Monday 23 January 2012

Where have all the book illustrators gone?
"I think a) it's (out of) fashion", he says trenchantly. "And b) there aren't that many great illustrators. It's rare you can come across someone who can draw. Even when you're looking for someone to do book jackets, it's hard to find someone who can draw the human figure – it seems to be unfashionable now."
-Book editor Dan Franklin quoted in the UK Independent. He must be looking in the wrong place.

8 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Been living under a rock I suspect.

Mortal Ken

23 January 2012 at 16:25:00 GMT-5  
Anonymous John C said...

When I posted a link to that piece at the weekend I was ready to cast aspersion on Dan Franklin's inane comment before enervation claimed me. This is the same Franklin who somehow manages to commission comic books for Jonathan Cape, right?

Meanwhile, over at the Guardian, they've just posted some excellent illustrations by Anna and Elena Balbusso for a Folio Society edition of The Handmaid's Tale:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/gallery/2012/jan/23/margaret-atwood-handmaids-tale-in-pictures

The Folio Society has, of course, been producing illustrated editions for years, and seems to have no trouble finding new artists.

23 January 2012 at 20:19:00 GMT-5  
Blogger Unknown said...

Haters gonna hate :)

23 January 2012 at 20:36:00 GMT-5  
Blogger Matthew Adams said...

Whiners gonna whine probably more to the point, but it pretty much sums it up.

24 January 2012 at 00:57:00 GMT-5  
Blogger spacedlaw said...

Or he's gone blind.

24 January 2012 at 04:05:00 GMT-5  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The key word here is "fashion" - whether or not it was intended as irony. (I had to look up what trenchantly meant!)

Why should illustration be treated any different from books, films, music, etc.?

The safety of being contemporary must be foremost in the thoughts of many a producer, publisher, etc.

Also - I'd like to think that there must be more to defining good illustration than being able to draw the human figure?

I know many peeps who are very adept at drawing the human figure and who still struggle to land illustration jobs.

It don't make no sense.

24 January 2012 at 06:14:00 GMT-5  
Blogger Bruno Moulary said...

Sorry for my english again.

I can't come to see you in France...So Argh!

But Alec will be -for me- the great event of this year...

So have a nice Festival.

25 January 2012 at 02:50:00 GMT-5  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Speaking of which,Eddie, are you having a signing in Paris? I'd love to turn up there if so...
--Alex Buchet

26 January 2012 at 08:27:00 GMT-5  

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