book illustrations
Drawings in texts
Book illustrations are pictures, drawings, or other visual images that accompany and enhance a written text.
They may depict scenes, characters, or concepts from the narrative, or serve decorative purposes.
In children's books, illustrations often carry as much weight as the words themselves.
The book illustrations brought the fairy tale to life.
- frontispieceBook's introductory illustration
- stipplingDot-based shading technique
- etchingsPrints from incised plates
- line artDrawings without tonal gradation
- cross-hatchingOverlaid line shading
illuminated manuscripts · gold leaf · marginalia · lithographs · botanical prints · engraving · decorative borders · drop caps · chapter headings · pencil sketches · character portraits · vignettes · printmaking · half-tone · color plates · plates · pen and ink · symbolic imagery
- visual artdrawing, fine art, painting, portrait, sketch
- Literary Artillustrators, visual storytelling, narrative art, fairy tale art, illuminated manuscripts
- literary collectiblesfirst editions, signed books, autographs, rare books, limited editions
- reading artreading rooms, open books, scripture reading, study rooms, letter reading
- Early Printprinting press, movable type, broadsheets, broadsides, pamphlets
- Reformation Artwoodcuts, engravings, iconoclasm, altarpieces, biblical scenes
visual vs. textual content
book illustrationstext
Written or printed words
prose · written word · body text · letterpress · copy