From children’s books to graphic novels, illustrators help bring the words on a page to life using a variety of styles and techniques. In this blog, you’ll learn all about the role of book illustrators, explore the different genres in the industry, and understand the skills you’ll need to work among the best in the field.
Understanding Book Illustration
At a basic level, book illustrators accompany the words on a page with illustrations. These illustrations help provide context and immerse readers in the world they are exploring. Of course, there are many things to learn to fully understand book illustration, but first, let’s learn what role book illustrators play in the storytelling process along with what genres this role works in.
The Role of Illustration in Storytelling
We’ve broken down the role of illustration in storytelling into three parts: understanding, engaging, and remembering.
- Understand
Illustrations help a reader understand the context and environment a subject is in. This is most common in children’s books where young readers might still be working on their reading comprehension skills.
2. Engage
Imagine reading a graphic novel without any illustrations to help guide the story. It would be pretty boring, right? Illustrations help engage readers’ imaginations by providing visuals to accompany the words on a page.
3. Remember
Memory serves an important role in book illustration, especially in the context of a larger series. Whether it’s a graphic novel or a children’s book, readers must remember who the characters are and what the world looks like through memorable illustrations.
Different Genres of Book Illustration
- Children’s Book Illustration
The most commonly studied genre of book illustration at Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (RMCAD) is children’s book illustration. From award-winning faculty and alumni to passionate students, this genre is all about entertaining and teaching the younger generation through simple themes and stories. Illustrating children’s books is a rewarding career that has the potential to take you far in the field of art and design.
2. Graphic Novel Illustration
Graphic novels were brought into the spotlight in the late 1970s. Illustrating graphic novels, when compared to children’s books, can be more complex and repetitive due to multiple story panels on a single page. However, if an illustrator prefers to work with more mature themes, then graphic novels might be the perfect fit.
3. Educational Book Illustration
In the classroom, subjects such as biology and history can often be difficult to comprehend without the aid of illustrations. This is where educational book illustrators come into play. These illustrators take complex topics and break them down into easy to view illustrations.
The Process of Illustrating a Book
Here is an outline of what you can expect the book illustration process to look like:
- Brainstorm ideas with the author
- Design the book’s characters
- Storyboard to understand the elements of the story
- Sketch your story page-by-page
- Color and shade your work
- Receive feedback throughout the process
Collaborating with Authors and Publishers
It’s important to collaborate with authors and publishers to either promote the book you are illustrating or to network with professionals in the industry.
Conceptualizing the Visuals
Conceptualizing the visuals of an author’s story is a challenging but rewarding aspect of book illustration. “Creating a character is one of the most fun parts of a book project. For me, the best characters are inspired by real people in my life, or at least some complication of their traits. I think about how different everyone in my life is, and how everyone has their own story, habits, feelings, and experiences,” Abbey Bryant, RMCAD alumna, explains.
Developing a Unique Style
As an illustration professional, it’s important to develop a unique style, but it’s also important to be flexible with your style so that authors and publishers can trust that you have the technical ability to bring their vision to life.
Color Theory and Composition
According to Lucid Books “The cover of a book is often the first thing that catches a potential reader’s eye. And while there are many factors that go into designing an effective cover, color is one of the most important.” Whether you take a college level course or learn from a professional, mastering color theory and composition can take you a long way in book illustration. For example, red can symbolize strength, aggression, or anger, while blue can symbolize sadness, trustworthiness, or friendliness.
Skills and Software Needed for Successful Book Illustration
- Book Layout Design
- Character design
- Color theory
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Illustrator
Not only do you need these skills to become a successful book illustrator, you also need to have a passion for what you do. “It is a thrill and honor that never gets old,” Kaz Windness, alumna and faculty member at RMCAD, exclaims. “I am living my childhood dream!”
Communication and Collaboration
Communicating regularly with a book’s author and publisher will make sure that you stay on top of any revisions or requests needed during the illustration process.
“I usually work on about eight children’s books a year,” explains RMCAD alum Luke Flowers. “Some days I think, ‘I got to draw monsters all day,’ I’m pretty lucky.” Flowers has illustrated more than 75 children’s books. Most notably, the New York Times Best-seller “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.” When working on multiple projects at once, it’s important to have a plan in place to stay on top of communications.
Time Management and Meeting Deadlines
According to Penguin, a leading book publisher, “illustrators should know it’s likely a two-year lead time between signing and a project coming out.” This might seem like plenty of time, however it’s essential that you manage this time properly to meet important deadlines and build good relationships with authors and publishers.
Breaking into the Field of Book Illustration
Popular job board Indeed recommends pursuing a degree to enhance your skills in illustration, narrative storytelling, and more to begin your career journey in book illustration. In addition to a degree, let’s take a look at some other things you can do to break into the field of book illustration.
Building a Portfolio
It’s important to share your work with potential employers so that you can give yourself the best chance to be hired for a job. This is done with an art portfolio that tells employers who you are and what you can do. Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design graduates illustrators that are published for some of the top agencies in the world, thanks to its portfolio-based degree program.
Networking and Finding Opportunities
From school job boards to book publishing events, it’s essential for book illustrators to network and be on the lookout for new opportunities. “Think about the people who are further along in the career you want. Even if they are just a couple of years ahead of you, consider reaching out to them,” Flowers states in his Radiance Award interview. “I was always surprised by the people further down the road who were willing to help me and share their resources. Those people helped me a lot. Then, also consider who you are ahead of and how you can share your resources with them.”
Explore Your Next Chapter in Book Illustration
If you are interested in learning more about book illustration, take the next step and check out Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design’s online and on-campus illustration programs today.
