Illustration is a visual representation that aims to convey messages like a poem, story or even a news article. Illustrations can be portrayed through various forms of art such as photographs, paintings and drawings.
The earliest example of illustration is cave painting. This can be dated back to thousands of years. Natural resources like vegetable dyes were used for it. Books with illustrations became available in the 15th century. The main method used to create copies was etching wood and stone. This became popular during the 16th and 17 centuries. Once the printing press was invented, illustrations became a common part of magazines and newspaper articles. The themes that were presented changed with time, early 19th century illustrations portrayed social classes, while modern ones are more humorous and topical.
The improvements in printing technology lead to versatility in terms of designs and color. By the end of the 19th century, illustration became dominant aspect of books, magazines, newspapers and other mass media all over Europe and America.
The method used to create illustrations depends on several factors like time constraint, cost and the style of artist. Engraving, etching, linocut, woodcut, pen and ink, and Sumi-E are some common methods. Pen and ink, and printmaking are the most popularly used methods today as they are suitable for mass production and different paper inventions allow diversity.
Illustration is popularly used to communicate technical information to the reader. Illustrative art used in books, magazines and posters is finding markets in museums, art galleries and other such exhibitions. The value of illustrative art is rising gradually. | 
