Review: Inside the Business of Illustration
March 29th, 2011 Filed under: Graphic Design Portfolios — Advertising Author
The Lowest Price we could find is $19.95 $7.84
This guide to the ins and outs of today’s dynamic illustration business tells budding illustrators everything that their teacher didn’t know or their art director didn’t tell them. Using an entertaining, running narrative format to look at key concerns every illustrator must face today, this book covers finding one’s unique style and establishing a balance between art and commerce; tackling issues of authorship and promotion; and more. In-depth perspectives are offered by illustrators, art directors, and art buyers from various industries and professional levels on such issues as quality, price negotiation, and illustrator-client relationships.
Includes an afterword by Milton Glaser, well-known designer/illustrator
From the authors of The Education of an Illustrator (1-58115-075-x)
Review:
Steven Heller & Marshall Arisman’s guidance is invaluable in today’s market, this book is a must have for the struggling professional or for the newly graduate seeking to stake their claim. In fact I’d go so far as to say this book SHOULD BE REQUIRED READING at every art school in the country offering illustration courses.
First let me say that for those of you reading this review who don’t know who Steven Heller & Marshall Arisman are, you should, and here’s why; Heller is the director of the NY Times Book Review, co-chair of the MFA design program at the School of Visual Arts (one of the best, THE BEST drawing curriculums in the county) as well as author of almost one hundred books in the graphic design field. He’s been in the business a long time, seen it from the artist side, seen it from the political side and can help make or break a career at least from the perspective of a children’s book illustrator. Mr. Arisman is one of the living legends of Illustration with artwork in major U.S. museums, every national magazine and is chair of the MFA program (Illustration as Visual Essay) at the School of Visual Arts.
The interview-style of the introduction to this book is repeated throughout as each chapter is brought to a close with a discussion between these two legends. That doesn’t mean however that the kernels of wisdom and genuine professional opinions are repetitive. First they talk about the decline, and now the re-birth of Illustration in America, the springing up of stock illustration houses, how artists need to position themselves with respect to the marketplace, developing a unique personal voice, and working with art directors. How much risk should there be in a portfolio? How much can or should an artist trust the company they are being hired to work for? “Relating to business, most illustrators are in make up class.” And from there, the rest of the book takes off.
There are several sections that outline the do’s and don’ts – lots of them. Everything from How to interact with a director, preparing for portfolio reviews, promotional pieces and the importance of professional organizations is the foundation for much of the book to follow.
Chapters include the importance of style, how you develop it and how to show it off, new media, the importance of authorship (“Therefore, it is incumbent to the savvy illustrator to build…a diversified portfolio….Your overall illustraion practice should include both works produced exclusively for clinets as well as for yourself that can be turned into original projects.”), licensing & editing your works, self promotional pieces, and ethics. I found the discussions about style (“Style is driven by your view of the world, not by a technical procedure.”) and Promotion invaluable. For those two chapters alone the book more than paid for itself.
A third section of the book is a series of short but concise interviews with illustrators and art directors. They include: Steven Brodner, Brad Holland, Leo & Diane Dillon, Robert Parada, Nathan Fox, Ward Sutton, Robert Newman (of Real Simple), Chris Curry (the New Yorker), Richard Winkler (Curious Pictures) just to name a few.
A beautiful speech by Milton Glaser serves as the icing on the cake. He talks in depth about our culture’s current state of endless consumption, the effects of television on visual literacy and the relationship it has on everything around us. A totally brilliant ending!
Steven Heller’s other book, (which I also have and was personally a little disappointed in) “The Education of an Illustrator” seems much more philosophical and aimed at correcting art school education. If I had to choose between which one to buy, I’d recommend this one hands down, every time. Inside the Business of Illustration is NOT a follow-up, if anything it’s the bare bones BIBLE for learning how to survive and thrive in the business.
