Although I don't know what exact field of illustration that I would like to specialise in the future, I am however interested in the following:
- Children's book illustration
- Editorial
- Book cover illustration
- Gift ware
For this task I will research into book cover illustration, as it is the one which I know least about.
Function
The cover of the book is the first thing that you see, so the image has to be visually striking in order to catch people's attention. Also, as we process pictures faster than words, the illustration has to give some sort of visual indication to the theme of the book, whether it depicts some of the characters or the main themes of the story. The illustration on the book cover also has to work well with the text and title, and so typically such illustrations are normally designed and composed with careful consideration and thought in order for it to be successful. The illustration also helps to promote and give an identity to the book, which attracts sales attention.
The audience of each illustration corresponds to the demographic of the novel/story. Therefore the style of the illustration is normally designed around what would be attractive to the reader of the book, whether it be for children or adults.
The front cover illustration would quickly become associated with the book, and so could also be printed for advertisement & merchandise. It could also be printed in/on magazines, billboards, social media, and posters (i.e in book stores).
Examples of Work
Above are some illustrated book covers that I found particularly interesting. I think that what makes them successful is the way that the images interact with the text, and how they give a really good insight to the theme, mood and subject of the story.
Tobias Hall
Tobias Hall has created a series of book covers for Tove Jansson, however this is not his primary field of illustration. He typically specialises in typography:
Anna Bond creates these beautiful colourful book covers, but this again is only a small fraction of the spectrum of work that she does. She creates all sorts of illustrated products, ranging from stationary, gifts and fashion textiles:
Therefore, from my research it is evident that book cover illustration is a field that is done in addition to other areas of illustration. They are done alongside the illustrations inside the book (if there are any), or as a commission for an illustrator who normally undertakes multiple roles.
The Illustrator
Normally book cover illustrations are created by one individual, however the design process involving suggestions and alterations will be done with the company of art directors, writers, and/or agents. This field of illustration can be undertaken as a freelance or in-house illustrator, and the artist normally specialises in other areas of illustration other than book covers in order to qualify for more commissions.
In order to design book covers, you need to understand the relationship between image and text, as well as to be able to work to a deadline. You would also need to be skilled in creating illustrations, whether that be digital or hand drawn, and also to have an eye for composition & topography. A successful book cover will need to reflect the themes and mood of the story, so the artist would have to research & understand the novel fully in order to create an effective depiction of the book and its characters.
"A great cover will stand out across the room and still look relevant in 20 years" - Anna Bond [1]
Book cover illustrations can be found in most illustration websites, magazines & books, such as the AOI.
[1] http://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/features/graphic-design/21-book-design-illustration-tips/#1
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