Contemporary illustrations

[nigfor]

Hello all and good day to you,
I have just been commissioned to illustrate a children's book but the publishers have requested a Contemporary approach. All well and good but what on earth constitutes a modern illustration?
any ideas?

[snoball]

Look at several childrens books online and then make a few examples of your work to show the publisher and let them make the decision.

[Horsa]

A research trip to a children's library or bookstore should help provide an overview of what's out there.

Since you have the commission you could certainly ask for more information. Can they give examples of what they consider a "contemporary" approach? I would assume they are trying to say they don't want Howard Pyle or Arthur Rackham, but are they looking more for Eric Carle, Michael Hauge or Tasha Tudor?

[Bringer]

Hi,

I guess that they want you to use a style like what one sees nowadays, instead of the lets say "Disney like"

José

[La_]

yup
contemporary means kind of 'modern' to me
suggest studying the targeted age group in your community?
see what they're wearing, what's their style

la

[timelady]

I would ask the publisher - all the research in the world won't get you into their heads! Ask for examples of styles they like or a mood board for a sense of what they're going for. Generally publishers choose an illustrator based on their existing portfolio styles - so ask if there was a particular project or piece of yours that convinced them to give you the job.

The problem is contemporary in illustration could mean so many things. There are popular watercolour style books, cartoon style books, hand-drawn monochrome styles, collage styles... you really need more of a brief.

Congrats on the commission too!