[Pigeondave]

Hello, this is my first post:

What is the difference between Illustration & Graphic Design in 2009?

Myself and a few others hurt our heads thinking about this in the office. With a tardis like artbox of designers, Julien Vallee (Julien Vallée | Illustrophile, Illustration blog, Illustration news, art blog is sitting firmly on the fence. Is Si Scott an illustrator or graphic designer?

I just don't know.

[dogsbody]

I give up trying to keep track of the terminology, one persons job as a designer may well be classed as an artworker by someone else.

Graphic design has a few main "rules". Image, Colour, Typography, layout, style and audience. All are considered when designing and an understanding of marketing is key.

With Illustration, well, it's a blank, open minded canvas to do what ever you want with (in my opinion). It's an art form, heavily influenced by style colour and skill. You choose to do Illustration and get asked to do Graphic Design (I mean, would you make a 42 page brochure for the hell of it? I wouldn't).

Or, off course. I could just read things properly before I give an answer that in no way relates to the question!!

[Gin]

Hey!
I have always known Illustration is more drawing type of Art based and Graphic Design is more Design based, yeah sure a lot can be put into Graphic Design but it is more breifed in a certain way that it becomes specific.
Now I am a fan of Si Scott's work and he is an Illustrator but most of work falls under what Graphic Designers do He has done editorial logos etc. This makes me think that you can link them together to create an advantage when designing.
It can be confusing... hope it has helped.. have tried lol!
:)

[VLAHAKISA]

Working illustrators get paid to illustrate 'to brief' - so although the artistic flair and ideas come from the Illustrator, they are still working to a specific brief.

Now the fact that they are working to a brief ... does this mean it is not Illustration? I feel it's still illustration and still has it's artistic merit.

For instance the work I did for Mums on Call I feel is artistic, but I did work to a brief to match business needs and use of the illustration.

I don't see how that piece of illustrative work could be called 'graphic design' rather than illustration simply because I was working towards a brief for a commercial client instead of working 'completely freely' to my own whims.

Illustration is illustration, whether one is working within some parameters or not.

I always describe myself as a 'graphic designer and illustrator'.


Amanda

[Gin]

Yes Illustration is set to a brief and both can fall into one another seperating the two is harder to explain. As you might know within Graphic Design there is a specialty within, called, Illustration so a Graphic Deisgner can be a Graphic Designer plus an Illustrator. It is a complicated area to seperate but if you do the theory upon the two they are different specialties, not hugely but there is a difference.
I live with two Illustration Students who I will Graduate with this summer so I kinda know a few ins and outs :) I am sorry if i have caused a problem with how i have learnt the slight difference between the two areas.

Your an illustrator if you spend time sketching. Anyone who can use the pen tool can manipulate it into an illustration but I don't fell this makes someone an illustrator.

Going back to basics is what makes someone an illustrator. Black book, eraser, pencil. Anyone who says they are an illustrator will/should have a sketch book.

[VLAHAKISA]

I don't sketch by hand, I use the PC and draw vectors only, are you telling me you don't think I'm an illustrator? Lol ... I doubt many would agree with you on that point.

If anyone can draw as I can draw by simply using the 'pen tool' - go ahead and be my guest and have a crack at it and see if you can come up with a detailed vector illustrated scene including characters just by manipulating the software.

And I don't mean a tracing of a photo, I mean an illustration, the two are vastly different.


Amanda

Look love.
I'm not saying creating something, from scratch with the pen tool doesn't make you an illustrator. I'm saying, manipulating a photo to look like an illustration doesn't make you an illustrator (as so many people do).

The fundamentals of a good illustrator get overlooked these days because of modern technology. Now, every ones an illustrator!

Illustration isn't just about creating something. It's a passion and art form, where style is key.
I'm saying, anyone who really considers themselves an illustrator will have two things . An addiction that leaves them never being able to resit the temptation to draw every time they have a pen in their hand. The other is a sketch book.

As for your "challenge". Our work can speak for itself. And as for your illustration, love. It's an over used style that I would expect to see on an airline brochure. It lacks flare and individuality. I could add a bunch of links that show just how shoddy it is but you already know where you blagged it from.

This is my illustration of a robin, hand drawn, by studying the shape of a robin, bird wings and then making an original sketch using my imagination and the all important sketch book. Only then do I rely on my computer to crate a realistic feel and shade it up.
as for the pattern. Again based on a sketch and drawn from scratch in Illustrator.