A study on the expression style of illustrations

Abstract

This study approached the illustrations appearing in the present era from the perspective of the theory presented by Heinrich Wölfflin, and attempted to interpret them by classifying them into visual paintings and tactile paintings. In order to comprehensively examine the expressive techniques shown in illustrations, we selected picture book authors and collected images of their works from Internet sites and published books. These were classified into visual paintings and tactile paintings. We identified that the most obvious characteristic was the use of outlines, and classified them based on the presence or absence of outlines. Among these, if the author pursued a different style for each work, we classified them based on the works collected in this study. In picture books consumed in the present age, by applying white margins to the background, the expressed object is revealed regardless of the dominance of the outline. In tactile paintings dominated by outlines, the method of expression is implemented in various ways in terms of the use of lines, and in the case of visual paintings where the outlines are not clear and colors or light and shade are emphasized more, the differences in color, brightness, and saturation between each object are made clear to reveal the object. In future studies, by analyzing the illustration trends of picture books like this study, we will try to provide a new perspective for creators to express illustrations.