Sharing political illustrations
Should we or shouldn’t we?
I am not a political illustrator (at least no-one has ever commissioned me to create an illustration related to politics). I would usually describe myself as a ‘lifestyle illustrator’. I don’t very often attempt conceptual illustrations, because I don’t think I fully ‘get’ the way they work still. I definitely understand them better than used to having taken a few online courses and also having looked at and admired a lot of illustrations – mostly in The Guardian, to be honest, but I do also see others shared on people’s Instagram feeds and also in illustrators’ portfolios when I’m looking a them.
I am a political person, though. Not so much party political anymore, but definitely still have a fair bit of political fire burning within. And I still enjoy a political debate (or mutual lament as it often is) over a pint or a Prosecco (or just with Chris in the office when while we’re fighting with PowerPoints or quizzes).
But I don’t often create political illustrations to share online. I quite often feel that I should be, though. I feel the guilt of not using this particular skill for the greater good. I have people out there who like looking at the pretty pictures I create. I should use that influence to share more of the things that I feel are important.
And I absolutely admire illustrators who do use their platform to get political. With no apology. Oliver Jeffers is the one that most obviously springs to mind.
For me, though, there are only occasional times when I feel viscerally drawn to (oh look, I made an bad illustrator pun) create an image (or hand-lettering) to share something political that feels personally important. There are obviously loads and loads of political, and other causes, that I could advocate for. Things that I am absolutely passion about (and will passionately rant about them over coffee or dinner or a glass of something). But my illustration generally feels much more about everyday life and the beauty of the humdrum. (Even writing that, I feel guilty, because it reminds me how many people genuinely don’t get to experience and enjoy that beauty, because they’re starving, dying, persecuted… and so on.)
And last week, was one of those times. I felt really devastated, but I didn’t know what to say in words. Plus, I didn’t have my go to sounding board to bounce of all the political ranting I need to, as Chris is in Japan for two weeks. So maybe that normally gets it all out of my system. Or maybe it was just because I wasn’t too busy and so I had time to draw.
The Handmaid’s Tale one seemed to have the most impact, but I posted them in quick succession, and that might well have more to do with the algorithm than anything else. A few Facebook friends found them powerful enough to share, so that’s good. I don’t honestly know what I thought in terms of what I wanted to come of posting them. I must have wanted to cause some reaction or why post them. Or maybe it was just for me and to get those feelings out in a way that felt right on the day.
Here are some other political illustrations I have made over the years.
Usually, though, I’ll just rant about things to my family and friends and the art that will come out will be mindful, letting go type art. And usually that’s just a sketchbook spread of stylised flowers, or a digital symmetry pattern. A couple of decades ago it would have been doing some colouring. And, thinking about it, when I was a teenager, while I would go on marches and (again, after a drink or two) happily rant about all the unfairness, I didn’t really make art about it. Even back then, mostly I would be painting or drawing patterns and doodles to calm my mind.
I think everyone will have a different level of comfort about this. And some people would maybe really like to do more, but are worried about clients being turned away. I think that can be a real concern when you’re relying on freelance income. I’m sure we all would like to think that we would refuse to work for clients who don’t align with our personal politics – perhaps there are lines we definitely won’t cross, but there will also be cases where we might have to move those boundaries or bend those rules a bit for a job that will be good for us in a lot of other ways. I know there will be some of you out there who are steadfast in sticking to your defined boundaries. And I absolutely salute you.
I haven’t been tested yet and I don’t honestly know which way I would go. Although, actually, I have illustrated meat more than once. As part of other projects, not like a whole book about meat; I don’t think I would be able to say yes to that. I found it hard, as well as frustrating because I don’t have enough exposure to it to have a good feel for drawing it. I managed to do my best, I think, when I dug down into looking at the patterns, in the same way I do when I’m drawing vegetables. Oh, but, actually, the client didn’t like that detailed pattern-heavy rendition and I had to replace it with a fairly basic rendition instead.
The one I wonder a lot about is whether I’d agree to illustrating for one of the papers that I would never read. Some of them have some nice illustrations in their lifestyle sections where my work would probably fit. (How do I know if I don’t read them? Because I’ve seen pieces in other illustrators’ portfolios.) What about for creating illustrations to advertise a product that is against other principles, such as an oil firm, or a junk food manufacturer, or… ooh, a car manufacturer? Hmm… I could come up with some rules here and now, but I honestly wouldn’t know whether I would stick to them or not until or unless it came up.
Did you make any political illustrations last week, or have you done at other times? Or do you perhaps regularly create political illustrations for editorial? Do you think it’s OK to share personal political art and to use your platform to advocate for causes that matter to you? Or do you worry about it having a negative impact on your client work? Is there any political art that you have been especially moved by? Has any ever changed your mind? Or alerted you to something that you were previously unaware of?
Very early in my freelance career, I worked doing live illustration - my first posting was on a mural for a tobacco corporation and a few years later, for a global corporation having a meeting on how to market bottled water in developing nations. It was eye opening and somewhat shocking, but also very fascinating. I hope I’d have the courage of my convictions these days to refuse such jobs, but there are so many grey areas in everything, aren’t there!
I love seeing others' political art, but my illustration is rarely political. I'm less worried about turning away clients and more worried that situations are more nuanced than I understand, if that makes sense? I think the existence of political art is great and has helped me make sense of concepts that I didn't quite grasp, or look into things I wasn't knowledgeable about.