What is Illustration For?

What is Illustration for? When I was asked this during my interview I think I responded with something along the lines of 'to communicate an idea via imagery'. This is correct, but is also rather vague, there is so much more to illustration. Illustration IS a method of communication, but it can be done with a variety of tools and be displayed in an extensive number of ways. Illustration isn't just pencil on paper.

It can be used on food packaging, or be an image on a website and it can also be the front cover to a book among other countless things. What is important is that it serves a function - in that it communicates visually not necessarily with the aid of text. For example: illustration on a food product should communicate what that item is without the need for text.

It can also be used on book covers to give the reader a brief idea of what the context of the book is about without the need to read the blurb.

You can also find illustration within magazines. Here illustration is usually used to reinforce a piece of text or to promote it's contents similar to a book.

Although generally considered to be targeted at children, illustration is in fact targeted at everyone (or rather a specific audience for that product).

http://www.kristyna.co.uk/NME-Last-Christmas

http://www.jackteagle.co.uk

http://www.cineworld.co.uk/unlimited/howitworks

https://www.nintendo.co.uk

http://harrypotter.bloomsbury.com