Think “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” or “Matilda” and what comes to mind are the wacky cartoon illustrations that brought the characters in the book to life. The magic of these books lies in the perfect collaboration between author Roald Dahl and illustrator Quentin Blake. In fact, as an illustrator of more than 250 books, Blake was equally loved by readers.
Iconic characters
When it comes to iconic literary characters, it’s hard to overemphasize the contribution of illustrators to the success of the book. Winnie the Pooh, Cat in the Hat, Franklin the Turtle – these are all figments of the illustrator’s imagination and these images from the book helped immensely to immortalize these characters in the hearts of young readers. Creating memorable characters is important to the success of children’s books, and professional illustrators are critical to getting it right.
Visual appeal
Whether it’s the book cover or interior illustrations, eye-catching designs are important to catch the eye of young readers. This is even more true of the very young reader, who has not yet learned to read. It is the colorful illustrations that will keep her interested and help her visualize the story that is being read to her. Very young readers are also more likely to spend more time on books with attractive illustrations, thus speeding up the learning process with regard to their reading ability. Since illustrations are what grab the attention of readers browsing the bookstore, a good illustrator has a huge impact on book sales.
Narrative support
In a children’s book, illustrations are not just pretty pictures that liven up the pages. Illustrations are visual aids that bring the story to life and help advance the narrative. Well conceptualized images help children understand written text and relate to the characters in the story. It has been rightly said that “a picture is worth a thousand words”.
In today’s publishing circles, the role of a professional book illustrator has become so important that it is almost impossible to find a children’s book without illustration. Since illustrations are so important in a children’s book, neither the publisher nor the author is willing to compromise when it comes to the book’s illustrator. Publishers often have their own professional illustrators, and authors who are unwilling to work with them often look for alternative ways to publish their manuscript. Many authors take responsibility for desktop publishing, as they will only work with illustrators of their choice.
