Books showcasing children's book illustration

N

nightofjoy

New Member
Hi.

I have loads of graphic design books, but I was wondering could anyone suggest some good titles showcasing the work of childrens book illustrators? Collections of work samples - or even just covers, by many artists in a single book form.

Modern only really, so the last 50years tops, really I'd like to focus on the last 25 years or so, but that seems a bit specific. I've been googling anf looking on ebay but the search keeps sending me towards actual single story books or children's illustrated encyclopedias & bibles...

Thanks.
 
If you are looking for styles and different illustrators try googling illustration agencies/agents as they will feature plenty of children's illustrators currently working and usually show a decent selection of work.
 
I've never seen one, otherwise I would probably have it already! You will find some about really famous ones like Quentin Blake
but it would be difficult I think to do a 'history' of children's book illustration as they are so diverse and subjective.

As Bonsdes says, there are agencies that might produce books, and ones such as Contact Creative who showcase existing illustrators, such as me! :)
 
Like Wardy says: "diverse and subjective".

It's like making a book about animals and having to choose 50 of them.
I think searching online is the best course and what I'd do.

Maybe search for lists of the most influential current illustrators?
I'm sure there must have been people doing round-ups on their blogs and the like.
Pinterest might be a good place to look and you'd be able to make your own board/s for reference.

If I could suggest an illustrator to start, Oliver Jeffers has to be one of the most successful, current ones at the moment.

@Wardy (sorry for going OT)

How do you go on with using Contact?
I guess it's not really for me as I don't have a defined style but I always wondered how successful others found it.
 
Hey Scotty, I went in the book once (which costs the most) and now just have the online presence, but I think
I only ever got one or two jobs from it, which probably barely covered what I paid out. Like you say, I think it helps
to have a defined style, and it's more for the top-end Design and Advertising agencies I would've thought.
 
I was tempted when I first went freelance but it was very expensive and even then I thought a hard copy book a little outdated.

I still get e-mails from them and similar trying to get me to sign up.
 
I've managed to find a few by Martin Salisbury, but nothing more.

I know the information is online, but I'm most inspired by books and just don't have the space to have books by each author/artist...

I'll keep searching, thanks.
 
As I say, I think you'll struggle to find many books. Google is your best best, there are millions of images out there (and it's free), and finding work by the top
illustrators is quite easy, a lot of them have blogs too which show how they work, also try YouTube for that too. Amazon is good too, often showing a lot of the inside pages
of children's books. Books are great, but don't get carried away by collecting them, or you'll end up like me, with bookcases full of 'em when you're running out
of space to work! :)
 
"Penguin by Illustrators" is a collection of Penguin covers by a range of illustrators. I think there might be a Puffin version too, although I might have just made that up. :/
 
Paul Murray said:
"Penguin by Illustrators" is a collection of Penguin covers by a range of illustrators. I think there might be a Puffin version too, although I might have just made that up. :/
Click to expand...

I have webbed feet and I can breathe under water.
S-true. ;)
 
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