Wednesday 12 September 2012

Only an illustrator


My flagging morale was recently boosted by this blog post.  Amongst many other interesting points, it promotes the notion that good illustrators are also good artists. 

I love art in all its forms, but there’s an unspoken hierarchy in the art world, and in some people’s minds illustrators are down at the bottom of it, ranking far below painters, sculptors and graphic designers.  As if that’s not enough, children’s book illustrators have for many years been consigned to the murky depths of that particular category too.  It’s as if, because we make pictures aimed at young and undeveloped minds, we are not to be taken seriously. 

Recently I dropped in to a local gallery which sells all different kinds of lovely prints and paintings, to ask about the possibility of exhibiting there.  The owner was all enthusiastic and friendly until I actually started to explain what my work was.  Honestly, her facial expression and attitude changed so suddenly and so obviously it was as if I’d just let out a loud and pungent fart.  She nearly wafted me out of the door like one, anyway…   I didn’t get the chance to tell her that I’d sold several original illustrations (framed and ready to hang as art on your wall) at every exhibition I’ve done.  Please forgive me indulging in a bit of name-dropping, but I wanted to tell her that my buyers included the lead singer of a long-established folk rock band (oh go on then, it was Dave Cousins of the Strawbs, not that I’m suggesting that gives it credibility but, y'know…!) and the star of a popular West End musical (what is it about singers?!).  I sold a rough pencil sketch from one book to an Art Buyer from Sotheby’s who was so poshly spoken I could barely understand her, but who said (when I finally tuned in to her accent) that she loved to see a work in its unfinished form and to be able to appreciate what went into it.  I would have hugged her but I was afraid of crushing her pearls.  And yet this gallery woman looked down her nose at me and discouraged me from even showing her what I could do.  I really wouldn't have minded if she'd just said she didn't think it would be right for her, but it was the way she made me feel so inferior that pissed me off.  I should have farted as I went out the door, shouldn’t I?!

Fortunately, though, views are gradually starting to change and children’s book illustration has become more recognised as an important art form in its own right.  There are always going to be those low-end, mass-market products that cater for children in which artwork has been lazily commissioned and unimaginatively or sloppily executed, but these days thankfully there is increasing recognition of the fact that good book illustration - ok, good book art! - is to be valued.  Not only do you need the ability to draw and paint, but you need the kind of mind which can conjure up these images from within.  You only have what’s in your head to draw from (in both senses), whether it’s a trumpet-playing monkey or a dragon taking a bath (or a surfing rhino…)  It’s a huge amount of fun, but it takes a lot of energy and a particular way of thinking, and that’s before you’ve even put pencil to paper.

Not only that, but because your work is going to be used commercially and publicly, rather than sold as a piece in its own right to one person, you’re subject to a massive amount of critique.  A whole team of people get involved, scrutinising your compositional ideas, poring over your every pencil stroke, making judgements about the tiniest details, sometimes conflicting ones.  On top of that you’re working to continuous deadlines.  It can take up to six months to complete one picture book, and the advance is rarely over a few thousand pounds, unless you’re Quentin Blake or Lauren Child… 

So you do it for love.  Why else would you do it?  Not to have anyone look down their nose at you, that’s for sure.


16 comments:

  1. I'm in awe of anyone who can interpret the written word through a fresh visual medium and bring it to life on the page. When I was a kid my favourite books always contained some illustration, from Tove Jannson's Moomin books to the simple evocative line drawings in some of my Puffin Nina Bawdens. As in every area of life, the snobs are best ignored (trickier to do if they're signing your pay cheque, granted, but you know what I mean.).

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    1. Thanks, and yes I loved - still love - the Moomins too! You're right about the snobs...sod them... but the attitude just makes me want to kick against it!

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  2. There is more than a little talk about abstraction on my slab for two reasons...one because it gets right at the issue beauty, which I find fascinating...and because two of our loyal readers hate it. I happen to take great pleasure from irritating those two.

    I hate the idea of a hierarchy of art forms because it offers cheap credibility to any clever poseur and can be personally discouraging to artist who don't work in the approved fields.

    Of course what you do is Art. You take mundane objects, embue those objects with your peculiar vision, your personality....and do so in a way that's immediately and universally appreciated. If that's not Art what is.

    If somebody doesn't like what you're doing you can't just sniff and tell them they don't get it. Hold your head high.

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    1. Bless you, e.f.! Like that about the "cheap credibility to any clever poseur"...nicely put. It's all so subjective and I have no problem with that, it's the assumptions that I object to... But I suppose that's the case for many things in life.

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  3. I love children's book illustrations and my favourite has always been Oor Wullie and The Broons. I was an avid reader of those books as a kid.

    During the late 60s and 70s when I was reading those comic strips an illustrator by the name of Dudley D. Watkins would always sign his name, usually in the final cartoon box.

    As a young lad I used to draw my own cartoons and birds and animals....I was inspired by Dudley D Watkins from those Oor Wullie books. Pre internet days it was hard to find out any information about people but his name was one of the first I ever googled.

    I since found out that he died in 1969. So he was probably dead by the time I discovered those books. How sad.

    If any child is inspired by your own illustrations to draw that's a wonderful thing don't you think?

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    1. I've just looked up Dudley D Watkins too! I think comic strip artists suffer from being looked down on too... it's so wrong!...what they do is so difficult to do well, and has so much impact!
      Yes that's true about any child being inspired to draw - I certainly was by all the books I loved - it's a lasting legacy. Thank you.

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  4. Never ever let anyone look down their nose at you - and if they do just shove a HB up it. Art is what makes people feel and children's art must make more people feel than pretty much any other form. Mr Sendak has it right. I look forward to Ms C getting the same level of acclaim (and having one of your books sung by Karen O too !)

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    1. Thank you... that's very touching about art making people *feel* (no pun intended!) I loved Sendak's attitude - we need more people like that! Don't think I'll ever make it into the movies, but I'll keep my (freshly sharpened) HB ready for next time someone looks down their nose at me anyway.
      I really appreciate the encouragement.

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  5. I like the illustration it captures the surprise/panick of the furry little creature....thank god its for kids as it will probably make friends with the bad ass wolf....she's an artist and she don't look back

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    1. Cheers OPC, yes, my mantra from now on: "I'm an artist and I don't look back" :-)

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  6. The comments already left say everything I could and more, so I'll reach for a Dylan quote (as I am wont to do!).

    'The highest purpose of art is to inspire. What else can you do? What else can you do for anyone but inspire them?' - Bob Dylan, 1978.

    Don't ever let any petty negativity stop you being creative and inspiring C.

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    1. Ah, thanks The Swede. I reckon that Bob Dylan geezer has actually got quite a knack with words ;-)


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  7. I struggle to draw a stick man in Visio! So anyone who can make a drawing I'm impressed by - someone who makes a living from being an artist frankly I'm in total awe of.

    I think for many illustrations are a key part to growing up, my kids it was the Usbourne books farm family, the Rohald Dahl books, Dr Seuess etc. Those illustrations change more lives in a positive way than I'd wager any of Tracey Emin's work...

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    1. Thanks very much, Furtheron - it's really good to read these comments from you and others appreciating the value of children's book illustration! I've hit such a horrible low on the confidence front at the moment; it's amazing how much of a boost it is to read these thoughts.

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  8. It has always been a particular pleasure to find really good art work in children's books. Of course, it is something that has a grand tradition - the illustrations for 'The Water Babies' still shine strongly in mind today all these years after I last saw my dog-eared childhood copy. I remember also loving the drawings in 'Swallows and Amazons' and the Winnie-the-Pooh books. When buying books for my own children, when they were very small, I used to look as much for the standard of art work as anything else. I don't know your work, C, but I'm betting it is of a very fine quality. These art snobs are not only idiots but missing out on something very important. Arthur Rackham or some piece of pretentious 'modern' but ever so hip crap? I know where I go.

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    1. SB - thank you! We do all remember those pictures from our childhood books, don't we, and I love to think that some of mine might have an effect like that on one or two children too. I'm no great illustrator by any means but fortunately I have occasionally witnessed the effect of some of my contributions on those eager young faces and it is incredibly rewarding. It can also work as art in its own right (see the wonderful illustrations by Catherine Rayner for example) and I shall continue to try and promote the idea that it IS worthy of being hung on someone's wall too. Sod the snobs! Thanks.

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