Illustration That Moves

Now that we have moved to the second year of the course the group will start taking it in turns to host a monthly discussion forum. This will give us all a chance to talk about current issues and topics in our chosen subject. These talks will allow us to voice our own opinions and listen to others point of view.  The first of these discussion forums was about Illustration That Moves.

We were shown examples of animated/moving illustrations such as Christoph Niemann's Petting Zoo app, which allows you to interact with the hand drawn illustrations and dictate the story. With digital sales climbing and print sales down this new media could feature a lot more in our jobs in illustration that it would have before now.

 

Christoph Niemann - Petting Zoo

What does this mean for illustrators?  Is print dead? Will it ever be?

• There'll be more jobs in digital in the future - skills in digital will be more important/wanted in future jobs in illustration.
• People will still want to feel the printed work rather then just on a screen - print will never fully die out (may become a niche market)
•   It's a new market - it will open new doors for illustrators - can include the interactive elements but still keep the beautiful illustrations, this will need to be done by an illustrator.
• Will have a more online portfolio (blog/website) - will be accessed/seen by more people, don't even need an agent.
• Gives us a different way of getting work - Illustrator does work on their own, art directors sees this online (illustrator becomes the creative one, initiating the work)

Is this a gimmick or here to stay? Is it important we move with it?

• The way things are going in digital media this is just the start, things will move on even more while we are working as illustrators.
• This new media can only help in the future - will add a new layer to industry
• It should be used to heighten communication in design not just for the hell of it.
• Important to remember that it's the illustrator/designer who provides the creativity and thought behind the designs not the new technology.