Illustration Exercise

Go to Exercise Rare Book Pedagogy Home Editing and Transcription Illustration Multiple Edition Material Culture

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• Illustration Data Table
• Illustration Catalogue
• Illustration Gallery

This illustration exercise provides a framework for students to think about the form and function of illustrations in books and offers strategies for students to evaluate book illustrations.

As you work through this exercise, please keep the following in mind:

1. You must comply with all of the rules of the Rare Book Room.

• Please wear gloves (which are provided by the Rare Book Room) while handling all texts.
• Please handle all texts with care; do not bend book spines back, bend pages, and so on.
• You may only use pencils while working in the Rare Book Room; pens are not allowed.

2. The Rare Book Room is open from 9:00 until 5:00, Monday through Friday, and Tuesday evenings from 5:00 until 9:00.

As you look at an illustration, consider the following:

1. What is the location of the illustration in the text? Is the location significant?
2. What is being depicted in the illustration?
3. Consider the composition of the illustration. What is your eye drawn towards first? What is in the foreground of the illustration? The background? Are the different areas of the illustration symmetrical, or not? Are the areas of the illustration equally light? Dark?
4. Consider the style of the illustration. Look especially at the representation of the human body, details of clothing, the realistic (or unrealistic) representation of objects, plants, buildings, and so on.
5. What purpose does this illustration serve? What is the relationship between the illustration and the text? Why include this illustration in this work?
6. Consider that every illustration reflects ideas about its subject. How does the illustration interpret its subject, and/or interpret the text?
7. What is the effect of this illustration on the viewer?

Based on your responses to these questions, you should be able to write a brief (one to two page essay) in which you develop a thesis about the illustration.

Please keep the following in mind:

1. State your thesis at the beginning of your essay. Your thesis may focus on the style, content, or composition of the illustration–-or anything else that you find compelling about it. Remember that a thesis is a position statement and that you need to stake a position about this illustration in your essay.
2. The more specific evidence you use in your essay to prove your point, the better.
3. Your essay should not be a list of responses to the questions 1 through 7 above. The questions are intended to give you some strategies to begin your analysis; they do not provide the structure (or the thesis) for your essay, nor are they intended to limit your analysis.
4. Each paragraph of your essay should support your thesis statement. Please make sure that there are transitions between paragraphs, so that each paragraph leads to the next, and make sure that each paragraph builds upon its predecessor.
5. A seemingly simple illustration can be filled with meaning. Your job is to make sense of it.
6. This assignment does not require external research—although you may choose to pursue research if you wish. This assignment does require careful viewing, thinking, and writing.

Grading Rubric:

A (90-100) – Excellent work. The essay has been completed in a professional and timely manner. The student has engaged with the subject in a thoughtful and thought-provoking manner. The transcription is accurate, and the notes are insightful. The essay has a clearly articulated thesis, and it is clearly organized; the author has chosen compelling evidence to substantiate the analysis. The essay does not require substantive revision, and there are no grammatical or stylistic errors.

B (80-89) – Good work; the essay has been completed in a professional and timely manner. The transcription is accurate, or has minor errors; the notes are relevant and useful. The essay shows that the student has substantially engaged with the subject, but the analysis is either partially incomplete, includes weak evidence, or manifests some difficulty with organization. The essay requires substantive revisions, but few or no stylistic ones.

C (70-79) – Average work; the essay has been completed but not necessarily in a professional or timely manner. The transcription has significant errors; the notes are relevant but incomplete or imprecise. The essay reflects effort by the student, but the analysis is incomplete, includes inappropriate evidence (or a lack of evidence), or shows significant difficulties with organization. The essay requires significant substantive or stylistic revisions.

D (60-69) - Less than average work. The transcription is inaccurate; the notes are perfunctory, incomplete, and imprecise. The essay has not been completed in a professional or timely manner. The essay shows a lack of effort on the part of the student and a lack of engagement with the assignment. The essay lacks analysis, evidence, and organization; extensive substantive and stylistic revisions are necessary.

F (<59) – Inadequate work. The transcription has not been submitted; if the transcription has been submitted, it lacks notes. The essay has not been completed, or when submitted, the essay demonstrates a significant lack of effort on the part of the student. Such work is marked by the absence of analysis, evidence, and organization; engagement with the illustration and the assignment is necessary before extensive revisions are even possible.