, trans, and gender non-conforming professional illustrators, artists, and cartoonists. Founded in 2017 by artists Wendy MacNaughton and Julia Rothman, it existed to increase the visibility of femme-identifying illustrators, with an emphasis on illustrators of color, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized groups of commercial artists.
Unlike general portfolio platforms, Women Who Draw focused specifically on helping art directors, publishers, and editors discover and commission underrepresented illustrators. The directory grew to over 5,000 artists before closing in 2025.
Key Benefits
- Art directors could search and directly commission underrepresented illustrators at no cost.
- Many artists secured their first major paid assignment — including New Yorker covers and New York Times editorials — through the directory.
- The platform fostered professional community through live events, educational resources, and creative collaborations.
- All profits went to support emerging artists, funded largely by the founders themselves and member donations.
- WWD partnered with major brands including Planned Parenthood, Sephora, and Pottery Barn, generating real commercial work for listed artists.
How It Works
Illustrators applied to be listed in the open directory, where art directors, editors, and publishers could browse and search for artists to commission. Once an art director discovered an artist through the directory, they contacted the illustrator directly to begin a working relationship.
Use Cases
- Art directors at major publishers used the directory to find and hire underrepresented illustrators for book covers and editorial projects.
- Magazine editors at outlets like the New York Times and Chicago magazine discovered new illustrators for editorial assignments.
- Emerging illustrators fresh out of college used the listing to gain visibility and land their first paid commercial gigs.
- International illustrators with limited local commercial opportunities used the directory to access the U.S. illustration market.
- Brand marketing teams at companies like Sephora and Pottery Barn sourced artists for commercial and product collaborations.
Why Choose This Product
Women Who Draw served illustrators who identified as female, trans, or gender non-conforming and sought access to commercial illustration work in publishing, editorial, and brand contexts. The site closed in 2025 after eight years of operation; this page now serves as a historical record of the project.
Women Who Draw Pros & Cons
- Free to use for both illustrators and art directors
- Grew to over 5,000 listed artists over 8 years
- Artists landed assignments from major outlets like the New York Times and New Yorker
- Partnered with major brands including Sephora and Pottery Barn
- All profits directed to support emerging artists
- Directory is now closed as of 2025 and no longer active
Key Features
Open Illustrator Directory
A searchable directory of over 5,000 female, trans, and gender non-conforming professional illustrators, artists, and cartoonists.
Underrepresented Artist Focus
The directory emphasized illustrators of color, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized groups of commercial artists to increase their professional visibility.
Brand Partnerships
WWD partnered with organizations including Planned Parenthood, Sephora, and Pottery Barn to generate direct commercial work for listed artists.
Live Community Events
WWD hosted live events, educational resources, and creative collaborations to foster community among professional illustrators.
Collaborative Art Projects
WWD organized projects like One Sky, which invited 100 international artists to draw the sky at the same moment to create a shared artistic snapshot.
Women Who Draw Pricing
Pricing extracted from the product website and may change. Check the source for current details.
Frequently asked questions about Women Who Draw
What was Women Who Draw?
Women Who Draw was a free, open directory of female, trans, and gender non-conforming professional illustrators, artists, and cartoonists. Founded in 2017 by Wendy MacNaughton and Julia Rothman, it helped art directors, publishers, and editors discover and commission underrepresented illustrators. The directory grew to over 5,000 artists before closing in 2025.
Why did Women Who Draw close?
Founders Julia Rothman and Wendy MacNaughton decided to close Women Who Draw in 2025 after eight years of operation. They cited that times and gender norms had evolved, their own lives had changed, and the directory had achieved much of its original goal of increasing the visibility of underrepresented illustrators.
How was Women Who Draw funded?
Women Who Draw was funded largely by the founders themselves and through member donations. All profits went to support emerging artists. Julia and Wendy operated it as a labor of love rather than a commercial venture.
What kinds of work did illustrators get through Women Who Draw?
Artists secured a wide range of commercial illustration work through the directory, including New Yorker covers, New York Times editorial illustrations, Penguin Publishing book projects, Meredith magazine assignments, Chicago magazine editorials, and commercial collaborations with brands like Sephora and Pottery Barn.
Is Women Who Draw free?
Yes — Women Who Draw is free to use. See the pricing section for any optional add-ons.
What platforms does Women Who Draw support?
Women Who Draw is available on: Web.
How Women Who Draw compares
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| Starting price | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Pricing model | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Platforms | Web | Web | Web | Web |
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