Engaging essays on a wide-variety of illustration-based subjects by knowledgable authors, scholars, artists, and students can be explored here.
Picturing Ramona: Illustrations to Helen Hunt Jackson’s Novel of California
Michael K. Komanecky | February 25, 2025 - This essay delves into the history and cultural significance of Helen Hunt Jackson's novel, Ramona, and the illustrations that strengthen the story's characters and narrative.
Bascove’s Shifting Perspective
Steven Heller | March 7, 2022 - Bascove’s work was in high demand among those art directors who appreciated the strength of her black print technique.
Tattooing and Cultural Appropriation
| February 24, 2021 - A Brief History and Analysis of Tattooing in the United States from 1790 to 2020.
Accidentally Swedish: Josef Frank’s Design Theory in His Pattern Design
Paloma Diaz-Dickson | February 16, 2021 - Josef Frank was an Austrian-born Swedish architect, furniture designer, and textile designer. In addition to his professional practice, Frank wrote extensively about design.
The Hidden Emotions in M.C. Escher’s Artwork
Dongyan Xu | February 16, 2021 - Contrary to M.C. Escher’s statement that his work contains no hidden meanings, the artist’s experiences, emotions, and worldview are reflected in the artwork he made throughout his life.
The Drawing Methods and Techniques of Peter Paul Rubens
Siyuan David Zhou | January 14, 2021 - A study and explanation of Rubens’s drawing techniques through an interpretation of his drawings.
Belonging to the Realm of Ideas: A Look at Goya In Comparison to the Modern Day Illustration Practices of Andrea Kowch, Amy Cutler, and Shaun Tan
Jordan Cannon | January 14, 2021 - Francisco Goya utilized fantastical elements to critique, communicate, and introspect. Today, Kowch, Cutler, and Tan exhibit these same focuses within their art through the development of their own magical realities.
How Recent Technology Impacts Audiences and Artists: A Study on Social Media and Big Data.
Yuanyuan Zhou | January 13, 2021 - Social media's influence on audience preference of artworks, and how big data inspired artists to create new designs.
How Modern Illustrators Inherit the Chinese Traditional Art Style
Haochen Zhao | January 7, 2021 - Three Chinese illustrators incorporate aesthetic values from Chinese traditional art in their works.