Drawn journalism in the good old days

Making Drawn Journalism is not exactly a new innovation

Text by Frits Ahlefeldt ( FritsAhlefeldt.com )

For more than a century drawings were used extensively to cover anything from Royal weddings, to exploding volcanoes, riots, famine, exotic tribes and world wars, and one newspaper stands out: “The illustrated London News

Starting from 1842 the “Illustrated London News” pushed Drawn journalism to a whole new level, creating stories that was both written and drawn. And with a number of drawing reporters traveling around, covering and making reportage stories from all corners of the world. With at least one of these journalists (Sir John Gilbert ) producing over 30.000 drawings for the newspaper.

Illustrated London news was founded by Herbert Ingram in 1842 and was an instant success, with the first edition selling 26.000 copies. And within months the weekly newspaper was sold in more than 60.000 copies.

Over the next 140 years The Illustrated London News continued to cover stories all over the world with drawings  – up till it closed recently in 2003.