There is an age-old debate among artists, scholars, educators and craftspeople, and that is whether illustration should be considered art. Art like cartooning is often derided as being less than “real” art, with little or no time taken to understand the complexities of the seemingly simple images, nor of the time and effort put into producing visuals that tell stories.

Illustrations direct the viewer in a direction that does not necessarily involve the use of words. Visuals are used to replace words, and evoke in the viewer certain emotions. They can be used to sell products, teach, cause certain emotions, or induce action. For instance, consider a novel you might have recently read. While the illustration might be very beautiful and of a quality that makes it fine art, how does the cover art make you *feel*? Are you a little frightened if it’s a horror novel, or a little attracted to the dashing gentleman on the cover of a romance? That is art that is doing a job, and that’s illustration.

Even cartoon characters evoke emotions, and can be used to tells stories that make an adult or child really think about an issue. Well-done cartoons show a range of emotions, keep a story moving in a fun or interesting direction and keep you wanting more. They relate perfectly to the story being told in words, and their emotions match the arc of the story in predictable ways that are comforting, and still fun to follow.

It sometimes takes years to fully develop a character that will convey what you want to say to children and adults. If a life lesson is being imparted, a sympathetic character can lead a child to a certain conclusion gently, and if it’s a potentially dangerous lesson (say, fire safety), a sterner character can help children learn about safety and just how important it is.