Contemporary Illustration

The start of the Industrial Revolution was a catalyst to the improvement of printing technology, meaning more publications were distributed and seen. This resulted in illustration becoming more and more commonly encountered in daily life, complimenting the consumption of information. By the early 18th century, the profession of illustration took hold, seeing English and French caricaturists independently earn a living with sales of etched or engraved prints through small, gallery-like print shops. Publishers saw illustration as a necessity and with an increased demand, artists could make a name for themselves. Walt Disney established himself in the field by making popular cartoon shorts like Steamboat Willie (1928), the first sound cartoon, and went on to create full-length animated feature films like Snow White (1937). Today, the illustrator has the ability to move away from the profession in the traditional sense. Influenced by art, fashion and of course, the digital age, illustrators are using digital tools and other movements such as Street art. Our daily consumption of information has sky-rocketed and the illustrators that compliment this know it – see the work of Lady K  and Bill Blast who use graffiti and street art to create contemporary illustrations.