Drawing for Illustration

Renowned professor on the subject examines the practice of drawing for illustration through case studies and sketchbooks.

This beautiful, in-depth reference book by illustration professor Martin Salisbury explores drawing for illustration. Salisbury places a special emphasis on drawing, treating it as a fundamental skill that every illustrator should engage with. Assisting students through exercises and case studies, this guide explores the often-unseen world of draftsmanship that underpins finished illustration work.

From book illustration to graphic novels and caricatures to commercial design, this attractive volume draws on sketchbooks, projects, and historical examples to show how they started as drawings from observation and drawings from imagination.

Salisbury starts out by explaining the fundamentals of this exciting discipline before outlining the basic principles of line, tone, composition, and color through inspired examples. Different approaches to drawing, including anecdotal, sequential, and reportage, are examined to help students acquire their own personal visual language. Interviews with illustrators also provide valuable insights into the creative process, as they discuss the challenges, rewards, and what drawing personally means for them.

Visually appealing, Drawing for Illustration features detailed analysis of works by key illustrators from the past and present, including George Cruikshank, Ronald Searle, Sheila Robinson, Laura Carlin, Alexis Deacon, and Isabelle Arsenault, looking at the differing roles drawing plays in their particular illustrative languages and how styles have changed over time.