The definition of ‘editorial illustration’ is to translate
the article within journalism, from newspapers or magazines, into a visual image.
The images that are being used are there to give visual summary and commentary
to the readers, and to draw attention towards the article itself.
Depending on the topic of the article, whether it is of
fashion, recipes or horoscopes, artists will need the ability to reflect the
appropriateness of their own style or visual code, and needs to be formal, to
fit with the subject of the topic, otherwise, both the article and the style of
the illustration including it’s visual language would conflict with one another
and could draw in confusion on the readers, potentially misleading the readers’
view and opinions.
Artists Eric Fraser and Aude Van Ryn uses human elements
and often silhouettes including abstract shapes to create some ‘conceptual’
pieces of illustration to reflect some themes that are of sensitive topics such
as business, health or violence. These themes are generally hinted and are
often difficult to visualise these problems in an appropriate manner, hence Fraser
and most commonly Van Ryn uses abstract shapes and elements that we all
recognise.
(1) Aude
Van Rye
An experiment using very little detail and involvement to
produce a ‘conceptual’ image using black and white and shapes. Was a little difficult
to visualise the theme as it supposed to represent time remaining on earth,
which can be scary and a sensitive topic to talk about, though the appropriateness
of just using those shapes and human elements and everyday objects helps to
simplify the translation of the article/text or topic into a visual image/language,
rather than producing a fully detailed coloured illustration that would otherwise
convey the same message.
The methodologies in editorial illustration are vaguely
similar to one another in terms of using abstract forms and identifiable elements,
however the visual outcomes can vary, some appear more surreal and abstract
than others, especially with Eric Fraser’s works, whose illustrations are of
surrealist elements such as lines, humanoid figures and grey tonal textures.
(2) Silence
in Heaven, Published 11 March, 1949, Eric Fraser
Another experiment but not as complex as the first one and
is supposed to be more surreal in terms of shapes and humanoid forms and
elements, although this one is somewhat lacking visual translation and thought
provoking engagement, as it does not convey or reflect as much meaning compared
to the first experiment, which it supposed to visually convey ‘the creation of
intelligent species’, hence the larger being originating from a sphere creating
life (the other two silhouettes resembling people).
Adding colours can be impactful to visually communicate
particular themes and ideas, as colours (or each individual colour/hue) also
represents different elements of emotion, values or meanings in our society.
Images
(1) Heart
[Online] [Accessed: 3 Nov 2015] Available from: http://www.heartagency.com/artist/AudeVanRyn/gallery/1
(2) The
Guardian, Illustrator Eric Fraser: Radio Times legend – In pictures, 2013 [Online]
[Accessed 3 Nov 2015] Available from: http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2013/apr/11/eric-fraser-radio-times-in-pictures
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