Themes to Include in Your Illustration Portfolio Part 4

Illustrations by Advocate Art illustrators Aditi Kakade Beaufrand, Esther Hernando, and Kevin Payne, and Astound US Inc. illustrators Abhilasha Khatri, Addy Rivera Sonda, Isabelle Duffy, and Markia Jenai.

Themes to Include in Your Illustration Portfolio Part 4
Teacher: ITSme Society

Books are one of the most accessible forms of escapism. And you have the power to help readers explore a range of worlds with your illustrations. In this series we will explore the many themes publishers may be searching for when looking for illustrators. If you already have a theme you’re passionate about, play to your interests. Remember that illustrators often get work because they are simply good at illustrating a certain genre.

Diversity is an important theme. Children can struggle with feelings of loneliness and feeling left out. These emotions can be difficult for children to deal with, but seeing themselves in artwork and in different stories can help. Including diversity in your artwork can make your portfolio relevant to more audiences as well. Everyone wants to see themselves in something, so it is important to represent people of all types in your artwork.

Diversity:

Illustration by Astound US Inc. illustrator Nadja Sarell

As mentioned previously, in the past personified animals were often used to explore some of the complex issues surrounding diversity, but the world is changing. It is more important than ever to explore subjects such as race and disability. Every person on the planet has a different personality, face, age, skin and hair color. People come in all different shapes and sizes and this should be celebrated in your art! Just imagine how beautiful your detailed scenes of different communities will be when you consider the unique style of every character. The world is beautiful, unique and the need for young people to see themselves in stories has never been more necessary. You can be part of the book that people will remember and credit as the first time they saw themselves truly represented.