professionalpractice

Artists have had a place in journalism for a very long time, having their work featured in newspapers long before photographs became the main way to relay visual information. The development of reportage illustration came hand in hand with mass media, as it allowed for greater exploration of complex issues of interest at the time, with artists like Otto Dix showing the horrors of WWI, and later the economic struggle of the working class (Ben Shahm).

Today, reportage illustration prevails as an alternative method to photography for stories that require a less immediate, more thoughtful approach in the way they’re portrayed.
The main types of briefs that reportage illustrators take on are related to social events like protests, demonstrations but also cultural events like concerts, courtrooms and news investigations, as well as documentaries. Illustrations can be featured both as a companion to text, but also made into their own publications.

Some of the more well-known reportage illustrators are the following:

George Butler, known for his work produced in his travels through active warzones, where he highlights the personal stories of the people he meets, sharing the very human insights of those experiencing the trauma and pain of war. His drawings seem to surface from the large areas of pure white paper, reflective of how we draws quickly on the go, trying to capture the desolate landscape and its inhabitants in fluid ink linework.

Olivier Kugler’s illustrations are very distinct collaged compositions, a blend of drawings on location, but also featuring work from photographs and a lot of notes. He works digitally, which allows him to easily bring together all the notes and small drawings that he makes to put together in busy compositions, a map of snippets of his experiences.

Priscilla Coleman is one of only four courtroom illustrators in the UK. Her style is dynamic, busy and very expressive. She works from memory and written notes to create large ink and oil pastel drawings in vibrant hues. Her main focus is trying to convey the atmosphere at the courtroom in key moments, as well as the impressions and characters of the people at the trial, who are stylised to showcase their main features.