While you likely interact with illustration and illustrative design elements daily, do you know the difference between the two? The skill sets required for both fields are strikingly similar, however, each has a unique design function. Let’s walk through what makes the two similar, what makes them unique, and how to know which program is right for you.
What is illustration?
Illustration is commonly found in children’s books but extends into other areas, such as concept art and graphic novels. While illustration is not always tied to a narrative, it is often associated with storytelling through non-photographic images, making it similar to animation but focused instead on still images, physical or digital. As such, the final products that an illustrator might deliver may be characters, settings, or objects. Illustrators play an important role in several industries, whether they are submitting final drawings for a comic book, pre-visualizations for architects, or product designs for fashion designers.
What is illustrative design?
Illustrative design takes illustration techniques and reconceptualizes them to solve design-based problems, not unlike graphic design. However, illustrative designers solve these types of problems by creating unique illustrations. Both illustrators and illustrative designers create unique assets that they have drawn. A common example of this is User Experience and User Interface or UX/UI. In UX/UI, illustrative designers may design new fonts for a website to accommodate accessibility, style, and brand standards. Other projects include logo design, motion graphics, and data visualization. All of these designs help individuals and organizations navigate both physical and digital media.
How do I know which program is right for me?
One of the most important things to consider when deciding between the illustration and illustrative design programs at any institution is the types of illustrations you enjoy doing. Is your goal to tell character-driven stories? Or are you motivated by providing unique design solutions to 21st-century problems? This is just one of many things to consider when selecting a degree, so remember to do your research! Click below to learn more about the on-campus and online programs for illustration and illustrative design. Additionally, for those looking for a more in-depth discussion about which program is right for you, click here to request information.
If you would like to read other blogs like this we recommend checking out What Is The Difference Between Graphic Design And Illustrative Design?
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FAQs: What’s the Difference Between Illustration and Illustrative Design?
1. What is the difference between illustration and illustrative design?
Illustration is often associated with storytelling through non-photographic images, including works such as children’s books, concept art, and graphic novels. Illustrative design uses illustration techniques to solve design-based problems, often in applied contexts such as digital media and branding.
2. What is illustration in art and design?
The article defines illustration as a practice commonly tied to storytelling through still images, whether physical or digital. It notes that illustrators may create final assets such as characters, settings, or objects.
3. What is illustrative design?
Illustrative design takes illustration techniques and reworks them to solve design problems in a way similar to graphic design, but with custom-drawn assets at the center of the solution. The article gives UX and UI as a common example of where this approach appears.
4. What kinds of projects do illustrative designers work on?
According to the article, illustrative designers may work on projects such as logo design, motion graphics, data visualization, and UX or UI-related work. In some cases, they may also design new fonts for websites to support accessibility, brand standards, and style.
5. What industries hire illustrators?
The article explains that illustrators contribute to several industries, including comics, architecture, and fashion. Examples it gives include: submitting final drawings for a comic book, creating pre-visualizations for architects, and developing product designs for fashion designers.
6. How do I know whether illustration or illustrative design is a better fit for me?
The article suggests starting with the type of work you most enjoy creating. If you want to tell character-driven stories, illustration may be the stronger fit, while illustrative design may be a better option if you are motivated by solving modern design problems with original visual assets.
7. Do illustration and illustrative design use similar skills?
Yes. The article states that the skill sets for the two fields are strikingly similar, even though each has a different design function and end goal. Both illustrators and illustrative designers create original drawn assets, but they apply them differently.
