INTRODUCTION

In one form or another, illustration has been in existence for centuries, but has only been recognized as a distinct discipline fairly recently. In the USA its importance was recognized by the founding of the Society of Illustrators in 1901, but it is still scorned by sections of the fine art community because of its commercial grounding. As a visual language and medium it has had many loose and disparate descriptions over the years, including painting, engraving, commercial art, cartoons, pictures in books and drawing. It is often confused with other disciplines, most notably graphic design and fine art, perhaps because there is an occasional overlap. However, it has a distinct core that is unlike anything else, and it is this that defines its raison d’être . Illustration is about communicating a specific contextualized message to an audience. It is rooted in an objective need, which has been generated by either the illustrator or a commercial-based client to fulfil a particular task. It is the measure and variety of these different tasks that makes the discipline of illustration such an influential visual language.

Previous generations were informed, were educated or had their opinions swayed by commissioned paintings – pictures of glorious victories in battle, scenes of outrageous sporting endeavour, religious icons and heavenly splendour, flattering or deliberately not-so-flattering portraits. Contemporary generations are also greatly influenced by illustration, and because of the media of print, moving images and more recently the digital revolution, accessibility is everywhere. This also defines a distinctive feature of the discipline in that nearly every image classed as illustration is reproduced and distributed often on an international scale. So, what messages are impressed on society by illustration? Most people have been influenced by children’s books. These have been described as ‘holding the key to worlds locked inside the imagination, as well as depicting worlds that exist but cannot be seen.’ Children’s picture books, whether fiction or non-fiction, feed us attitudes and information and help to develop our visual senses and intellect. The creative possibilities of illustration are limitless. Away from a contextual need for literal truth, illustration becomes unfettered by reality, and one’s imagination is free to create images and conjure up atmospheres. An illustration can also shock a newspaper reader into taking notice of a contentious argument, can give a bland, faceless company a new identity and can send any product into a fantasy world that might appeal to a potential buyer.