Lori writes, "I have a real affinity for surrealist art, and I strive to bring the same sense of mystery and beauty to my illustrations, rather than just doing a literal interpretation of the text. And though I work these days on a computer as a digital collage illustrator, I still start every illustration assignment working out concepts with hand-drawn sketches. This is where the magic happens, exploring ideas."
Lori included this concept sketch with her submission.
This next issue (#68, Jan-Feb-March 2026) explores illustration as a career (in the face of the onslaught of artificial intelligence and generative art) as well as visual motifs of the elements (earth, wind, fire, water).
Throughout this issue, the importance of "thinking for oneself" will be explored. How do we express our own ideas? How are ideas "generated"? How do creatives, artists and craftspeople use notes, notetaking, sketchbooks and other old-fashioned tools and techniques for exploring their ideas?
And so, with the creative brief described in the Illustration open call, I am looking for submissions that express concepts, opinion and emotion.
The illustrator is to read the creative brief and react to it.
Let's read the brief again:
Creative Brief: The Elements of Creativity in Illustration
The classic four elements—earth, water, air and fire—have long been themes and motifs in visual art. How would you use one or all of these elements to express yourself as an illustrator? Using these elements either literally or metaphorically, create an illustration that communicates your ideas about creativity and/or your career as an illustrator.
With her surrealist collage style, Lori Langille has created a powerful image. While it seems that a lot is going up in flames around us, the artist wades through, persistent and resolute. She still holds the creative spark and marches forward, away from the chaos.
Illustration is about communicating concepts, illuminating ideas and conveying feelings. The intent of this issue is to show how we humans can do this better than any artificial intelligence.
We bring our own experiences and perspectives. We aren't machines! We exist in the natural world, one made of physical elements—earth, water, air and fire.
That's why I've created this brief: the published works will demonstrate how diverse and creative we can be as individuals.
1) Read the submission form in its entirety before getting started.
2) The Creative Brief Submission is the most important part—this is the image that you will create that is a specific response to the open call. It must follow the dimensions as described. This is the image I'm reviewing to decide what will be selected for publication. The image should be a response to the creative brief. The submitted illustration is an answer or reaction to the creative brief.
I know I'm repeating myself (I'm getting flashbacks to when I taught at the local art college for a few semesters, ha!) However, most of the submissions so far have not paid any attention to the creative brief (ie multiple images of bunnies, flowers, animals, seaside surface pattern designs). Perhaps some are adjacent to the elements theme (ie they're situated outside?), but these do not communicate the illustrator's ideas about creativity or comment on their career as an illustrator. And it's not to say that an illustration of a bunny can't meet the creative brief—perhaps a bunny is the stand-in for a vulnerable illustrator, in which elemental forces are working for or against it.
The elements as visual motifs
The elements not only connect us to the world around us physically but also serve as useful visual metaphors. Here is my own stream of consciousness, as an example: earth: we are grounded in our shared humanity, the earth supports us, we grow from it, it nurtures us, we are rooted in it, an illustrator might harvest the earth (pigments) and create art from it water: fluid and adaptable, it transports us and our ideas, waves bring us up and down, powerful, both destructive and restorative, creativity flows through us air: necessary for life, it is universal, all-encompassing, we breathe in fresh ideas, ideas float by, and we capture them on paper fire: confidence, persistence, symbolizing energy and transformation, ideas spreading like wildfire, the creative spark
Here's a mockup showing what I have in mind for these illustrator profiles. The page on the left will feature the creative brief illustration, and to the right of it will be the profile plus a few images and details from the artist's portfolio and studio.
Creative Brief: The Elements of Creativity in Illustration
The classic four elements—earth, water, air and fire—have long been themes and motifs in visual art. How would you use one or all of these elements to express yourself as an illustrator? Using these elements either literally or metaphorically, create an illustration that communicates your ideas about creativity and/or your career as an illustrator.
REQUIRED DIMENSIONS: 7.125” wide by 9.625” tall at 300dpi, saved as a jpg. (Either RGB or CMYK is fine; we will handle the prepress requirements.)
For The Elements in Craft, I'm also looking for more submissions. Think pyrography, ice-dying, earthenware, earth pigments, making charcoal, molten glass, rock painting, sunprints, plein air, wind-powered sculpture... please share the submission link with your creative friends.
The Elements in Craft
How do the elements (earth, water, air and fire) inspire, inform or affect your art or craft? For example, do you make things out of earth? Is water (or ice) integral to your process? Does air, wind, or weather factor into your creation? Do you make prints with sunlight or need the heat of a flame to create?
If you're working away on a submission for the illustration open call, thank you. Drop me a line and let me know! And if you want to run something by me, send a message.
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