The Importance of Concept In Illustration
(Illustration by Thomas James)
Your artwork can be nice to look at, but if you want to really make an impact, and attract more clients, you’ll need more than that.
Over the past weekend, as I met with my fellow ICON board members, Illustrator John Hendrix said something that I think is really important for artist to think about. He mentioned that many beginning Illustrators don’t care much about concept when they’re starting out. They just want their work to look “cool”.
However, by approaching your Illustration in this way, you’re severely decreasing your chances of making an impact and inspiring Art Directors and other potential clients who are looking for someone to solve a problem or communicate an idea in a visual way. No matter how much you develop your technique and skill, your efforts are largely wasted if you lack the ability to make an impact by Illustrating a clear concept.
Unless you’re happy being a “hired wrist”, simply executing the ideas of others without any creative input of your own, it is highly recommended that you strive to develop a portfolio that is more about communication than superficial entertainment. After all, the job of an Illustrator is often described as being a “visual storyteller.”
This is doubly true for certain markets, such as editorial, advertising, and book Illustration. In these areas, an Illustrator is expected to capture an audience’s attention and communicate something in an incredibly brief period of time. This morning I spoke with Aviva Michaelov, Art Director for the Op-Ed section of the New York times, and she repeatedly stressed concept as a major element that she looks for in an Illustrator’s work, and which makes a huge difference between bookmarking an artist and passing them by.
However, the presence of concept in Illustration is by no means restricted to “storytelling” formats, and you’ll notice that successful artists in all genres have mastered the ability to visually present strong ideas, while also making them attractive to the eye.
So, it pays to approach every Illustration with this in mind. Whether the idea you communicate is simple or complex, the result will be a more powerful image that reaches the viewer on intellectual and emotional levels.
Related Posts:
- Stop Consuming, Start Producing
- Ideas for Generating Ideas
- The Importance of Personal Projects
- When to Walk Away From a Personal Project
- Production: The Most Important Part of Your Illustration Business
Stay up-to-date with future Illustration resources via email, Facebook, and Twitter. 
Very good post. It definitely applies to me because I feel that I can easily make “pretty” pictures. However, effective illustration takes picture-making to a whole other level with effectively expressing and interpreting concepts.
You’re right, it’s very easy to be seduced on creating just ‘cool’ images, and it’s a common mistake to overlook the development of a real meaningful concept, it takes a lot of time and practice to achieve both, so, that’s like an everyday task to fulfill
There are many ways to create an illustration but I found concepts can be the most challenging and fulfilling. You are the art director considering all the tools at your disposal
to bring the idea to fruition. Is the perspective correct, should I use cool or warm colors, does the drawing have enough tones, is the anatomy correct. If as an illustrator you use
your tools correctly the concept will shine and be very effective.
I wish there were books on using concept in illustration, since I’m not a star in it…
I think the idea of concept starts even earlier: first of all I need to know which clients I want to appeal to. Only then I can find an adequate concept for any illustration I need to attract their attention.
Great post, Thomas!
And indeed very important to keep that in mind when starting a new project. I had several assignments where the client was astonished that I had used my brain beside my hands and developed additional concepts while sketching…. and anyone is mostly thankful for different perspectives or new ideas.
Far too often „illustration“ is described as making funny figures with big noses and/or being given exact instruction by someone else what to do. Nothing wrong with „just“ decorative or executive kinds of illustration (e. g. moods, storyboards…) but after all it is your skills AND your way of thinking what makes you an individual and professional working illustrator.
I think you, yourself, as the illustrator will be far more proud and attached to the work if there is something being communicated through your work.
It is still fun to draw stuff that is purely decorative aswell – those are not for your clients however.