This book charts contemporary illustration's rich history: from the rampant idealism of the 1960s to the bleak realism of the 1970s, and from the over-blown consumerism of the 1980s to the digital explosion of the 1990s, followed by the increasing diversification of illustration in the early twenty-first century. The book explores the contexts in which the discipline has operated and looks historically, sociologically, politically, and culturally at the key factors at play across each decade, while artworks by key illustrators bring the decade to life. Contemporary illustration's impact and influence on design and popular culture are investigated through introductory essays and profiles of leading practitioners, illustrated with examples of the finest work.