By Bridgette Waldau
The Art of Illustration is a unique art form that is defined not by its medium, but by its context. Illustration finds its home in the public realm of popular media. With a rich history and a contemporary outlook, illustration brings life to concepts and stories through image-making. Whether created digitally or by hand, an illustration can be both a masterful work of art and a practical business application.
Showcasing
Illustrators are fine artists who specialize in illustration. The general term 'artist,' on the other hand, can refer to a wide range of careers. Just as there are many different types of artists, there are different types of illustrators.
Heartland LIVING February March 2016
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Illustrators are art directors, graphic, package & web designers, computer game developers, character designers, digital artists, animators, exhibit designers, storyboard, and studio artists. Illustrators create images for use in publications, such as books and magazines. They also make images for commercial products such as calendars, wrapping paper, fabric design and greeting cards. Other types of illustrators also include medical, scientific and technical illustrators. As you can see, an illustrator's work varies greatly. Have you ever wondered what was the first type of illustration? It actually goes all the way back to cave paintings where men and women used the cave walls to illustrate their daily activities. Book illustration came after
the invention of the printing press but the Japanese and Chinese cultures had already used woodcuts to accompany hand written books. Delicate illustrations can also be found in western religious manuscripts. The 17th and 18th centuries were an important time in the history of illustration because etchings, engravings and lithographs allowed for a faster process and the ability