Context of Practice: How do we define illustration?

For the following discussion I shall make reference to the following articles by Lawrence Zeegen:
Where is the content? Where is the comment?
Computer Arts (Issue 174) - The Illustration Revival

Tyler Stout - 'Total Recall' poster commissioned by the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

I define good illustration as a communicative visual device which conveys a concept or meaning to specific recipients. Tyler Stouts illustrations for the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema are intensely well crafted posters promote film events, despite Zeegens allusions that "it's all quantity over quality" it is clear that despite the large catalogue of Stouts posters the intensive quality is not subservient. I would also suggest that these posters evidently "transcend the discipline of graphic art and explore the potential for working with a wider audience." The imagery was initially intended for the advertisement of limited film showings at a cinema chain, they have since become well sought after prints. They have transcended the limited circuit of influence and have become piece of design which manage to compress the narrative information of hours of screen time into a relatively small two dimensional image.

Illustration is primarily used to support or refer to an external medium (such as text) Successful illustration can cause the viewer to experience an emotion, to be informed or provoked. The application of the manipulative illustration will depend on the ethical awareness of an illustrator, this impacts how the piece is valued by peers and recipients, for example a stunning piece of propaganda may have visual merit but simultaneously demonise a class of race. Stout's Total Recall poster includes explicit reference to scenes which occur within the film, in this holistic explosion of narrative it can both intrigue those unfamiliar and inspire nostalgia in existing fans. Zeegen quotes Alex Spiro of Nobrow, "we always try to achieve finished products that are not only filled with great work, but are also art objects, to be coveted, collected and cherished." I would suggest that Stouts work certainly applies to Spiros' criteria, despite being initial reactive and commercial illustration for a specific purpose the works have become commodities which are sought after well beyond their intentional context. This is not a negative thing. Despite Zeegers vague assertions that an illustration such as Stouts might be nothing "much more than contemporary eye candy," I would argue illustration does not have to be weighted with social commentary in order to avoid "the nothingness." Stouts illustrations are not the consummation of the experience, they are connotative reference without being exclusive, an unfamiliar viewer can grasp the general themes an intricacies of the film and may be convinced to go watch it, in which case the poster has succeeded.

A critic might argue that Stouts' posters are simply regurgitating existing information, and lack in personality. I would refute this assertion, Stout has invested a great deal of skill and effort into producing the imagery and despite Zegeers decision that the "allure of the digital" has ceased; Stouts work merges the still evolving digital with screen printing which would  class a part of the "analogue-world." I would like to mention that the analogue world is generally the point of interaction with the majority of illustration, though the time people spend in front of screens is hideously large it is the analogue world that we routinely traipse through .

Context of Practice: Semiotic Analysis

Ralph Mcquarrie - [Untitled] Cantina Showdown

Despite the fantastical imagery within this piece of concept art, the presence of relatable cultural codes create a grounding in reality. A large proportion of a western audience will recognise the postures associated with a wild-west showdown. The figure facing us appears slow to reach for his holster and has a relatable human face, this contrasts with the monstrous gangly creature which is showing us it's back and has already whipped out it's blaster. These visual codes relate to the most basic stock characters, a protagonist to which the audience associates and rallies for and an antagonist destined to be thwarted by the virtuous monster slaying hero figure. Though the human hero is not a typically mythical in his stature (he lacks a herculean build) he is causation and wears an outfit reminiscent of a gunslinging cowboy from the old west, which conjures associations with the Hollywood or Spaghetti westerns.

Denotative features are apparent to those unfamiliar with the material. The numerous fantastical figures outnumber the recognisable human figure, we can infer that this is an alien and hostile environment. An armoured figure of authority stands passively as the commotion ensues, we can therefore presume that it is a lawless area and that violence is commonplace. It is connoted that the good characters are those highlighted in colour, and thus by the sunlight, while the villainous lie in a shady dwelling, this is a literal use of the light and dark to visually contrast the conflict between good and evil.
So, despite the initially unusual setting we find that the characters presented are mediated signifiers. The   gunslinging hero and the almost satan-like monster shrouded in darkness are both figures that can be traced back through popular culture.

A simple narrative is present in the image, a pair of characters are situated on the left, this insinuates that they have just arrived 'onstage', the human heroic figure has been surprised by the encounter with the trigger happy alien as his posture denotes, a tension is created by the perpetual showdown, the addressee is invited to imagine the next move. This procedural following of common text insinuates that good will indeed vanquish evil in this circumstance.

There are also numerous signs within the image which communicate characterises based on the addressee's cultural understanding. For example the villain of the piece has the iconicity of a medieval biblical monster, it has a pointed tail like a demon. The hero has a crown of golden hair (a staple of purity and heroic intention, which dates back to Roman association of blonde hair with heroics).

Meanwhile a viewer that is familiar with Star Wars will recognise the setting as the cantina in Mos Eisley Space Port, which is a hive of scum and villainy. The image appears to be early concept art of Han Solo and Greedo's showdown in which Han shoots first thus subverting the heroic nature of the character and creating an anti hero (this feature was later thwarted by digital edits). The indexicality reads thus: the hero Han enters a showdown with a bounty hunter which has been sent to settle various debts to his employer Jabba the Hutt. Though much of this information is inaccessible to an unfamiliar viewer, it is quite elementary even if the character design is not finalised.

Context of Practice: Image Analysis Exercise.

The Uncle Same Range (1876) Advertising Image by Schumacher & Ettlinger, New York.

Poster by Savile Lumley (1915)

Each design uses text and font quite differently. Firstly, The Uncle Same Range is thick with hidden reference and detail. Much of which is achieved with text that is only legible at a close distance, thus requiring a keen eye to spot, this suggests that the image would have been presented on a large scale in an open public place, rather than a paper which would have limited the use of colour and detail.

There are several typefaces used, which would have been hand drawn rather than printed. The bold text  along the bottom draws the eyes first, proudly proclaiming the product name and company.  The rest of the literature is used in a jovial manner to amuse the viewer, and has been sqeezed chaotically into arrangement by the composition.

In contrast the text in the WW1 poster is much more simple. The white text on black is immediately eye-drawng as the human eye is traditionally used to black text on white backgrounds. The italics suggest a vocal quotation and reads like the subtitles of a film or children's book, which mirrors the book that the supposed daughter is clasping.

The meaning behind The Uncle Same Range is overt, it proclaims the patriotic splendour of it's cooking device, which is barely featured in the image. The composition is a celebration of America's rising dominance a decade on from the declaration of independence, which is conveniently featured on the clock. The image's purpose is to suggest that purchasers of The Uncle Same Range will contribute to America's greatness and conform to the pioneer spirit. The diners featured include the personification of the known world and the old world countries such as England (who have been neglected at the back end of the table), thus suggesting that America with the use of this fantastic kitchen utensil could bring the world to its table, and that a patriotic American would have a grand time knocking up some Thanksgiving dinner on it for the in-laws.

The purpose and meanings behind the recruitment poster are equilly plain. It is directly addressing the conscientious objectors, attempting to goad them into joining the great and glorious war, so that in years to come they can tell their children their splendid and non heinous stories of trench warfare. The subject of the image is a typical middle-class man who has taken no obvious injuries and wears a concerned expression, suggesting that he did not participate in the glory of war. The poster asks the viewer as directly as it does it's fictional Daddy. It questions whether the viewer wishes to become a guilt stricken coward, or perhaps a war hero full of tales of valour for his bountiful offspring.

Each image has been shaped by their contemporary contexts.

The Uncle Same Range exists in a time of a bold America which stands in splendid isolation as the old worlds concerns itself with the Bulgarian atrocities while Britain is preoccupied with Disraelis' and Gladstones' political games. America stands unshaken by its tests of power having separated from The Empire 100 years former and united into the USA just over 10 years previous. America is no longer dependant on foreign developments in the arts, culture and technology. The Centennial Exhibition hosted in the same year boasts a huge amount of technological and artist ingenuity, much as the Great Exhibition of 1851 had done for Britain. This fuelled the demand for all American patriotic products for the American household, the advertisement is striking exactly the right sort of chord.

Meanwhile the later WW1 poster of 1915 pre-dates the use of conscription in Britain, thus it is required to advertise the benefits of attending (or the negatives of not attending) the war. The use of faded browns of soft greens inspire nostalgic imagery of Britain's old glory and perhaps the patterned royal imagery of the rose and crest whisper of a future with new glory forged from the crucible of war.

The boy plays with traditional Redcoats, perhaps reenacting a particularly magnificent battle that viewers of the poster could take part in, if they were to join up. For at this stage in the war the Allies had failed (and would continue to fail) to breakthrough the western front, and the previous year's estimates that the War would 'be over by Christmas' had not come to pass. The situation was perhaps more desperate, however the hangover from last years war glorification remained, hence the poster makes no reference to defending the realm and it is assumed that victory is coming, and soon. 

Context of Practice: Is there a fine art to illustration?

During this post I shall refer to an article by Marshall Arisman which can be found on this link: 

Is there a Fine Art to Illustration?

                                                    Stanley Kubrick by David Levine

I affirm that all artists are to some extent interested in making a profit, and that  clean-cut distinctions are inapplicable.
Caricatures are fueled by both the artists' personal absorption with celebraty and the enticement of money. Levines' caricatures were created for the purpose of being bought commercially. In-fact the use of a celebrities' likeness is popularly used as an endorsement.

                                           Richard M. Nixon by David Levine

Above, he is communicating his low opinion of Nixon, he is gorging on grapes with his arm around a bloated pig. The subjective is introduced, the distinction between personally fulfilling and accessible work is blurred. Under the outdated system of dividing 'fine' it simply meets both the criteria.

Context of Practice: Love and Hate

In this post I shall describe 5 examples of design that I love or hate.
These are strong words that I do not take lightly, there is a definite difference between something simply irritating and something worthy of scorn and hatred.

+ The set from "The Shining", 1980 Directed by Stanley Kubrick, UK: Warner Brothers

Firstly, the set was the largest created in it's time. The choice to revert to a soundstage was against the trend of many peer titles at the time, as they were often viewed as overtly fake on screen. However, the set is extremely convincing, the Outlook is styled to appear like a deco-70s mash of history with an unrelenting maze of corridors. Keen viewers have noted that the floor plan does not actually make a lick of sense, and the most fanatical analysts have discovered that there are innumerable furniture inconsistencies, which have been interpreted as deliberate reflections of the haunted location. While many horror films create locations full of obvious malice (such as the generic cabin in the woods, or spooky castles) Kubrick took a hotel and visually subverted into a place of foreboding.

+ Alan Moore, 1999, The Extraordinary League of Gentlemen, ABC/WildStorm/DC Comics

The illustrations were developed by Kevin O'Neill, previously best known for 2000 AD. He has a keen eye for the grotesque, and the ability to distort facial expressions and figures to the point of monstrosity. This certainly came in handy when dealing with figures such as the Jekyll and Hyde, or even Nemo. The practical technique used faithfully reflects the Victorian line-drawn aesthetic which reinforces the contemporary language and tone. It also effortlessly unifies the characters (quite alien from each other) into a single universe. O'Neill also layers a great deal of referential detail and hints within the limitations of the panel-based graphic novel, without cluttering the frame or distracting the reader.

+ Hergé, 1934-1945, Tintin: The Blue Lotus

For me, this book shows a growth in maturity and independence for Hergé.
He actively investigated the Chinese setting and it's populace, while in previous books Hergé had sided with the racist characterisation of the Chinese as cruel barbarians.
Hergé was put in contact with two Chinese students who tutored him in calligraphy and various Chinese illustrative styles and philosophies. This cultural exchange resulted in a fleshed-out thriving location within the book, and influenced his later works. The book is now viewed as milestone, the first book in which he spoke with his own voice and expressed his true moral and political feelings, instead of repeating the same bigotry and assumed truth. This can be seen in the precise imagery, all of which spiralled off solid research. The architecture and setting feels lived in, while the crowds are diverse and relatable.

- Chris Costello, 1982,  Papyrus (typeface), UK, Letraset

Aesthetically the thin spindly letter forms are quite hideous. There's something in the inconsistent texture of the letters which inspire true hatred, we now associate the font with forced 'kitsch' and generic lazy design. Dingy cafes or cheap products use it, having selected the first old looking font on their default list.  Having printed it out and smacked on the point of sale it does nothing for the product. It reeks of unprofessionalism, it's illegible at a good distance as it blurs into hideous spider-like wibbly line forms. I hate it.

- O2, "Be More Dog" Campaign, UK

I don't even know what they're trying to sell. They have failed to inspire me to give them money for their services. This is part of the current relentless wave of advertising which attempts to achieve viral-levels of infamy. They've gone about it without imagination or creativity. I can picture the session which inspired this monstrosity, they took a look at what people like. People like cats, cats are funny and get all the hits on Youtube, so they stuck a cat in it. They also looked at the trending philosophy of living in the moment, that appears to be the focus of the advert. Perhaps the conclusion we must draw is that we're not really living unless we're on some form of O2 contract. We're dead, socially inept consumers otherwise. In-fact I have noticed many adverts demonising non-conformists and enforcing the consumerist ideal of someone who goes out, and empties their wallet.