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Illustration: Why Is It So Undervalued?
I believe the common question, “What’s the difference between fine art and illustration?” is a misleading one. It’s like trying to compare an apple to a pear: they’re both fruits, but they taste different.
The real difference, as we have seen, has nothing to do with the talent of the artists or the quality of their artworks. The divergent developments that led to the creation of modern illustration and fine art are the only distinctions that categorize these two practices. But then, why is illustration so undervalued in comparison to fine art? The answer is as logical as it is evident.
House Of illustration
The House of Illustration was founded by Sir Quentin Blake in July 2014. Located in King’s Cross, London, it holds the distinction of being the UK’s first and only public gallery dedicated to illustration and graphic arts. The gallery's mission is to showcase, celebrate, and explore illustration in all its forms, curating ten different exhibitions each year. The House of Illustration not only exhibits collections from various countries, fields, and time periods but also hosts events, talks, and educational programs for all ages, featuring professional illustrators as guests.
Commissions and Processes - How Does It Work?
"The distinction lies in the fact that art is the idea brought to life, while an illustration is a depiction or explanation of an idea. Fine art is simply art for art’s sake. Even if you are doing a commission for a client, it would still be considered fine art. But illustration involves illustrating a story or idea. In modern illustration, the intent is most often the selling of a product. When something noble is put to ignoble ends, there is a deterioration of value."
[Anonymous]
This isn’t art?
There are several ways to tell a story. Since ancient times, images have always been one of the most common and direct ways to store and communicate an infinite variety of information, whether they depicted true events, tales, or personal experiences. Images facilitated reading, making it accessible to everyone at a time when illiteracy was widespread.
Definition of Illustration
We are all aware that illustration has always been one of our most important visual communication mediums. Since the first cave paintings from the Palaeolithic period (30,000 B.C. to 10,000 B.C.), humans have felt the need to represent, display, and store elements from their memory, whether to tell stories or to exorcise their fears. But what exactly is 'illustration'? Where does that fine line begin—if it even exists—that separates illustration from fine arts? To answer this question, I would like to start by quoting and briefly analyzing a series of existing definitions that caught my attention.
Illustration and Comics: Art in Every Sense
The distinction between what is considered "high art" and those forms often deemed minor or commercial, such as illustration and comics, is still deeply rooted in the artistic landscape. These disciplines are frequently seen as separate from "true" art, a perception that has sparked heated debates and contrasting opinions. This theme was at the core of my Postgraduate thesis, "Between Image and Literature – Illustration as the Misunderstood Side of Art?" (2017), where I delved into the historical and cultural roots of this separation, exploring the reasons behind this limiting view.