EXTRACTS: Illustrators Issue 4 © 2013 The Book Palace (96 PAGES in Full edition)

94 In Passing Today’s paperback art directors and art editors have a lot to answer for; or perhaps it’s the marketing men and women. Since the 1970s, the trend has been to replace illustration with photography. I know from experience, that commissioning art work from illustrators is a highly skilled job, and I hear that there are not many art directors today who are possessed of the necessary skills. But that’s no excuse! The examples show a variety of illustrated covers from the 1960s, contrasted with the ubiquitous ‘half face’ cover dominating some of today’s output. Are they trying to bore their target readers into submission? The covers above patronise viewers with visual clichés, whereas the covers below invite the reader in with bold design and intrigue. Can publishers not bring back some visual excitement into our lives? Bryn Havord. ● The first in an occasional series of takes on illustration past and present.