Abstract illustration definition settings-how to make good illustrations

The evolution and application of abstract illustrations

The definition of illustration

"Cihai" explains "illustration" as: "refers to the pictures attached to books and periodicals" . Some are printed in the middle of the text, and some use inserts to supplement the text content or provide artistic appreciation. "This explanation is mainly for the definition of book illustrations, which is a narrow definition.

Due to the advent of the information age and the development of modern society, the meaning of modern illustration has changed from the narrow concept in the past (limited to paintings and pictures) to a broad concept. "Illustration" is what we usually see. The pictures inserted between the text in newspapers, magazines, various publications or children's picture books are collectively called "illustrations". Illustration, in Latin, originally means "illumination". As the name implies, it was originally used to increase the interest of the text in the publication, so that the text can be more vivid and vivid in the hearts of readers. In today's various publications, the importance of illustrations has far exceeded the role of "illuminating the text" as a foil. It can not only highlight the idea of ??the theme, but also enhance the appeal of art.

Illustration is an art form. As an important form of visual communication in modern design, illustration occupies a specific position in modern design with its intuitive image, real sense of life and appeal of beauty. , has been widely used in many fields of modern design, involving cultural activities, social welfare undertakings, commercial activities, film and television culture, etc.

The historical evolution of illustration

The development of illustration art has a long history. To you and me, these illustrations may seem ordinary and simple, but they have great connotations. From the world's oldest illustrated cave murals to the folk prints of Japan's Edo period, ukiyo-e, all demonstrate the development of illustration. Illustration first developed with the changes in newspapers, periodicals and books in the early 19th century. Its real golden age first started in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s. At that time, illustrations that had just been separated from art works were obviously painterly, and most of the authors who engaged in illustrations were professional painters. Later, they were also influenced by The influence of the Abstract Expressionist school of painting changed from figuration to abstraction. It was not until the 1970s that illustrations returned to a realistic style.

The earliest illustrations in China appeared in the form of prints. With the introduction of Buddhist culture, "disguised" illustrations of scriptures were used in scriptures to promote doctrines. Current historical records record the earliest printmaking work in my country, the "Dharani Sutra Mantra" published during the reign of Emperor Suzong of the Tang Dynasty. The exact date is recorded on the title page of the "Vajra Prajna Sutra" written in the ninth year of Xiantong, Yizong of the Tang Dynasty (868). In the Song, Jin and Yuan dynasties, book illustrations made great progress. The scope of application expanded to medical books, historical geography books, archaeological catalogs, daily encyclopedias and other books, and color overprinted illustrations appeared. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it can be said that ancient illustration art developed greatly, and there was a book engraving industry all over the country. Different regions have developed different styles. The forms of illustrations generally include the following: frontispiece drawings, illustrations in the text, pictures above and below or pictures above the pictures below, paintings on the inside cover or title page, and plaques, etc.

The historical evolution of ancient illustrations in my country can be regarded as the development history of printmaking. At the same time, it is also the history of folk New Year paintings. It's just that folk New Year pictures became an independent commodity earlier, and they are the predecessor of commercial illustrations.

The history of illustration in Europe is similar to that in our country, and it was first used in religious readings. Later, illustrations were widely used in publications such as natural science books, grammar books, and anthologies of classic writers.

With the development of society today, illustrations are widely used in various fields of society. Illustration art not only expands our horizons, enriches our minds, gives us unlimited imagination, but also broadens our minds. With the increasing commercialization of art and the emergence of new painting materials and tools, illustration art has entered the era of commercialization. In the era of commodity economy, illustrations play a huge role in promoting economic development. The concept of illustration has gone far beyond the scope of traditional regulations. Looking at today's illustration industry, painters are no longer limited to a certain style. They often break the previous way of using only one kind of material. In order to achieve the desired effect, they widely use various means, which makes the development of illustration art gain a broader scope. Space and infinite possibilities.

Although illustration developed relatively late in China, it has a long history of tracing back to its origins. Illustrations developed through the formats of blackboard newspapers, prints, and posters after liberation, as well as the reference to international popular styles after the 1980s, and the 1990s. In the mid-to-late period, with the popularization of computer technology, more cutting-edge authors who used computers to design illustrations emerged

Illustrations have found a huge living space outside of the mother body of their birth - books. Rich carriers continue to emerge with technological advancement and social needs. What are the common illustration art styles in fashion design? Can you elaborate?

1. Pop style

Pop style illustration art appeared and became popular in the 20s and 50s, mainly through the creative techniques of commercial art, forming a fusion A new art style for popular culture and commercial art. At the same time, the relatively exaggerated cartoon images, newspaper print forms and humorous slogans in the Pop style all combine to form the characteristics of the Pop style, and the artistry of the Pop style is very strong [3]. Andy Warhol is one of the most outstanding figures who contributed most to the expansion of Pop style in the field of fashion design. He pioneered the use of paper, plastic, and artificial leather as the basic materials for clothing production, and included it in his illustrations. In order to subvert the traditional design concept, it has distinctive features such as bright colors, avant-garde design concepts and bold color selection. To this day, Pop style illustrations still retain many similarities with Andy Warhol.

2. Abstract style

Usually, abstract style works generally use geometric points, lines, surfaces, circles, triangles, and squares as the main body for in-depth creation, and have unique characteristics in the creative style. Typical abstract characteristics. Mondrian was one of the relatively successful early figures in abstract style works. His abstract style creation method was relatively unique, focusing on the use of various rectangular patterns as illustration content, and this type of illustration art form had a profound impact on abstract style. Take the work "Red, Yellow, and Blue" created by the famous French abstract style fashion design master as an example. This work is deeply inspired by Mondrian's abstract style and uses lines, triangles, and rectangles in a variety of colors to give the audience a unique art appreciation experience. Feel, and give the work a strong sense of visual impact and novelty.

3. Figurative style

The figurative style is different from the two styles mentioned above, and its graphic features are generally realistic and lifelike. Furthermore, the presentation of lines in figurative style works is relatively direct, and decorative generalization, exaggeration and deformation can be carried out to enhance the color sense of the work and highlight the simplicity and sophistication of the work. Take the famous Italian fashion designer Miuccia Prada as an example. She once had the ability to use illustrations directly in fashion design creation. She can fill her costume design works with illustrations, and her works focus on carefully and delicately creating character shapes, highlighting the The color and splendor of the work[4]. In addition, the line display in the figurative style is relatively elegant, which can give the audience a psychologically dreamlike experience. Especially when applied to clothing design, it can effectively improve the sophistication of the design work and give the design work a flexible beauty. How to make a good illustration?

The first point: It is narrative. One of the most important characteristics of illustration compared to "pure art" is its ability to tell stories. Even a single illustration will also imply the development of the story in a specific situation. Illustrations without narrative are like stir-fried vegetables without salt, bland and tasteless.

Second point: It is moderately general. Even if complex computer technology is used to create more complex game illustration designs, it is still not a detailed representation of the real world like photography and realism painting. Of course, all art and design creations are generalizations and abstractions of the real world, but the ability to generalize images in illustration design requires higher requirements. At the same time, this generalization is not a minimalist approach to design, so it can be called a moderate generalization.

The third point: strong exaggeration. Illustrations need to strengthen the most distinctive characteristics of the objects, emotions, and objects they express. Therefore, illustration design often has strong exaggeration techniques. Only by depicting the elements that best express personality, characteristics, and attributes with greater intensity can the visual appeal be enhanced. If it is a creation of imaginary objects such as gods, demons, and monsters, it needs to be extremely exaggerated!