What’s So Good About Food Illustrations?

Within the illustration industry, there are different areas that artists can focus their practice on, including editorial illustration, children’s books, surface design, fashion illustration, medical illustration and so on. Another area is Food Illustration, though it is often not one of the first specialised areas that come to mind.

Food illustration is perhaps not as popular or well-known here in Australia as it is in Europe and the US, but it is important. But why would an art director choose illustrated food over photographed food, particularly when the latter usually has a faster turnaround?

Unlike food photography, food illustration is about capturing more than just a representation of the food. Good food illustration speaks to the senses. It captures the colours, the textures and even the emotion that food provokes. Great food illustration tells a story about the food, perhaps evoking precious memories along the way, something the viewer can relate to.

This is the very thing that I enjoy about food illustration the most. Yes, I love to spend time working on those finer details in watercolour (as with everything!), but I also love to capture and convey something more. And if, at the end, the illustration makes you want to eat it - I call it a success!

Watercolour has a way to really capture the texture of food, from the gorgeous silky highlights of cream or honey, to the crusty craters in a toasted bread. It can push the envelope, whilst remaining real, in terms of colour. It can look so good you can almost think you can smell (and taste?) it.

So if you ever require watercolour food illustration to brighten a menu, magazine, book or more, please do get in touch! I would love to help you!