100 Illustrators, 2 Vol.

“Given the size, weight, and production quality of this two-volume, sleeved set, 100 Illustrators is expected to contain small miracles. It doesn’t disappoint.”

Given the size, weight, and production quality of this two-volume, sleeved set, 100 Illustrators is expected to contain small miracles. It doesn’t disappoint.

The last Taschen book in this series was devoted to fashion illustration, and presently there is an unprecedented assortment of international illustrators actively involved in the arena of illustration. 100 Illustrators offers a much broader view of illustration as it is not limited to only one facet of this art form. Culled from over 600 artists, the images in the book presented by Wiedemann and Heller are impressive.

These books are not mean to serve as a history of the art of illustration. Nor should you expect to see only the well-known or the most recognizable pieces. Many of the images bear obscure names and many known names are a surprise here. The breadth of this encyclopedic assortment is nothing short of amazing.

“I heard once that the difference between art and illustration is that, while illustration conveys a message, art is the message.”

These images are, indeed, works of fashion art. In fact, though illustrators may be motivated by commercial incentives, you will be hard pressed to tell the difference between those images and the ones created simply for the purpose of artistic representation of an idea for a ready-to-wear line or a one-of-a-kind couture piece.

The bottom line here is simply that these two volumes are exquisitely rendered and will both enlighten and entertain the reader by providing an astounding examination of an art form that is so often overlooked or dismissed.