This new book by Andrew Hall who is the course leader at Central St Martin's is just published by Laurence King and will be added to our reading list this year. I advise all years to get a copy if you can.
At first glance I was not immediately taken with the layout and selection of work particularly. However I persevered and actually read it in three sittings. I think this is a really excellent introductory text for illustration students.
The content here is very good indeed and whilst some of the selection of images is not perhaps to my own taste, they illustrate the points Andrew Hall is making very well. Illustration is a rapidly changing marketplace and it is difficult to keep up with the pace of change particularly in new media. But I think this broadly introduces these developing markets in a concise and easy to understand manner.
Not only does it tackle these emerging markets but it introduces key practical theories, such as colour and perspective, it looks at the main commissioning areas with illustrated examples and takes you through the commissioning process too.
In the opening chapter it says:" The illustrator's job is to create something from nothing, to encapsulate an idea that communicates to an audience in an innovative way that is also articulate...The training for an illustrator requires that they explore key areas of their subject, both practically and intellectually until they can competently reassemble them in a fashion that is peculiar to them, that carries their authorship and that is imprinted with their own particular artistic and intellectual vision."
Having struggled to summarise exactly what I think illustration is to potential new students I don't think I could put it better myself. Buy this book it is an excellent introduction to the practice, context and business of illustration.
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