BASICS illustration
Mark Wigan
Thinking Visually for Illustrators Second Edition
Fairchild Books An imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 50 Bedford Square 1385 Broadway London New York WC1B 3DP NY 10018 UK USA www.bloomsbury.com Bloomsbury is a registered trade mark of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc First edition published 2006, this second edition published 2014 © Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2014 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers. Mark Wigan has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as author of this work. No responsibility for loss caused to any individual or organization acting on or refraining from action as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by Bloomsbury or the author. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN: PB: 978-1-4725-2749-3 ePDF: 978-1-4725-3044-8 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Wigan, Mark. Thinking visually for illustrators / Mark Wigan. –– Second edition. pages cm. –– (Basics illustration series) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978–1–4725–2749–3 (paperback) 1. Drawing, Psychology of. 2. Thought and thinking. 3. Information visualization. 4. Visual communication. 5. Communication in design. 6. Illustrators––Vocational guidance. I. Title. BF456.D7W54 2014 741.019––dc23 2014002787 Original text and photography by Mark Wigan Cover illustration title Delirium by Mark Wigan Design by Darren Lever
Nissan advert by Hyesu Lee
Table of contents
Introduction 6 How to get the most out of this book
10
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
GETTING STARTED 12
WAYS OF DRAWING 28
EXPERIMENTING 42
Ideas generation 14 Research 18 In focus: Yuko Kondo 19 Sketchbooks 20 Inspirations 22
A history of illustration 30 Outsider art 34 The portrait 36 In focus: Miles Donovan 38 Life drawing 40
Quotes 44 Print workshop 46 Cross-media and cultural cut-ups 52
Appendix 147 The Projects 148 Glossary 160 Canon of Key Artists and Illustrators 164
Bibliography 166 Conclusion 170 Index 175 Acknowledgements 181
Introduction u
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
TYPES OF ILLUSTRATION 60
THE NEW DIGITAL PARADIGM 102
A CAREER IN ILLUSTRATION 120
Social commentary 62 Caricature 66 The decorative 68 In focus: Aubrey Beardsley 71 Reportage 72 Underground urban street art 74 In focus: Jean Michel Basquiat 87 Fantastic worlds 88 In focus: Jorge Goytizoia 90 In focus: A Secret Club 96 In focus: Daniel Bueno 98
The next big thing in illustration 104 In focus: Micah Lidberg 106 In focus: Merjin Hos 108 The future is now 110 In focus: Catherine McIntyre 114 Flexibility 116
Collaboration 121 In focus: Priya Sundram 124 In focus: Big Active 130 Briefs and deadlines 136 Industry insights 138
Introduction
6–7
Returning to Thinking Visually for its second edition From the absurd to the whimsical, decorative to highlights the need for a broad understanding of
informative, illustrators inject their own personality
the constantly evolving and expanding field of
into any subject matter, communicating messages
illustration, particularly in the context of our image-
in an emotive way. The aim of this book is to
saturated digital world.
introduce the fundamental techniques used to do
Back in 1978, illustrator Fritz Eichenberg argued that: ‘To speak of the education of an illustrator seems to me to give too much honour to an undesirable by-product of our age – specializations. To put first things first: the illustrator is an artist whose education knows no beginning and no end’. Now in the twenty-first century, we need an expanded definition of the field; illustrators are
this. Contextualised with information on social cultural and historical backgrounds and the current issues and debates impacting on illustration in the digital age, key components of visual thinking are introduced, including the primacy of ideas, perceptual and conceptual skills, research experimentation and the development of a personal point of view and visual signature.
transcending traditional boundaries, creating highly Working independently, through agent representation personal static and moving images in a myriad of art
or collaboratively in ‘collectives’, illustrators are now
and design contexts. With unprecedented demand
engaging with the global digital communications
for visual content from both commerce and industry,
revolution, combining a wide range of both
Thinking Visually for Illustrators encourages further
traditional and digital media and techniques. They
discourse within the field of illustration and acts as a
now perform tasks globally, conveying visual
guide for professional illustrators and students alike.
narratives, messages and ideas by manipulating
Reflecting the eclectic nature of contemporary practice, a wide variety of inspiring images by international image makers are featured and, in many cases, are accompanied by insights from the artists themselves. The highly inventive approaches featured demonstrate diverse visual languages, contexts, ideas, techniques and skills, which any aspiring illustrator will find inspiring and encouraging.
pictorial signs via their own distinctive and personal visual languages. Preconceptions and limitations of the profession of illustration are being constantly challenged as working processes, technologies and markets evolve. Many continue to work creatively to the constraints of a client’s brief by solving problems with imaginative and innovative work. However, illustrators with a passion for authorship are also making their mark by creating self-driven projects taking responsibility and control of the whole process from concept to final product. Thinking Visually for Illustrators acknowledges the expanded role of the illustrator as an entrepreneurial producer of self-initiated projects. As we’ll see, the ability to think visually and the development of a personal visual language comes from learning the basics, being open-minded, hard work, sustained practice and taking creative risks.
Arc, Scrapmetal by Simon Pemberton
Introduction Chapter One: Getting Started In this chapter, we analyse basic research and
Chapter Four: Types of Illustration This chapter introduces visual interpretations of text
idea generation strategies. Project maps, rough
and the illustrator’s intent within a wide range of
visuals, sketchbooks and scrapbooks are all used
contexts, including caricature, the decorative, social
to illustrate the process of visualising ideas and
comment, reportage, underground urban street art,
building visual intelligence. International practitioners
storytelling (comics, graphic novels, children’s books
also reflect on their personal inspirations.
and visual essays) and fantastic worlds.
Chapter Two: Ways of Drawing
Chapter Five: The New Digital Paradigm
This chapter examines the key skill of drawing:
Chapter Five reveals the wide variety of image-
the synthesising of hand, eye and brain. Examples
making media and techniques utilised by today’s
of drawings from life, the imagination and visual
illustrators and explores new digital tools and
memory are presented. The influential area of
platforms and possible future outlets.
‘Outsider Art’ is explored. Portraiture, composition and the manipulation and construction of imagery are all introduced.
Chapter Six: A Career in Illustration International illustrators give their advice on
Chapter Three: Experimenting
what students of illustration need to learn and collaborative working processes are explored.
Here, we explore how risk taking and experimentation can help extend the illustrator’s personal visual vocabulary. Illustrators explain their
A series of project briefs is provided in the Appendix. Have a go and see what you come up with!
diverse working processes along with examples of some of their work. Print-making and collaging techniques are explained and discussed.
Men in Man by Hyesu Lee Hyesu Lee is a graphic designer-turnedillustrator. Having studied in the UK, she is now based in New York. Her work has been exhibited internationally throughout Korea, the US, the UK, Singapore and Italy.
t Table of contents
8–9 How to get the most out of this book u
How to get the most out of this book This book introduces different aspects of illustration via dedicated chapters for each topic. Each chapter provides numerous examples of work by leading artists, annotated to explain the reasons behind the choices made. Key illustration principles are isolated so that the reader can see how they are applied in practice.
Quotes
Clear navigation
Key points are elaborated on
Each chapter has a clear
and placed in context through
strapline to allow readers to
the use of quotes.
quickly locate areas of interest.
t Introduction
10–11
Introductions Special section introductions outline basic concepts that will be discussed.
Examples Projects from contemporary illustrators bring the principles under discussion alive.
Additional information Client, illustrator and image descriptions are included.
Related information Related information such as historical precedents is included.
Chapter One: Getting Started
12 / 13 12–13
The quest for intelligent, conceptually rigorous and meaningful illustration is a journey with no beginning or end. Learning is a lifelong activity. Being open minded and letting learning happen is the illustrator’s first task. Learning to think visually is a skill that must be practised daily. As in sociology and anthropology, people and their socio-cultural context in the world are our subject matter. Being observant, listening, looking and participating in the world are necessary. The discipline of illustration has
This chapter will:
a vast and rich history. Contextualising one’s work within and beyond that history is a way of establishing your own critical dialogue.
Introduce ways of recording interpretations of what you see Provide ways of visualising ideas and thoughts
In order to communicate visually, the illustrator must be interested in humanity and in literature. Intellectual curiosity, hard work, ambition and
Showcase the techniques used by leading
passion are all essential, as is the willingness
international illustrators.
to engage in creative play and experiment. It is important to bring your own personality and concerns to a project.
Manhattan Map by Hyesu Lee Illustrator Hyesu Lee’s interpretation of Manhattan and its communities.
Ideas generation In 1957, artist and illustrator Ben Shahn wrote in his seminal book The Shape of Content: ‘The thinking of the poet must habitually be tonality and cadence thinking, as with the artist it is colour, shape, image thinking. In each of these cases the discipline of the formulation is inseparable from the discipline of thinking itself.’
Perverted Science by Andrew Rae This illustration formed part of the ‘Perverted Science’ exhibition, which introduced work from a collection of artists including Andrew Rae. Put together to celebrate the club night of the same name, the exhibition saw light boxes ‘wired and plugged’ into the monochrome network of Andrew Rae’s mutated characters, which were meticulously painted around the walls.
1 4 – 15 Research u Searching The search for successful concepts begins with
Illustration revels in ambiguity and unexpected
non-linear, zigzag thinking. You might start, for
ideas, and making unusual combinations and
example, by listing every word you can think of
links and giving clichés or obvious solutions
analogous to your content or theme. Adding images
new twists can result in the most exciting work.
to these words will expand your concept further,
Surrealist illustrators, for example, loved to practise
and combining and linking these ideas even further
associative thinking, running riot with symbolism
still. The best ideas come from lots of ideas, so the
and parody. Playful manipulation of techniques
key is to generate as much as you possibly can! For
including repetition, juxtaposition, substitution,
many visual workers, mind maps are a useful way of
metamorphosis, disguise, modification, trompe l’oeil,
getting these ideas down on to paper.
distortion, simplification and exaggeration offer up
You can enhance your concepts with rigorous research by investigating the ideological, cultural, historical and professional contexts of the subject matter. Sketchbooks, notebooks and moodboards are utilised to explore ideas drawn from a melting pot of memories, observational sketches, reference imagery, dictionaries and websites. At this stage, every idea has potential and taking risks and making
lots of creative solutions to a visual problem. But remember that chance does favour the mind that is prepared: being bold, honest and open to random juxtapositions will help you to reach that ‘Eureka!’ illumination moment and enable the solving of the problem with inventive and original work
Refining
mistakes are all part of the experimental process that leads to innovation with concepts and image making techniques.
Manipulating pictorial elements shifts the mood and alters the communication of images. To do this, the artist’s aesthetic toolbox includes colour, texture,
Originality As many of the illustrators in this book advise, it is important not to imitate contemporary styles or trends popular within the established genres of illustration, or to let your visual solutions become too obvious or literal. Aspire to be rigorously selfcritical while developing your own distinctive visual language, integrating personal interests, concerns and obsessions into your work. It is important to think both critically and conceptually as you manipulate and decode the symbols and icons within an image.
contrast, cropping, lighting, tonal values, shape, scale , perspective, concept hierarchy, balance, overlap, use of line, composition and point of view. Refining and resolving compositional and conceptual issues as you develop your work and selecting and editing images that are appropriate for the project will ensure that as many aspects of visual language as possible have been fully explored in your work. In addition, developing your own visual language will enable you to avoid a superficial or literal approach to a commission. In- depth research and a highly personal approach can be supported using visual metaphors which draw comparisons and connections between items that can be distinctly different.
Ideas generation
Approaching a brief Analytical and intuitive skills must be employed when generating a visual idea or concept. There are various methods for solving visual communication problems. When working to a brief, try rewriting the information in your own words to clarify it. Identify the audience, their concerns and cultural context. Research the client; establish the function of the project, the mood or tone of voice required, the context and media to be employed. Also, is the project worthwhile for you from an ethical point of view? It may be necessary to reject work if it compromises your ideals. Illustrations can be published in their thousands and will have an impact on the viewer; it is important to maintain your integrity and question in whose interest they are being produced and for what purpose. The reality of working to project briefs, often solving others’ problems while adhering to deadlines, involves time management. Editorial commissions sometimes have to be researched and responded to in a few hours and a strong work ethic is required. Spider diagrams, mind maps and word and image associations are aids often used by illustrators and designers to unlock creativity.
1 6 – 17 Research u
Interiors of the Subterraneans by Mark Wigan This diagrammatic illustration explores the youth tribes and sub-cultures of London in the mid1980s.
Research Illustrators are usually magpies: obsessive collectors, always on the hunt for reference imagery. The search for inspiring material can get them out of the studio and off to secondhand bookshops, car boot sales, flea markets, collectors’ fairs, jumble sales and charity shops and of course millions of images are a few clicks away on the internet. Building a personal visual reference archive can take the form of plan chests full of ephemera, scrapbooks, shelves packed with books and toys, on-line blogs, forums and communities and websites digitally ‘book marked’. What to collect Being a cultural generalist is important for the
How to collect Most illustrators now use digital cameras or
illustrator and archives can be incredibly diverse.
scanners to capture images themselves and store
Some examples might include:
them digitally. Anything related to your project
• nineteenth-century illustrated books and periodicals
can then be arranged on screen to stimulate idea
• 1930s mail-order catalogues
development. Sketchbooks, moodboards and
• American comic books from the 1960s
scrapbooks are also useful ways of tracking your
• cartoon annuals
inspiration. As illustrator Rian Hughes explains,
• pin badges
he researches by ‘sketching, thinking, reading
• vinyl records
…’, feeding as much information as possible from
• film posters
various sources into the brain. Jon Burgerman
• postcards
states, ‘I’m not sure I actually switch into a research
• skate company stickers
way of thinking, it’s more of a continuous ongoing
• Japanese toys
process involving keeping your eyes peeled at all
• vinyl figures
times. For specific tasks I may go out to seek certain
• 1970s punk fanzines.
information. Google is a good lazy way of getting the ball rolling, though quite often the most interesting
Being aware of contemporary trends and theories in illustration, art and design is an important aspect of research. Be aware of fashionable styles without imitating them; if illustration is to move forward as a significant art form, the fewer lazy copyists there are out there the better. Research should be broad and in-depth, enabling you to innovate, not imitate. You must respond honestly to research material and be true to yourself.
things are found away from the internet.’
t Ideas generation
1 8 – 19 Sketchbooks u In Focus: Yuko Kondo Yuko Kondo is an illustrator, art director and animator based in London, UK. Yuko graduated from the Royal College of Art with an MA in Communication Art and Design. For his vibrant and intelligent work, Yuko is in demand with major brands and creatives worldwide. He has built up an impressive client base including companies such as Microsoft, Nike, Play Station, Coca Cola, Converse, LEE jeans, Doritos and many more. Yuko’s aim is to entertain the viewer through his work, making bold use of colour, pattern and a distinct repertoire of surreal and often darkly humorous characters.
Animal Tower by Yuko Kondo
Sketchbooks The word ‘sketch’ sounds a little light and vague for what is the illustrator’s essential daily tool. However, the sketchbook is the place where illustrators play with ideas: it is a personal space for exploring, collating, recording and juxtaposing images, also for reflecting and evaluating. For illustrators, the sketchbook can also be the place where ideas are given form and refined. For some, the sketchbook work itself provides the final outcome to a project – occasionally, the free and vigorous approach of a sketchbook drawing might perfectly answer a project brief without further development. Sketchbooks are also incredibly useful as a way of reflecting on personal progress and to act as an aid for future projects. It is useful to have a range of sizes of sketchbooks with separate functions. These can include a drawing book for visual notes from observation, memory or the imagination, a scrapbook and a pocket-sized visual diary.
Development work for Fingathing by Chris Drury Chris Drury created distinctive cartoon drawings for Fingathing’s album and single sleeve covers.
t Research
2 0 – 21 Inspirations u Drawing books The drawing book is used to experiment with mark
Pocket-sized visual diaries Pocket-sized visual diaries are used to define
making and drawing in various ways and with
thoughts, make notations and lists, record ideas
various media. Observational drawing extends
and plan for new projects. Ideas can come at any
visual language and when practised daily in a
time: on the bus, daydreaming, listening to music
drawing book can build visual intelligence. All kinds
or watching television. Keeping a notebook close
of materials from biros, fibre and felt tips, pencils,
can help record that illumination moment when it
graphite, pastels to watercolour washes, dip pens to
happens.
charcoal can all be experimented with in the drawing book. Examples of sketchbooks that demonstrate a
Scrapbooks Scrapbooks are visual archives of ephemera and found imagery that can be divided into categories
sense of immediacy capturing the world with on-the-spot drawings are travel ‘reportage’ journals. Illustrators who have excelled in this genre include:
or integrated into collages. All kinds of imagery can
Paul Hogarth
be pasted and fixed: from photographs, postcards,
Edward Ardizzone
photocopies, buttons and cloth to consumer
Paul Cox
packaging and printed matter. This can be arranged
Edward Bawden
by texture or colour or themes such as body parts,
David Gentleman.
buildings, vehicles, landscapes, animals, seascapes
It’s also well-worth looking into the highly
or maps.
idiosyncratic artists’ sketchbooks of:
Scrapbooks also fulfil a role as tools for contextual
Leonardo da Vinci
reflection and self-awareness. Promotional material
Henry Moore
including postcards, stickers, exhibition invitations
Albrecht Dürer
and reviews can all be archived. In art and design
George Grosz
education, sketchbooks and scrapbooks are
Egon Schiele
essential evidence of a student’s individual working
Jean Michel Basquiat.
processes. They are used as ‘learning logs’ or ‘studio files’ and demonstrate the student’s visual thinking, level of experimentation, discovery and commitment.
Inspirations Inspirations and influences for illustrators are as diverse and as unique as their artwork. Here are a few influences, inspirations and an eclectic mix of concerns, themes and ideas from international illustrators.
Miles Donovan
Dennis Eriksson
‘While at college in the mid ’90s I didn’t look to other ‘Not so much other illustration. It can be other art illustrators for inspiration: there weren’t many around
forms like films from David Lynch, old diner menus,
I liked, and those I did like it was hard to actually see
music by Kool Keith and Tav Falco, graphic design
the work of because we didn’t have the internet, so
by Art Chantry, oil painting by Wayne Thiebaud,
the people who influenced what I did then and do
nineteenth-century lettering … a lot of things.’
now are all dead painters (whatever I could lay my hands on in the library) – Basquiat, Warhol, Dubuffet. As for what inspires me now … Jamel Shabazz, Geoff McFetridge, Mike Mills, Michel Gondry, Spike Jonze, Saul Bass, M. Sasek, Jack Kirby, Blue Note covers, Rauschenberg.’
t Sketchbooks
2 2 – 23
Bill McConkey ‘I’m very much old school. I follow mainly the
Sarah Jones ‘Great accidents, the best things happen when
American market of illustration, as it has some of the
I’m attempting something else – they move you
best illustrators working in a figurative and narrative
on where you may not have gone otherwise. Good
manner … I look more at traditional painters than
budgets always help oil the cogs! Finding beauty in
any of the crop of digital artists around … everyone
banality is often a task I find myself attempting and
from Norman Rockwell to Brad Holland, Michael J.
that can inspire me.’
Deas, C. F. Payne, David Bowers, Donato Giancola … the list goes on and on.’
Inspirations
Paul Davis ‘I can honestly say that pretty much everything influences me, positively, as well as negatively. I’m fundamentally against any kind of fundamentalism.’
Elliot Thoburn ‘Youth culture, films, fellow illustrators, some bloke on the bus, life in general really.’
Ian Pollock ‘Drawing, raw drawing: illustration is published drawing.’
t Sketchbooks
2 4 – 25
Louisa St. Pierre ‘In my personal work, at the risk of sounding
Florence Manlik ‘I don’t know … It’s all a bit abstract.’
pretentious, I am interested in grand notions of humanity, spirituality and the meaning of life … Oh, and I’m a big fan of pandas; must try to include more of them in my work. Research? Internet, books, magazines, conversations with friends and colleagues, seminars … observing the world.’
Mick Brownfield ‘Inspiration … after 36 busy years it’s mainly the telephone, but I keep coming back to images from my early years … Comics, movies and ads: they really are my main inspiration and influence.’
Inspirations
eBoy ‘Googling, blogs, films, books, shopping.’
Soner On ‘I mainly discuss social issues I encounter in my native neighbourhood (Flatbush, Junction, Brooklyn, NYC). The customs, tongues and approach of Flatbush’s inhabitants all play significant roles within my ideas.’
Joel Lardner ‘I am fascinated by sinister and beautiful imagery. I try to produce decorative pictures that convey a sense of menace or unease.’
Annabelle Nielsen ‘Day of the Dead, tattoo art, customized motorcycles, surf culture, observations from my surroundings and places I have travelled, especially California.’
t Sketchbooks
2 6 – 27
Alex Williamson ‘Books, literature and fiction, narrative and films.
Simon Pemberton ‘My main influence has always been texture: I used
Much of my work is about trying to create narrative
to draw it obsessively, then moved on to building
and capture a fictional moment in time – a film or
3D constructions/collages from huge collections
novel within a single picture.
of found objects and textures and I now scan/ photograph or paint them. That and a contradictory love of empty space and minimalism.’