Re: Doing your own graphics (an illustrators perspective)

[Michael J Maloney <mmaloney -at- EPIC-ISTI -dot- COM>]

>Why should I hire a professional illustrator for these?  The docs I create
>for my clients don't NEED anything more sophisticated than what I can handle
>quite well, thank you.  And yes, I do my own page layout and production,
>too.  Such is the life of a freelancer.


Win:

You may hear the faint sound of back-peddling, but I would like to "draw" a
slight distinction between flow charts and technical illustrations prepared
for technical communication. I know, I know, they're both technical
drawings. And I make my point so violently to stretch a point to where it's
at least considered.

I'm well aware of how impractical, even foolish it would be to call a
professional technical illustrator every time a line needed to be drawn.
But, where and when should a professional illustrator be employed and WHY.
For the survival of illustrators? Partly. For the survival of the highest
quality technical documentation the world has to offer... definitely.

To my way of thinking, sure, there are illustrators that can write, and
writers that can illustrate. Many of us would like to think we're masters at
both. However, the lower the bar gets, the easier it is to produce (as one
writer put it) adequate illustrations. My goal is to raise the illustration bar.

I see some of the week, anemic, lifeless, informationless illustrations
going into many of todays documents. This is not good for any of us.

The illustrators do not have a forum. I'm the "self-appointed" ambassador of
my trade. I'm trying to lift my profession. Through dialog, discussion,
participation and brother/sisterhood with other members of the technical
communication fraternity.

This, by nature will ruffle feathers. Again, I apologize (in advance) to
anyone I may have offended. I welcome all comments. I welcome all suggestions.



Michael J. Maloney
President, EPIC Creative Services
2230 Lyndhurst Avenue
Charlotte, NC  28203   USA

President, ISTI (International Society for Technical Illustrators)
http://www.epic-isti.com/epic
Business Phone: 1-704-523-6907
Business Fax: 1-704-522-7504
Home Phone: 1-803-366-6763

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