Modern book illustrators and their work

The photographic reproductive processes began now to change the spirit of the illustrator's dream. Both in black-and-white and colour the artist had to readjust his methods and adapt them to the new mechanical conditions—to the domination of the camera, in fact. Already the photographer had become an intermediary between the artist and the wood-engraver, though the designer's lines were still at the mercy of the craftsman's knife. Now the artist made his designs with the camera in view, knowing that his line would reproduce exactly as he drew it. Naturally this change had a considerable influence on the character of the designs made for book-illustration. But, meanwhile, there were artists, individual and in groups, who, setting themselves against the innovating photographic reproduction in book-illustration, sought by the older methods to make books beautiful with pictorial adornment. This book represents them and their unique art