The Contemporary Illustrator; A Current Debate

One of the current debates in the area of illustration is how to define today’s contemporary Illustrator and what does this really mean?

According to Cherie Federico of Aesthetics magazine the contemporary illustrator has evolved into a multi-skilled individual that grapples with concepts which easily overlap the border between commercial and fine art. Her idea of the traditional illustrator has changed so much since it’s infancy that she goes as far to call this change indicative of a new movement.

“Today’s illustrators go beyond caricature and visual representation to observational statements about current trends and popular culture. Contemporary illustration is a new movement with illustrators drawing influences from graffiti, fashion, computer games and animation. There are fewer boundaries and more friction.” (Federico, 2008)

This quote resonated with me for a few reasons but most importantly because it defined the contemporary illustrator as an artist who can tap into the creative flow of energy that is generated through varied art-making processes. Different approaches could include painting, drawing, sculpting, storyboarding, writing, and animating all of which I thoroughly enjoy and have been developing at different levels simultaneously.

I agree with Federico and believe that a lot of what she is saying is based on the  positive consequences of the digital revolution that we are experiencing currently. It’s an exciting time where one does not need to be pigeon holed into a specific skill set and forget about developing skills in other areas that are of interest as well. The multi-skilled creative is sought after and in not just free to have hands in several pots but is encouraged to do so. A decade ago there seemed to be a real scare among illustrators with the oncoming digitization of periodicals and associated materials. The future seemed grim; however, I was pleasantly surprised that currently there actually is a lot more (and seemingly increasing with time) work out there for people who thrive on varied art making approaches.

References:
Federico, C. (2008) Aesthetica Magazine.[Online] Available at: http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/defining-the-art-of-illustration/ [Accessed: 18 March 2017]