Presentation given to the Spring 2012 History of Illustration classes at Ringling College of Art + Design.

1. How to choose your topic
. . . the smart way
History of Illustration Research

2. Explore
But Keep It Researchable

3. What makes an
illustration topic
“researchable?”

4. They have an established career
– For example, they’ve been published or had
gallery shows
Shaun Tan Gary Larson
Gothic/frightening
illustration styles for
children’s stories

5. Other people have responded to
their work in a public venue
Biographical Dictionary Book Periodical (Magazine, Journal, etc)

6. Beware international illustrators
Sometimes the best sources for certain topics
are not in English. Can you read the language
you are researching in?

7. Dead illustrators are easier to research

8. Henry Darger
Untitled (Battle scene during lightning storm. Naked Children with Rifles)

9. Strategies for Living Illustrators
Find their website and/or blog
– Mine it for information, including bibliographies
Researching living illustrators

10. Bibliographies
Researching living illustrators

11. Request an interview
– Make sure your email asking them if they will
answer a few questions for your project is:
• Polite
• Grammatically correct
• Spell-checked
• Doesn’t ask them info that is available elsewhere
Researching living illustrators
Determine your interview
questions only after you’ve read
up on them – avoid asking about
information that is already
published.

12. How the Library Can Help
• Open Reserves
• Books for inspiration and research
• Reference Articles
– AskArt.com
• Magazine & Journal Articles, Annuals
– Design + Applied Arts Index
– Art Full Text
• Images
– ARTstor

13. Inspiration
NC
PZ Call Numbers are for
Illustrated Literature
NC Call Numbers are for
Illustration + Graphic Design
PZ

14. Open
Reserves
Books which can be used in
the library to research your
topic. These books are a
gold mine!

15. Find them
behind the
DVD section
Bound Periodicals are simply
back issues of magazines,
journals, and annuals. They
have boring covers, but the
insides are full of neat
images.
Bound Periodicals

16. Illustration Research Guide
Visit the online research guide:
www.ringling.libguides.com/illustrator

17. "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways
that something won't work."
- Thomas Edison