Illustration
An illustration is a decoration, interpretation, or visual explanation of a text, concept, or process. This definition spans from ancient hieroglyphs to modern digital interfaces. The word itself traces back to late Middle English and the Latin verb illustrare. Today, an illustrator creates images for posters, flyers, magazines, books, teaching materials, animations, video games, and films. Digital illustrations often make websites and apps more user-friendly through elements like emojis accompanying digital type. Some definitions even include providing an example in writing or picture form. The field relies on freely available international databases containing nearly 7000 entries of illustrators active prior to 1950.
Technical and scientific illustration communicates information of a technical or scientific nature to a nontechnical audience. These images might include exploded views, cutaways, fly-throughs, reconstructions, instructional images, component designs, and diagrams. The goal is to generate expressive images that effectively convey certain information via the visual channel to the human observer. Organizations like the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators and the Association of Medical Illustrators support these professionals. The median salary for medical illustrators stands at $70,650 while science illustrators earn a median of $72,277. Types of jobs range from research institutes to museums to animation studios. Contemporary practice often uses 2D and 3D software to create accurate representations that can be updated easily and reused in various contexts.
Historically, the art of illustration is closely linked to the industrial processes of printing and publishing. Medieval codices featured illustrations known as illuminations which were individually hand-drawn and painted. The invention of the printing press during the 15th century allowed books to become more widely distributed with woodcuts. Some of the earliest illustrations come from ancient Egypt around 1279 BC in the Tomb of Pharaoh Seti I. The 1600s saw Japan develop Ukiyo-e an influential style characterized by expressive line vivid color and subtle tones resulting from ink-brushed wood block printing. Hokusai's The Great Wave off Kanagawa remains a famous image from this era. During the 16th and 17th centuries engraving and etching served as main reproduction processes in Europe. By the early 19th century lithography substantially improved reproduction quality.
From before the 1880s until the early 20th century America experienced a golden age of illustration. A small group of illustrators became highly successful with imagery considered a portrait of American aspirations at the time. Among the best-known figures were N.C. Wyeth Howard Pyle James Montgomery Flagg Elizabeth Shippen Green J.C. Leyendecker Violet Oakley Maxfield Parrish Jessie Willcox Smith and John Rea Neill. These artists worked within the Brandywine School tradition. In France Paul Jouve devoted ten years to creating 130 illustrations for Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book commissioned by the Contemporary Book Society in 1905. That work remains one of the masterpieces of bibliophilia. By 1900 almost 100 percent of paper was machine-made yielding around 1,000lbs per day compared to 60-100lbs by hand. Between 1846 and 1916 book production increased 400% while prices were cut in half.
In the art world illustration has at times been considered of less importance than graphic design and fine art. Today however it is becoming a valued art form capable of engaging a global market due to growth in the graphic novel and video game industries. Original illustration art attracts high prices at auction. The US artist Norman Rockwell's painting Breaking Home Ties sold in a 2006 Sotheby's auction for US$15.4 million. Many other illustration genres are equally valued with pinup artists such as Gil Elvgren and Alberto Vargas attracting high prices. Increased use of illustration in magazines and other publications contributes to this rising status. The field now commands significant financial recognition within the fine art community.
Common questions
What is the definition of an illustration?
An illustration is a decoration, interpretation, or visual explanation of a text, concept, or process. This definition spans from ancient hieroglyphs to modern digital interfaces.
When did the earliest illustrations appear in history?
Some of the earliest illustrations come from ancient Egypt around 1279 BC in the Tomb of Pharaoh Seti I. These images date back to the time of the pharaohs and represent early human attempts at visual storytelling.
Who are some famous illustrators from the golden age of American illustration?
Among the best-known figures were N.C. Wyeth Howard Pyle James Montgomery Flagg Elizabeth Shippen Green J.C. Leyendecker Violet Oakley Maxfield Parrish Jessie Willcox Smith and John Rea Neill. These artists worked within the Brandywine School tradition during the period from before the 1880s until the early 20th century.
How much do medical illustrators earn on average today?
The median salary for medical illustrators stands at $70,650 while science illustrators earn a median of $72,277. Organizations like the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators and the Association of Medical Illustrators support these professionals.
What was the impact of the printing press on book distribution?
The invention of the printing press during the 15th century allowed books to become more widely distributed with woodcuts. By 1900 almost 100 percent of paper was machine-made yielding around 1,000lbs per day compared to 60-100lbs by hand.