The illustration field is very different than when I first began my career in the 1960s. After graduation from Art Center College, I was employed as a designer at an ad agency and later at a design studio. Those creative surroundings exposed me to talented illustrators whose work influenced my decision to focus on illustration; first with the automotive industry in Detroit, then in New York where I established a broader market for my art. At that time, the “glory days” of editorial art were still strong and I felt I’d found my calling as a magazine illustrator, but new influences would soon see that era in decline.
Today young illustrators are being hit with competition from all sides: stock agencies, shrinking creative budgets, fewer jobs, and countless other illustrators with whom to compete both domestically and internationally. It’s just tougher to make a name for yourself in this world. But, as John Roman points out in this book, there is still a high demand for excellent, beautifully executed illustration…only the paths to those jobs have changed. In the 21st century art world it’s crucial to network within the industry and to identify your personal skills and strengths. John pinpoints thriving peripheral markets that offer boundless opportunities for those illustrators willing to search.
While the illustration industry is dramatically different now, some things have remained constant. I can’t stress enough the importance of basic skills—good drawing, color, and composition—because those attributes of good illustration never change. Developing a passion and finding your individual voice can only come with constant observation, practice, honest self-evaluation, and a 24/7 commitment to one’s art. No computer can think for the artist. Art is a never-ending evolution.
Mark English has been one of the leading illustrators in the US and abroad for three decades. His unique style is easily recognizable, and appears in publications such as McCalls, Time, Sports Illustrated, Redbook, and The Atlantic Monthly. He has won hundreds of awards for his work and is the most awarded illustrator in the history of the Society of Illustrators in New York. His client list includes such notables as IBM, the U.S. Park Service, RCA, General Electric, Ford, General Motors, and Honeywell.