IdN 25/1 2018

Deciphering the Language of Illustration
The flexibility of illustration as a design genre is both a boon and a handicap. For the artist, it opens up an almost infinite field of opportunities, yet it is also restrictive in that once he or she has been identified with a particular sub-set of illustration — fashion, say, or infographics — the harder it becomes to establish an individual personality within that subject-specific straitjacket.

In the following feature article, IdN have gathered together 45 creatives who specialise in illustration design across a whole variety of fields. They have shared their latest illustration works together with generous tips about the sort of mistakes that lie in wait for unwary young designers. Never copy or repeat an existing work, for instance, or begin by going back to basics and trying out initial ideas with pen or pencil sketches before fleshing them out digitally. To feel every stroke by hand and create a full concept and structure before moving to the computer is an oft-quoted recipe for success.