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The Role of Animals in Art: From Symbolism to Companionship – London Art College

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Animals have been a central theme in art for thousands of years, serving as symbols, storytellers, and even personal companions. Whether depicted in ancient cave paintings or modern sculptures, animals offer a unique way for artists to explore human emotions, cultural values, and our relationship with the natural world. Let’s take a closer look at how animals have shaped art across history.

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Charles Tunnicliffe: an artist of countryside and nature | Art UK

1950s wildlife artist popular with audiences in the post-war interest in ecology.

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Official Charley Harper Art Studio | About Charley Harper - About Charley | the source for artwork from Charley, Edie, and Brett Harper

American artist and conservationist. Drew wildlife art through highly stylised geometric reduction. Worked with serigraph - silkscreen printing

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CHARLEY'S WORK — HARPER ORIGINALS

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https://rachelhudsonillustration.com/

Rachel Hudson - contemporary wildlife illustrator. Has worked a lot with the RSPB

Children’s books, editorial, conservation illustration

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Humans are almost never depicted in Paleolithic cave drawings - the most common animals depicted are mammoths, lions and bears. Generally believed to have symbolic or religious function. Animals important to humans - predators, food and clothing sources

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https://www.clairespiller.com/

Awesome bird posters and zines

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Museum replica of cave paintings of lions

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Paleolithic Art - A Look at Paleolithic Culture and Its History

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Upper Paleolithic artwork is the oldest type of prehistoric art. Paleolithic cave paintings composed of hand stencils and basic geometric forms are dated slight

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Medieval Europe. Animals carried symbolic meaning and reflected religious and moral values. Dogs represent fidelity, lambs represent Christ, so on

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Falcon attacking a hare

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Medieval Bestiary : Animals in the Middle Ages

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An online repository of information on the Medieval Book of Beasts - the Bestiary - its history, meaning and sources; and on animals in the Middle Ages in general.

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https://www.inuitartfoundation.org/profiles/artist/Kenojuak-Ashevak

Inuit artist known for her graphic artwork of animals.

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Heavily inspired by nature and the natural world. Collages by painting and cutting up paper. Has illustrated books, packaging etc.

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Clover Robin is a London based Illustrator who delights in nature and all things botanical, inspired by a childhood of woodland walks, countryside rambles and fossil hunting by the sea.

Having recently commissioned Clover for a new book - Botanical Brain Balms, we chatted with her to find out more about her creative process.

Why did you decide to take up illustration?

I kind of did by accident, a publisher saw my work and I got asked to illustrate a book and it went from there. I studied Surface pattern Design at Leeds College of Art and Design and went onto to do a Masters in Future Textile Design which reaffirmed my passion for a craft based approach to design, I like to work on all sorts of projects not just illustration, but artwork for fashion, interiors, branding and editorial stuff too. I want my work to carry across lots of different projects and keep my practice as multidisciplinary as possible.

What does your average day involve?

It starts with a huge cup of tea and 'to do' list for the day. If I've got projects on the go I usually paint and source some papers in preparation for this, and then check my admin and email bits while they dry. This can zap hours of the day so I try and be strict with myself and keep this to an hour or so. As I work from home "m finding it more and more essential to get out for fresh air and to see other human beings, so i try to get out for a quick stroll every couple of hours. Other than that you will find me at my desk, snipping, scanning, researching and listening to podcasts ( a newly discovered treat) until i feel ready to stop, which can be late if I'm on a roll or have deadlines due. I also have a little Etsy shop and sell cards to galleries and shops as well, so every couple of evenings i'll be wrapping and sealing prints with my long suffering and very lovely partner Kev.

What is your creative process and where do you look for inspiration

Pretty much everywhere but I have always been heavily inspired by nature and the natural world. I grew up in Devon with a family who loved to get out and about so this has always stayed with me. I'm never happier than when I've got a sketchbook, bag full of sniping and a beautiful big view in front of me. I have always been a fan of Mid century modern design and folk art too. There are too many influences and inspirational artists to mention but Paul Rand, Charlie Harper and John Piper are a few of my favourites.

clover robin, illustrator

You've worked on with some amazing brands from the National Trust to Paul Smith, what has been you favourite project to date?

I've really enjoyed all the projects I've done, they have been so brilliant, creative and varied, so that is a tricky one! I love making kids picture books and helping to tell a story, but also really enjoy the immediacy creating spot graphics for branding and fashion. Botanical Brain Balms is one of my first more adult illustration book projects and I love seeing my work in a slightly more grown up context, and such a beautifully written and designed publication!

How do you get past creative blocks?

Usually by either completely saturating myself with some of my favourite artists artworks and books, exhibitions and visuals or by switching off completely and forcing myself to do something completely unrelated. I work a couple of days a week in a museum gift shop and it is so good to focus on something pretty removed from what i spend most of working week doing. Sometimes I force a collage or two and they are so awful I know I just need to get up, walk away and go and dance in the kitchen for a couple of hours, they usually look much better when i've blown off a bit of steam.

How do you switch off?

I'm still working on this, but getting out of London and into some nature really does the trick at the moment, the pub with pals is a winner too.
A big thank you to Clover Robin for contributing to our series of interviews with industry experts.

further reading

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Interview with nature loving illustrator Clover Robin

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Clover Robin is a London based Illustrator who delights in nature and all things botanical, inspired by a childhood of woodland walks, countryside rambles and fossil hunting by the sea. Having recently commissioned Clover for a new book - Botanical Brain Balms, we chatted with her to find out more about her creative process.

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Natasha Durley | Colourful Illustration Inspired by Nature

Contemporary UK illustrator of wildlife and children's books.

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Home | Eric Carle

American illustrator of children's books. Primarily used collage - painting on tissue paper with acrylic. Hoped for children to learn something new about the world around them.

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Mister Seahorse, 2004

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Process & materials

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About — The Art of Fun

American animator and children's book illustrator. Works primarily in collage and coloured pencil.

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In today's Meet the Illustrator feature we hear from Christian Robinson, illustrator of the New York Times bestseller Last Stop on Market Street and Carmela Full of Wishes.
What first made you excited about art?
As a child, I loved making things: drawings, paintings, sculpture, anything I could get my hands on. Creativity allowed me to be in charge, to make my own rules, and create my own little world on paper.
What illustrated book from childhood has stayed with you over the years?
Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman. I remember feeling really invested in this lost little bird trying to find his real mother. The illustrations blew me away as a kid, and I still admire them today.
Where do you find inspiration for your illustrations?
Epic question! So many things inspire me: children's book illustration and graphic art from the '50s and '60s, nature, simplicity, cities, children's art, animation, fine art, music ... I could keep going.
What does your workspace look like?
I work in an old warehouse that's been converted into a shared artist studio.
What materials do you most like to use?
I love working in collage. Last Stop on Market Street was produced using a mix of paint and collage. Other books I've illustrated like The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade, written by Justin Roberts, were created in colored pencil. I have the most fun by experimenting and trying all sorts of different mediums and techniques.
What design resources would you recommend to young artists?
Not sure if this is a design resource, but I'm obsessed with Pinterest and collecting images that inspire me. The best design resource would have to be a museum or library though. That's were I go when I need to recharge and find a spark of inspiration.
What's the best name for a color that you've ever heard?
Pleased as Punch; it's a very happy red.

Christian Robinson likes to tell stories with pictures, making a living as an illustrator and animator in San Francisco. He's worked with Pixar Animation Studios, The Sesame Street Workshop, and has illustrated a number of award-winning picture books including Josephine by Patricia Hruby Powell, Gaston by Kelly di Puchhio, and Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña.

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Meet the Illustrator: Christian Robinson | Brightly

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In today's Meet the Illustrator feature we hear from Christian Robinson, illustrator of the New York Times bestseller Last Stop on Market Street.

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Natasha Durley has illustrated many nature-focused children's books, including the What To Look For series and the Creature Feature series.

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Creature Features: Oceans

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Ladybird Books updates its iconic illustrated What To Look For books, 60 years on

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Somerset-based illustrator Natasha Durley has brought her playful, vibrant style to the non-fiction children's series exploring nature through the seasons.

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What to Look For in Spring

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ABOUT — WILLIAM GRILL

UK illustrator who focuses on narrative children's picture books. Works mostly in coloured pencils + lino and lithograophy

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Cloudspotting for Beginners - non-fiction book illustrated in coloured pencil. I love the textures and transparency achieved from this

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Mid-century Polish book illustrator - graphically illustrated more than two hundred books for young people.

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I love the colours and strange wonky shapes. The dog and the horse are charming

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Lizzie Lomax

UK based illustrator who uses drawing and collage to make accessible illustrations.

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British artist known for his collage and prints which feature animals.

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https://www.nicolasburrows.com/

Visual artist who primarily uses collage-based processes.

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'The Elephant Hotel' children's book

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WePresent | Artist Nicolas Burrows’s whimsical The Elephant Hotel

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A new short film depicts the publication of the book The Elephant Hotel by Nicolas Burrows, artist and member of popular UK-based collective Nous Vous

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Cute!

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Shapely with cool texture and overprint

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Czech artist known for his watercolour and lithograph illustrations of animals.

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https://www.brendanwenzel.info/

Best selling author and illustrator. Creates children's books and artwork themed around wildlife.

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'They All Saw a Cat' picture book

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At Éditions du livre, the form of a book is something to be cut, coloured and played with

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This Strasbourg-based publisher is offering children tactile ways to develop their imagination in the hopes of creating “more sensitive, open adults”.

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Independent children's book publisher who platoforms interactive children's books.

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Artist books for children - Éditions du livre

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Éditions du livre is an independent publishing house that brings out artist books for children. The shape of the book is its substance.

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Zoo in my hand by Inkyeong & Sunkyung Kim, 2018

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Birds by Damien Poulain, 2023

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https://helium-editions.fr/en/about/

Hélium is a French children's book publisher, specialising in pop-up books etc.

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hélium publishes thirty children books per year, thirty books with a special twist, a smart design and a high-quality production. We claim very seriously the fantasy of all our creations. From YA novels to toddlers' books, these titles are just like a mobile, a balance between text, picture and graphism.

Some highlights and best-selling titles include 365 pingouins / 365 penguins by Jean-Luc Fromental and Joëlle Jolivet, Une chanson d'ours / The Bear's Song by Benjamin Chaud, Océano / Under the Ocean and Dans la forêt du paresseux / Wake up, sloth by Anouck Boisrobert et Louis Rigaud.

hélium is an associated editor of Actes Sud.

Editorial and Art Director: Sophie Giraud

Fiction Editor: Laure Delattre

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hélium publishes thirty children books per year, thirty books with a special twist, a smart design and a high-quality production. We claim very seriously the fantasy of all our creations. From YA novels to toddlers’ books, these titles are just like a mobile, a balance between text, picture and graphism.

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Under the Ocean by Anouck Boisrobert & Louis Rigaud

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In the Forest by Anouck Boisrobert & Louis Rigaud

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WHAT’S UP?/Tu fais quoi ? by Bernard Duisit & Olivia Cosneau

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Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

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Picture books can appear deceivingly simple to create. But in reality, are some of the trickiest books to write. With the word count being so low, every passage and illustration needs to be absolutely perfect so a child will want to read it over, and over again.

Kickstart your children's picture book writing with advice and insight from our teams at Ladybird and Puffin.

How long is a picture book?

Story-based or fiction picture books are usually 32 pages long and vary between 500 to 1000 words. They are designed for pre-schoolers and children in the first few years of primary school, and are usually intended to be read aloud as a shared experience between an adult and child. Becky Brown, editor at Ladybird explains, "At the younger end of this range, children will love to follow pictures as someone reads to them, joining in with any repeated phrases and spotting things on the page that relate to the story.

'Children love to share stories with other people'

"Once a child begins to read for themselves, these books are a great way to build confidence and language development. At any age though, children love to share stories with other people, so will enjoy revisiting their favourite books and having them read to them."

Non-fiction picture books tend to be longer in both page and word count because they are usually designed for older children who are reading for themselves. It's not unusual for non-fiction picture books to go up to 96 pages due to their more complex subject matter, and because they are enjoyed by children of all ages through primary school.

Do I need to be an author and illustrator?

A common misconception about picture books is that it's necessary to be both an author and illustrator - you don't need to be both, and you also don't need to worry about finding an illustrator before approaching a publisher.

'The text and the pictures will add something to the other to create something truly magical'

Want to read more about the author illustrator relationship?
Sometimes authors will add a few illustration notes to the manuscript if they feel it will help position the story, but your publisher will work with you to find the best partner for your words. Ygrain Cadlock, editorial director at Puffin says, "In a good picture book, the text and the pictures will add something to the other to create something truly magical. Picture book writers don't need to show everything in the story, but should also not rely on the illustrations to do all of the storytelling work."

How long does it take a picture book to be ready?

Just because picture books are short, doesn't mean they will be published quickly. It's not unusual for the entire process to take anywhere between 18 and 24 months, given all the intricacies of perfecting the text and illustration.

And of course, the biggest misconception of them all - just because picture books are short and full of pictures, doesn't mean writing one is an easy thing to do. Both Becky and Ygraine agree that children are often the harshest critics, and it takes a really good story to capture their attention. "Picture books are actually tricker to write because of the short length," says Becky. "It's a real skill, as each word has to count and the stories require visual imagination."

What should I remember when writing my picture book?

'Good picture books come in all shapes and sizes - they can be heart-warming and moving, funny and silly, or all of these things at once!'

Becky and Ygraine emphasise that strong characters are integral to a successful picture book. According to Becky, "There are exceptions to the rules, but most good picture books have a central character (or characters), with lots of personality, a compelling story and there's often a problem to overcome or solve.

"Good picture books come in all shapes and sizes - they can be heart-warming and moving, funny and silly, or all of these things at once! Lastly, endings are really important. A good picture book is wrapped up with a satisfying resolution or a twist. Read lots of other picture books for your research and don't be afraid to be silly!"

'They need to be something you want to read time and time again'

Similarly, Ygraine looks for standout characters and a strong story. "The best characteristic of a good picture book is the story or characters - the same as you would think for any adult story.
Illustration: Mike Ellis for Penguin
"Remember that just because picture books are shorter in length, doesn't mean that a reader doesn't want the same story arc as you see in any book, tv show or film - a beginning, middle and end are always important! They also need to be something you want to read time and time again, without boring the reader, or the child being read to."

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Picture books can appear deceivingly simple to create. But in reality, are some of the trickiest books to write. With the word count being so low, every passage and illustration needs to be absolutely perfect so a child will want to read it over, and over again.

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Illustrated by Rachel Hudson

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How to Know a Crow - Greystone Kids — Rachel Hudson Illustration | Illustrating The Natural World | Editorial Illustration - Book Cover Art - Children’s Book Illustration - Greetings Cards - Packaging - Banners & Murals | Hampshire - UK

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How to Know a Crow: the biography of a brainy bird published by Greystone Kids (2024), illustrated by Rachel Hudson Illustration. Children’s non fiction.

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Illustrated by Brendan Wenzel

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Children's book illustrated by Rambharos Jha. I how silly and wonky the animals look - the use of black line really contributes to this

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https://www.bangonthedoor.com/

Designer and children's clothing brand. Silly character and animal designs.

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Awesome swan

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Pop up book by Patricia Hegarty & Xuan Le

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By Katie Baker, illustrated by Andrés Lozano. Includes fold out tabs which give the reader additional illustrations and information.

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Written and illustrated by Jack Tite. Includes fold out pages which show the scale of the dinosaurs.

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By David Hawcock. Includes pop-ups of the dinosaurs and their habitats.

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By Ben Lerwill & Katharine McEwen. Illustrations created with collage and interesting textures.

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Written by Gavin Pretor-Pinney, illustrated by William Grill. Includes interesting material application - coloured pencils

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https://ryotakemasa.com/works/birdbook/

Japanese artist and designer. I like his use of shape and texture - simultaneously simple and complex

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Interesting blogpost - inspiration for added features which conceal and reveal images

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Inspiration for picture books with added features - by Moira Butterfield

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Some picture books have extra features. Board books, of course, have many incarnations, but I’m going to concentrate on classic picture boo…

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In the first of a series of articles on picture book basics, Words & Pictures Illustration editor John Shelley offers some beginner guidelines to format.

One of the first problems picture book illustrators and writers face is - how long should my book be? How much text, how many images, how many pages, what proportions and size?

Text versus Illustration

What we generally refer to as a "picture book" covers everything from pop-ups to e-books, graphic novels to non-fiction, baby books to sophisticated. But whatever the format, they fit into one of two types - are there to reinforce and enhance the reading experience. But in true Levi Pinfold's story books, where the text tells the whole story and can be logically read without images, and true picture books, where the pictures and words combine together to tell the story. Folk tales (old and new) are a good example of story books as, being designed to be read aloud, they don't require illustration in order to be understood. The illustrations picture books the text is pared down to just the narrative, illustrations fill in the description, and may include wordless sub-plots. Thus to understand the story fully the reader has to read both the illustrations together with the text, words alone would be insufficient without the images.
Here are double page spreads from two very different books:

Publishers have their own unique requirements for picture books based on the age group, type of book and the markets they target, in the UK 900 words is about the accepted maximum, but this is getting shorter as many houses pursue US co-editions where current trends are for no more than 500 words, and frequently less. There are exceptions and cross-overs, this year's Greenaway Award winner David Fickling once told me not to worry about word count, "just write what the story needs!" Story books have been tough to sell for a long time, but I like to think there is a growing revival of longer texts, nevertheless be aware the project is a harder sell if it's outside commonly accepted formats.Black Dog is a 32 page picture book with relatively full text.

Number of Pages

Picture books are constructed from signatures. Pages are laid out and printed together on large sheets, which are cut in half (giving 4 sides), then half again (8 sides), then folded, making a bundle of 16 pages called a "signature". Many picture books consist of two signatures sewn together, resulting in a 32 page book. It's the most common format, and as common is generally easier to produce, it's best to submit dummies with a 32 page plan. However for slightly extra cost an extra half sheet (8 pages) can be added, making 40 page (2.5 signature) and 24 page (1.5 signature) books. Three signatures would create a 48 page book, four a 64 pager and so on. Even more confusingly, on rare occasions sheets are removed too - my last book in Japan, a version of Jack and the Beanstalk, is an irregular 44 page separate ended book - that's three signatures with one sheet (4 pages) replaced by separate endpapers.

How many pages are actually usable for the story depends on whether the book is "Separate-Ended" or "Self-Ended".

Separate-ended books have two separate sheets (usually in a coloured cheaper paper) as blank endpapers. That means all sides of the printed signatures are available to use, page 1 and page 32 of a 32-page book are the first and last pages. Commonly page 1 just carries a simple Half Title (i.e. A plain page with just the title), pages 2-3 are a more elaborate Title Page or frontispiece and p.32 can be used as the last page of the story (though often it just has a vignette motif or is left blank). If the text starts at p.4-5 that makes up a maximum 14 and a half spreads (29 pages) available for the story.

Self-ended books however are pasted directly onto the cover boards with no separate endpapers. So, in the case of a 32-page self-ended book, page 1 and page 32 are glued down and never seen, pages 2-3 and 30-31 are used as the endpapers, and pages 4-5 are the title pages. That leaves 12 spreads (24 pages) available for the actual story, or just 11 if a half-title page is included. Self-ended books often have illustrated endpapers because the pasted side is the same paper as the rest of the book. By the same token, if the publisher uses all 32 pages but still wants illustrated endpapers then the coloured paper is replaced by printing paper, which then classifies the work as a 40-page self-ended book.

Confused? Have a look through your bookshelf and check the endpapers of your picture-books - blank ones in a different paper are separate ended.

But hold on! You say - what about e-books? surely they can be any format and page count we want? Yes that's true, but consider that most publishers produce traditional paper editions alongside ebook versions, so the old rules still apply!

Page proportions

Another common conundrum is what size and proportion should the paper trim be? For dummy submissions it's not usually necessary to determine exact page proportions - if the book is taken on by a publisher eventual sizes will be amended. Some publishers will have specific requirements for page size, especially in the case of series. Other times it's a matter of consultation between illustrator and art director. The most important thing in the first sketch stage is to decide whether the book will be portrait (i.e. taller than wider) or landscape (wider than taller). The pictures may dictate this - common sense suggests that stories including a lot of wide background vistas may work better in landscape format, those with lots of vertical elements like buildings, trees and full figure characters work best in portrait. Exactly square formatted books are uncommon, usually seen in titles for the very young, publishers are less keen however for older age groups.

For sketched dummies, one way to decide format is to focus on the key images you want to draw for the book, take some page measurements from published books you think fit the same proportions and base your planning on those. If they like the dummy, an editor will soon tell you of any amendments.

Some books use unusual size or proportions as a key element in the design/storytelling process, however consider that the book has to fit comfortably on the shop shelf. As ever, the more challenging the format, the more difficult it is to get it published!

He's illustrated over 40 books for children, many of them published in Japan where he lived for many years. His next title

John Shelley is the Illustration Feature Editor of Words & Pictures and current Central East Network coordinator. The Stone Giant is scheduled for release by Komine Shoten in Tokyo this autumn, and Charlesbridge in the US in Spring 2014. www.jshelley.com

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Picture Book Basics - Understanding Format

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In the first of a series of articles on picture book basics, Words & Pictures Illustration editor John Shelley offers some beginner guidelines to format. One of the first problems picture book illustrators and writers face is - how long should my book be?

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Clover Robin

https://www.cloverrobin.com/

Handpainted textures, acrylic paints, screenprints

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https://www.miquemoriuchi.com/animals

Children's book illustrator based in the UK, working with paint and papercut. Completely adorable animal characters

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Mique Moriuchi

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Collage by Chia-Chi Yu

Chia-Chi Yu - Illustrator in Taipei, Taiwan Region :: Behance

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BBC article - interesting content-wise

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Crows could be the smartest animal other than primates

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Crows have long been considered cunning. But their intelligence may be far more advanced than we ever thought possible.