The Expanded Field of Illustration
In July 2017, in the context of the Illustration Summer School 2017, taking place in Porto & Gaia, Portugal, a public conversation was co-organised by the Illustration School and UPTEC on the Expanded Field of Illustration.
The goal of the conversation was to share concerns, ideas and possibilities about the changes and challenges within the field of Illustration. Illustration is a field and a discipline in constant change, inserted within the wider context of Visual Communication. In this sense, digital printing allowed illustration (following graphic design) to increase an interest in self-publishing and with it, an expansion of its areas of activities. While the advent of new media in the late 1990s and early 2000s saw an increase of the tools and media used by illustrators, such as digital animation, 3D rendering and web-based work, it was the emergence of research and the political conditions of the late 2000s that allowed an expansion of the field.
The methods, systematization and rigor of academic research, encouraged illustration to interact, learn and borrow from other disciplines, while it promoted the idea of the illustrator as researcher. Together with the precarity that was increased since 2008 and the easiness of distribution, this created conditions for a rapid developing field that departed a long time ago from the traditional view of the illustrator as an individual who works alone and solely uses drawing as both method and output. Drawing continues, and will continue, to be central in Illustration. But what we’re aiming to discuss today is precisely this transition, this expansion created by interests and detours.
Education is, of course, intimately connected to this conversation. The education of Illustration varies from continent to continent and country to country. We were interested in debating shared problems, challenges and possibilities. This is, in fact, the central goal of the Illustration School, of which this particular course is one lab to explore one of these intersections. We hope to be able to continue to allow this kind of independent platform to exist and contribute to the development of a discipline in profound transition.
The goal of the conversation was to share concerns, ideas and possibilities about the changes and challenges within the field of Illustration.
Guest Speakers
Karen Lacroix
Chloë King
Matilde Seabra
Júlio Dolbeth
Rui Vitorino Santos
Ines Silva





Illustration is a field and a discipline in constant change, existing within the wider context of Visual Communication. Since the early 2000s, digital printing allowed illustration (following graphic design) to increase an interest in self- publishing and with it, an expansion of its areas of activity. While the advent of new media in the late 1990s saw an increase of the tools used by illustrators, such as digital animation, 3D rendering and web-based work, it was the emergence of research and the political conditions of the economic and social crisis of 2008 that accelerated an expansion of the eld.
The methods, systematisation and rigour of academic research encouraged illustration to interact, learn and borrow from other disciplines, while promoting the idea of the illustrator as researcher. The precarity that was increased since 2008 and the easiness of distribution produced conditions for a rapid developing field that departed a long time ago from the traditional view of the illustrator as an individual who works alone and solely uses drawing as both method and output. Drawing continues, and will continue, to be central in Illustration. But what we’re aiming to investigate and debate at the Illustration School is precisely this transition, this expansion created by interests and detours.
Education is intimately connected to this transition. Illustration education varies from continent to continent and country to country. We aim to debate shared problems, challenges and possibilities. This is, in fact, the central goal of the Illustration School, of which this particular course is one lab to explore one of these intersections, with a focus on food. This course proposed new methods to conduct visual research in illustration, seeking parallels and extrapolations between different forms of thinking and making. Therefore, tours and designed experiences were created as investigative frameworks for translations to illustration practice to exist. The goal of the course was to generate methods and perspectives that bridge and overlap illustration with other disciplines, practices, traditions, cultures. We hope to be able to continue to allow this kind of independent platform to exist and contribute to the development of such an important discipline in profound transition. This publication condenses the diversity of this experience.



Illustration School Summer 2017
Coordinator & Tutor / Coordenadora e Tutora
Karen Lacroix (Uncanny Editions)
Coordinator & Illustrator, Tutor
Tutors/ Tutores
Matilde Seabra, Talkie-Walkie
Chloë King, Cook the book
Inês Neto dos Santos, Mesa
Alexandra Rafael
Isabel Moseley
Inês Azevedo
Joana Mateus
Cláudia Gaspar
Collaborators & Guest Tutors / Colaborades e Tutores Convidados
Matilde Seabra
Rita Serra e Silva
Júlio Dolbeth
Rui Vitorino Santos
Celestino Fonseca
Maria Teresa Almeida
Francisco Lisboa
André da Silva
Francisco Babo
Helena Ferreira
Partnerships & Sponsors / Parcerias e Patrocinadores
Jardim Botânico do Porto
Chocolataria Equador
Casa da Imagem
Bio em Casa
Café CCOP
Oliva & Co
UPTEC Pinc
RISO
Armazém do Queijo
Porto Design Factory
Terraplana
Fruta Feia
Biographies/ Biografias
Karen Lacroix is an ilustrator, designer and publisher based in Porto (Portugal) and London (UK). She has taught visual narratives since 2009 at Richmond University (UK) and works for an eclectic range of clients such as the English Touring Opera, Bright Ivy and the Bishopsgate Institute. After an MA in Visual Communication at the Royal College of Art founded Uncanny Editions, an illustration publisher & studio exploring different modes of publication practice, collaborating with institutions such as the National Portrait Gallery and The Photographers’ Gallery. She is the founder and coordinator of the Illustration School in Porto, Portugal. Her work is represented in collections such as MoMA (US), University College London and London College of Communication (UK), among others.
Matilde Seabra is a graduate of the School of Architecture of the University of Porto and co-founder of the architecture studio Poças Martins Seabra. She is part of the collective that edits the architecture fanzine Friendly Fire. Between 2009 and 2013 she was assistant tutor at the Polytechnic Institute of Porto on the MA in Visual Arts and Artistic Technologies. Matilde is experienced in working with several cultural institutions such as the Serralves Foundation, José de Guimarães International Art Center and Douro Museum. Co-founder of Talkie Walkie.
Chloë King is a journalist and illustrator based in East Sussex. An RCA graduate and Guild of Food Writers member, Chloë writes regular magazine features, often on food and design, and runs a book club and events series entitled Cook the Books. As founding editor of the experimental art journal Monika, Chloë’s work is featured in two books from Gestalten. Her publication credits include Great British Chefs, Eye, The Pool, Metro, Buzzfeed and
The Idler, and her broader portfolio includes print design, blogging, magazine editing, TV production and event management. Chloë is a visiting lecturer at universities including Northbrook College Sussex and Camberwell College of Art.
Inês Neto dos Santos is a multi-disciplinary artist, born in Lisbon and based in London. She graduated from MA Visual Communication at the Royal College of Art in 2016. Inês’s work explores the value of spaces, whether architectural or natural, and our relationship to them, investigating their emotional and social value and considering them as vessels for memory. Her practice often takes shape in immersive spaces, experiences or installations and frequently runs on collaborations with other artists and creatives. Recently, Inês has explored the value of food and shared eating spaces, considering the dinner table as a fundamental platform for discussion and conversation. She founded Mesa.
Alexandra Rafael is a printmaking artist based in Porto, Portugal. She holds an MA in Drawing and Printmaking from the School of Fine Arts of the University of Porto, where she developed research about transfer processes to printmaking surfaces. Since then she has been participating in several exhibitions and artistic residencies around the country.
Isabel Moseley is a Manchester based artist and bookmaker working predominantly with ephemeral and fragile materials. Studying in London she found much inspiration in architectural details and geometric forms. I translate these inspirations into her work using experimental printmaking and bookbinding techniques. she exhibited in Greater Manchester; Ny Space Gallery, Bankley Gallery’s Open Call, Japan; Hall of Awa Paper Museum.
Júlio Dolbeth is an artist, illustrator and lecturer at the School of Arts of the University of Porto. He holds a BA in Communication Design, MA in Multimedia Art and a PhD in Art and Design in the eld of illustration.
He is the co-founder of the illustration gallery Dama A ita in Porto, where he is also a curator. He has shown his work regularly in solo and group exhibitions.
Rui Vitorino Santos has a PhD in Art and Design, in the eld of illustration. He is a professor of Communication Design and Illustration at the School of Fine Arts of the University of Porto. Frequently develops curatorial projects and research in Illustration and also participates regularly in individual and group shows in illustration. Founding member of the association and gallery Dama A ita, in Porto, dedicated to illustration and drawing.
Francisco Lisboa studied management in UTAD university. For 14 year worked in the parcel delivery company where he was general manager. Since his “happy place” is around a table, with his friends and family, with good wine and better food, in 2013, he founded Wander Steps, a company that dedicates itself to organizing food and wine tours, around Portugal. 2016 brought a new project related with food. Armazém do Queijo was thought as a way to show, in Porto, that cheese has a lot of shapes.
André da Silva is a Biologist and founder of the organic farming project Bio em Casa.
Celestino Fonseca & Maria Teresa Almeida are designers and sculptor. They are also chocolate-makers, founders of the chocolate brand chocolataria Equador.
Bibliography/ Bibliografia
Allen, G. (2016) The Magazine. London: Whitechapel Gallery.
Charles, M. (2006). The Archive. London: Whitechapel Gallery.
David, B. (2008). Colour. London: Whitechapel Gallery.
Lisa, L. (2010). Failure. London: Whitechapel Gallery.
Margaret, I. (2010). Chance. London: Whitechapel Gallery.
Markus, M. (2016). The Archives As A Productive Space Of Conflict.
SternbergPress.
Charlotte, B. (2014). The Futurist Cook-book. F.T. Marinetti and Fillia. SternbergPress.
John, B. (1972). Ways Of Seeing. Penguin.
MACBA. (2015). Miserachs Barcelona. Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona.
Orhan, P. (2012). The Innocence Of Objects. Abrams
Jean-Claude, K. (2002). Casseroles, Amour et Crises. Armand Colin.
The Decorators, (2015). Ridley’s: Recipes for Food and Architecture.
Freddy Dewe Mathews.
Bruno, F. Dulcineia, N. Pedro, B. Susana, L. (2016). A Arquitetura Moderna Foi Para O Céu. Teo lo Rego. Perro Le Fou.
David, W. (1998).Fragments Of Utopia: Collage Reflections Of Heroic Modernism. Hyphen Press, London.
CEAA. (2015). Arquitectura Moderna no Arquito Teó lo Regó. Centro de Arnaldo Araujo, ESAP-CESAP.
Contact
Illustration School
Rua Coutinho de Azevedo,
22 4000-187 Porto, Portugal
info [at] illustration.school
www.illustration.school
