Norman Eastman 1950

It was once the case that illustration was the only road to a career in art. It was a full ten years after this date that I commenced to create paintings for commercial galleries. There simply were none in New Brunswick, Canada, without a full stable, before that date.

Now however illustrators admit "Art Directors (of ad firms) are using fewer illustrations." George Thompson, once a member of a select group of New York illustrators says,"Now with the Internet, there's a bigger pool. You can live anywhere: You just e-mail in." Now he ruefully notes that former employers can go to download from websites "and get anything for two or three dollars. and a good quality. It's very hard to make a living in illustration today."