What is an illustrator you may be thinking well an illustrator is an artist that creates illustrations and illustrations are two to three dimensional images that represent a story or idea that needs to be marketed for public viewing. A hand rendered imagery with the ability to convey feeling and emotion.
In the Design world, Illustrators are toned down as if they are to wait in the back round to assist the graphic designer. When in fact Illustrators do as much as the graphic designer. Now a days we are ARTISTS! doing freelance work, being as such, because graphic design has replaced much of the old work illustrators used to do in the corporate landscape. Truly if you can master illustration and graphic design you have the best of both worlds. A highly valuable asset in the design world.
As Ed Fella, a man with both of his feet in graphic design and illustration noted: “where as graphic design is more anonymous, all illustration is sold for its particular and individual style.
We use from a wide range of medians like paintings drawings photography or any other type of graphic art work. Even though Photography placed with words sign posting us to buy! buy! buy! has taken over our visual world, illustrators still have an upper hand in design and are not going anywhere, we do illustrations and page layouts are printed materials such as books, magazines, and other publications. Children’s books require many illustrations much like magazines which are laid out and given a creative touch from an illustrator. Other publications could be from mailers, business cards, greeting cards, stationary, and commercial products; such as Identity branding (logo’s). This is the outward expression of a brand; it’s name trade mark. It is like a reflection of how the owner wants the consumer to perceive the brand by its brands image with is the illustrators dub. It takes a keen ear to understand the employers wishes and wants for a logo and an artists intuition to create such a trademark to enhance a products appearance and sell! sell! sell! illustrator’s will consult with clients in order to determine what illustrations will best meet the story they are trying to tell, or what message in which they are trying to communicate.
In conclusion, many times Illustration is partnered up with graphic design, many projects consist of both. Don’t be so quick to underestimate the value of a good illustrator, and what they can do. even type with drawings could be an amazing design for a future product and or add. Experiment.. its needed in any art field graphic or not, and is the source for greatness for any product.