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The UK's The Big Picture campaign was launched in 2007 to introduce picture books to new audiences and generate interest in illustration as an art form in its own right. It was created by Booktrust, an independent charity in the UK which encourages people of all ages and cultures to discover and enjoy reading. Booktrust is also one of the consortium behind the 2008 National Year of Reading (again in the UK).

The three artists featured here were all included on the longlist of The Big Picture's search for the Best New Illustrators, all published in the UK since 2000.

Kanako Usui and Mei Matsuoka were both born in Japan; Il Sung Na was born in Seoul, Korea. All three studdied illustration at Kingston University and are based in the UK.

We spoke to Katherine Solomon at Booktrust about The Big Picture Campaign.

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Q&A

How did The Big Picture come into being and what are its aims?

The Big Picture was prompted by concerns from the publishing industry in Britain, which has always had a rich legacy of illustration from Beatrix Potter to Axel Scheffler, that sales of picture books were falling for the first time in almost a decade. Figures from libraries showed that they were stocking fewer picture books, while publishers admitted that they were unwilling to put money behind up-and-coming illustrators because they couldn’t guarantee sales in the same way they could with old classics.

The Big Picture campaign was created by Booktrust in 2007 to introduce picture books to new audiences and generate interest in illustration as an art form in its own right. The Big Picture committee comprises representatives from Booktrust and major children’s publishing house including Cally Poplak from Egmont UK and Helen Mackenzie-Smith from Random House Children’s Books, and independent opinion formers such as Nicolette Jones from the Sunday Times.

What is the story behind your beautiful logo?

The search for a Big Picture logo formed the first stage of the campaign, as Booktrust saw this as the perfect opportunity to encourage young artists in the field of illustration and design. Booktrust wrote letters to all design schools and art courses, asking for pupils to submit a design for the Big Picture that would incorporate the ideals of making picture books relevant and for everyone, not just for children. The winning entry was designed by student Erika Pal from Kingston University and was the campaign’s first step in encouraging new talent.

How does The Big Picture link in with Booktrust as a whole and the UK's National Year of Reading in particular?

Booktrust’s mission is to encourage people of all ages and cultures to discover and enjoy reading. We do a lot of work with children’s books, so have long been aware of the brilliant work produced in this country in the field of illustration. However, we also realized that illustration and picture books don’t have the public profile they so deserve. We were sure that many people would be able to name people like Quentin Blake and Raymond Briggs as examples of popular illustrators, but would find it challenging to come up with any new ones.

We want to put picture books in the public eye and, as an independent charity, we are in the ideal position to promote this field, without any affiliation to a particular artist or publishing house.

Picture books are also an ideal way for adults who may not be confident readers to begin to develop an interest and enjoyment of books. Sharing picture books and appreciating both the stories and their illustrations make books accessible and enticing, which are aims central to the Booktrust ethos.

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