More eyes, different eyes

In this article I survey the current status quo in UK illustration education, and argue the case for a pragmatic and culturally porous approach to theory within illustration education. The pragmatic approach allows illustrators to see themselves as a form of social scientist, ethno/anthropologist, community activist or facilitator for change – a constructive move that directly mirrors broader diffuse changes in the design sector. The article ends by discussing notions such as the ‘public intellectual’ and ‘perspectival seeing,’ and concludes that as an international discipline the illustration community can offer much-needed new discourse and perspectives.