Difference between drawing and illustrating

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An interesting distinction.



  • http://www.thegraphicmac.com/ JimD

    Like the difference between janitor and manager of waste removal.

    • http://twitter.com/Moeskido Moeskido

      Nope.

  • http://twitter.com/Moeskido Moeskido

    Not a huge revelation. Anyone who’s ever done illustration professionally could have told you that, Mr. D.

  • VGISoftware

    Sorry, Jim, but no one needs this linked-to babble to learn the difference between drawing and illustration. One only needs a dictionary.

    But that becomes rather trivial when contrasted with the enveloping situation of these people not knowing what the hell art is in the first place.

    This Jillian person at Parsons wonders why few of her students actually go on to pursuing careers as illustrators.

    Art is quality of communication, nothing else.

    Jim, you’re an artist of the written word. I know this because your articles COMMUNICATE to me. You use an economy of words, and you present your subjects as well as your interpretations of those subjects clearly, frequently spicing them with humor and/or sarcasm, all of which is quite entertaining. So I would guess that you make a pretty good living at it.

    I looked at some of Jillian’s students’ work and I’m sorry to say that if these are her favorites, that it’s no surprise that few of them to go on to art careers. It’s really sad and dismal stuff. One of them even resorts to porn subjects. Blech!

    I’ve been a full time freelance illustrator for 25 years. No, it’s not at all easy, and it’s not even that “glamorous” most of the time. But on the other hand, I enjoy it very much.

    What is really rewarding to me is when I get an emotional response out of the customer. I’ve managed to deliver not only what the customer asked for, but I somehow exceeded their expectations resulting in surprise and delight.

    It’s not easy. Nothing worthwhile is easily obtained.

    These kids need to learn that you don’t become an artist simply by looking the part with tats, piercings, and ridiculous hair. You don’t have to be weird or crazy or live bohemian lifestyles or do drugs.

    Start with an understanding of art and a clear choice that you’re going to dedicate your life to QUALITY COMMUNICATION. Learn the technical skills in your chosen medium or media. Burn the midnight oil in getting really good at all the actions of your craft. Be honest with yourself and your customers to know when your project is complete.

    It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it has to be skilled or “artful” enough to elicit the desired emotional response in the viewer.

    • pawhite524

      I find it troubling that you choose to be so utterly reductionistic when you wrote: “Art is quality of communication, nothing else.”

      then followed it by writing:

      “What is really rewarding to me is when I get an emotional response out of the customer. I’ve managed to deliver not only what the customer asked for, but I somehow exceeded their expectations resulting in surprise and delight.”

      Communication always involves implication and inference. Is your customer’s surprise and delight the result of your implications or their inferences or some combination of both?

      Without being long-winded, it is my humble opinion “Art is a quality of communication and so much more.”

      I wish you well in your discoveries.

  • pawhite524

    And then comes along Norman Rockwell one of the 20th century’s greatest illustrators who has been acclaimed a true American Folk artist. And, as someone who participated in a Sly and the Family Stone concert in 1969 I can see the illustrator Vargas of that era of Playboy as an illustrator who may have been more.

    • VGISoftware

      What’s the point here? What about these men’s work ISN’T “quality of communication”? You’re proving my point!

  • pawhite524

    I find it troubling that you choose to be so utterly reductionistic when you wrote: “Art is quality of communication, nothing else.”

    then followed it by writing:

    “What is really rewarding to me is when I get an emotional response out of the customer. I’ve managed to deliver not only what the customer asked for, but I somehow exceeded their expectations resulting in surprise and delight.”

    Communication always involves implication and inference. Is your customer’s surprise and delight the result of your implications or their inferences or some combination of both?

    Without being long-winded, it is my humble opinion “Art is a quality of communication and so much more.”

    I wish you well in your discoveries.

    • VGISoftware

      So what in this “so much more” of yours ISN’T communication? Answer that honestly for yourself and you’ll begin to see just how “reductionistic” (not) my definition is.

      • pawhite524

        Again, I wish you well in your discoveries…