# Why is an illustrator often considerd "not a real Artist"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 30, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-illustrator-often-considerd-not-a-real-artist/465807 "2008-09-30T03:26:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-illustrator-often-considerd-not-a-real-artist/465807/61 "2008-10-03T00:00:37Z")
> [@Apollyon](#): > > If the same individual can produce art and non-art depending on the situation / design parameters / goals then perhaps the OP question might be better rephrased as: “Why is \*illustration \*often considered not _real art_”. [This piece by Norman Rockwell, for example,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_Bridges) is given credence as “actual art”, while his Saturday Evening Post covers are not. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-illustrator-often-considerd-not-a-real-artist/465807/62 "2008-10-03T01:02:25Z")
> [@Apollyon](#): > > Yes, that is an interesting idea, and makes sense (to me at least) given the different goals of, say a piece of commercial design and a less commercial art-work. The design is intended to elicit a certain response in the viewer – to communicate a very specific message if you will, rather than provoke a emotional response in the observer, a response that will be individually nuanced, and will depend on their own mood, background, and experiences. I think that’s pretty much it, although I’d add that an illustration or other work of commercial art _can_ be less obvious or “on the nose”…but this depends on the nature of the assignment as well as the talent of the illustrator. Looking at previous featured artists on the site I linked to before, I liked [Sarah Brannen](http://www.scbwi.org/feat_artist/previous/Brannen/brannen.htm)’s “Night Street” a lot. The first picture of hers, “Field Mouse Thanksgiving” is very cute and I’d guess technically more difficult than “Night Street”, but it doesn’t say much to me other than “here’s some cute mice eating corn”. “Night Street” strikes me as being more evocative and far more interesting. In the context of whatever book it’s an illustration for it’s probably clear what’s going on, but taken alone there’s some mystery about the figure and its purpose. It’s not a [Vermeer](http://www.essentialvermeer.com/catalogue/little_street.html) or anything, but I’d hang it on my wall. “Field Mouse Thanksgiving” is more the sort of picture I’d want on a holiday card to send to my mom. Yet both are illustrations painted by the same person. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-illustrator-often-considerd-not-a-real-artist/465807/63 "2008-10-03T12:40:57Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > On the other hand, blow me. “Blow me” is not appropriate for Cafe Society, **Koxinga**. Save that for the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-illustrator-often-considerd-not-a-real-artist/465807/64 "2008-10-03T15:03:52Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Do you mean David Hockney? Having people use Google as a spell-check doesn’t exactly help your cause Yeah, sorry. Mistyped. To make it easier: [File:Hockney, A Bigger Splash.jpg - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Hockney,_A_Bigger_Splash.jpg) Now, try NOT to imagine that as cover art for the next Chili Palmer book. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-illustrator-often-considerd-not-a-real-artist/465807.md?page=3)