Illustration

Image from Plan59
The profession of illustration developed in tandem with the profession of advertising and the two have been intertwined and somewhat dependent on each other since their beginnings. Before the popularity and feasibility of photographic reproduction advertising depended on illustration as the means of producing visual images to compliment the message of advertisements. The invention and success of the computer has not replaced traditional illustrators but has given them a new set of tools to create and develop varying visual styles of illustration. Advertising agencies often contract out to a variety of freelance illustrators for their project-specific needs as illustrators often have a unique aesthetic that may or may not lend itself to the message of the client.

Image from the portfolio of Von Glitschka
Many illustrators have found a home somewhere in-between the fields of design and illustration and work on a range of projects ranging from poster illustrations to company logos. Hybrid illustrators and designers are able to offer their clients a wider range of services so that the client does not have to budget for the cost of two different studios or individuals. The graying lines between the two fields have created a wider field as the design profession has become increasingly saturated with clients and professionals.