Illustration is an art form. It is used to clarify, aggrandise or adorn something. It can be in the form of either pictures or cartoons. Some illustrations have colours and black and white features. In olden days, pictures were drawn using brushes and paints. Only expert artists were able to do this. It took the artists three to four days for illustrating a concept or a scene. However, with the introduction of computer-aided illustrating and drawing tools, old methods have gone into history. The novel illustrating methods are fast and anyone with good knowledge of computer can make elegant illustrations.
Illustration is important in this present fast moving world. It exemplifies anything that is worded or conceptualised. Illustrations invoke understanding through ideal visuals. People of all ages equally like illustrations because they are easy to comprehend. It is important in acquiring huge responsiveness from the viewers. That is why it used more often in marketing ads, billboards and hoardings. Apt illustrations always attract consumers to the ads. This necessitates the use of illustrations in marketing.
Illustrations are created using both traditional and modern methods. In traditional methods, artists use brushes, colours, paints, etc. In modern methods, illustrators use computer software to create illustrations. The illustratorsaccording to their own conveniences use both traditional and modern methods. However, traditional illustrationmaking consumes more time than modern technical methods. Compared to the past, illustrations making is a fast process these days because of the invention of computer aided designing tools like Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Corel Draw, etc. These state-of- the art facilities turned the course of illustration making.
Illustrations are advantages in several ways. They are simple and comprehensible for people of any age. They speak with the help of simple drawing and pictures, which have in-depth meanings. Many illiterate people can use illustrations as a source of understanding. Illustrations are more used in children’s books and comics, because children can learn by comparing words and objects in the illustrated book. They embellish the written pieces in nice and aesthetic form.
Illustrations also have some disadvantages. The time needed for creating illustrations is very lengthy. Illustrators take time for conceptualising and drawing the illustrations. This may affect the timeliness of a particular ad using illustrations. In addition, to get fresh ideas, illustrators require talent as well as designing skills. Now, talented illustrators are very rare. Because of this, good thought provoking illustrations have become too much expensive. Scarce talents and lack of creativity is detrimental for illustration arena. It is difficult to get the right artist for illustration works.
Taking into consideration all that we discussed above, illustrations are much needed for the new world marketing purposes. Illustrations have advantages and disadvantages, however well planned illustration making can negate the disadvantages. Illustrations are comprehensive and can be used in books, ads and websites. It has one age, one blood and one colour because it can be used among people of different ages, culture, race, etc without alterations. In other words, illustration is a universal language.