COP: Chronologies 3: Illustration Lecture

Defining Illustration

'....a shining, a spiritual illumination, vivid representation, an enlightening, light up, illuminate, make clear, disclose, explain, adorn, shine light, act of making clear in the mind...'

- It was proposed that illustration is strategic image making, used within the context of visual communication to convey meaning or concept.

- The earliest systems of visual communication relied on pictures, as did the first forms of visual literacy. We are hardwired to intuitively respond to image.

17,300 year old horse. Lascaux cave painting.

- Good illustrators not only communicate through use of sign and symbol, but by the very aesthetic of their chosen media and its application. The example below appears more graphic but is still effective illustration.

Lance Wyman - US National Zoo Washington

- Illustration often communicates with a specific and unique tone of voice. It is the authenticity, craft, consistency and individuality of an illustrator's visual tone of voice that will inform their success.

Malika Favre for Vogue Japan

It's the combination of both an individual visual aesthetic and use of functional visual symbols that allows illustration to communicate an explicit message whilst conveying more subtle or abstract sensibilities.

Marc Aspinall - Monocle Magazine. Tensions in Australian parliament

Roles of an Illustrator

Animation Studio employs Illustrator to generate concepts/aesthetic for new short film

Art Director commissions Illustration for a newspaper article

Graphic Designer employs Illustrator to work on branding project

Museum Curator briefs Illustrator on mural for an exhibition

Photographer asks Illustrator to design props for set

Creative Agency buys artwork from Illustrator to use in new branding campaign

App Developer hires Illustrator to design characters

Flagship Retail Store employs Illustrator to collaborate on visual merchandising for shop window display

Interior Design Business commissions Illustrated textiles

- This suggests that Illustrators are subservient to others, and rely on getting hired. This is not the case. It is important to make things happen, collaborate and share your passion.

- At the moment, illustration has more contexts within which to exist and more ways to be seen than ever before.

- It has the potential to overlap with many other communities of creative practice, such as those listed above. Also including textiles, model making, costume, film, games design, architecture...

- There is a massive demand for visual content within contemporary media.

- Really good illustration can communicate an idea or notion too specific, complex or sophisticated for any other medium.