What makes an illustration fascinating? Or whose work?
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Hello friends, for one of my projects, I am trying to do figure out what makes an illustration fascinating.
So can you share some names whose work you found really fascinating, or in other words, not just beautiful but also stimulates your imagination?
A few names I have in mind, Shaun Tan, Julia Sarda, The Fan Brothers (for them it is the story + illo), etc.
If you have any thoughts on what elements make an illustration fascinating, I would also like to hear them.
Thank you!
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Personally, I find illustrations fascinating when they show real or complex emotions, as opposed to over-the-top or watered down ones.
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If you are talking picture books then, as a family, our absolute favourite illustrator has to be Korky Paul. These are the books that my children will return to over and over and over again. There is always something new in every spread each time you read it and there are little jokes hidden away. I don't know what makes an illustration fascinating but in terms of books my kids love a Korky Paul. Quentin Blake's own picture books are also a firm favourite in our house.
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Illustrations that invite the reader in are wonderful. I previously taught kindergarten. Even before the children could read there were specific illustrations that pulled them into a book. There is action and a story in a great illustration! When the reader needs to look around to find out what is going on, that is what I call a fascinating illustration.
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@idid ooh, good question!
For me, what makes an illustration fascinating is the combination of storytelling and skill. As in, what story do the illustrations tell that the text doesn't? Is there a second story in the pictures? What do they choose to illustrate, and what do they leave out? And as far as skill, it's not style but how the artist chooses to compose the illustration -- the masterful use of perspective, POV, lighting, color, and imagination.
Examples of illustrators whose work I find fascinating are Dan Santat, Aaron Becker, David Wiesner, Erin E. Stead, Jason Chin, Sophie Blackall, Brian Lies, William Joyce, Deborah Freedman, Amy June Bates, David Roberts, and the great Beatrix Potter and Norman Rockwell ... to name just a few (there are more)!
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Have you looked at "Picture This: How Pictures Work" by Molly Bang?
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@geekinm Yeah, I have that book. But I can't remember it talking about stimulating imagination though. Can you specify a little bit more?
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@Melissa-Bailey-0 said in What makes an illustration fascinating? Or whose work?:
n fascinating is the combination of storytelling and skill. As in, what story do the illustrations tell that the text doesn't? Is there a second story in the pictures? What do they choose to illustrate, and what do they leave out? And as far as skill, it's not style but how the artist chooses to compose the illustration -- the masterful use of perspective, POV, lighting, color, and imagination.
That's a lot of amazing artists! Thank you!
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@geekinm said in What makes an illustration fascinating? Or whose work?:
Quentin Blake looks really fun! I should read more of his books. Thank you!
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@idid you’re welcome! (I kind of geek out over illustrators and children’s book illustration.)
