THE IMPORTANCE OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN EXPLAINING THE PRESS CONTENT - BICAR & CANAAN AS AN EXAMPLE

The research deals with the importance of illustrations in the press work as an essential part that helps in highlighting the content of an article, story, or editorial investigation. The study focuses on newspapers and magazines graphic illustrations and their prominent role in communicating the type of journal and/ or magazine whether it being political, social, or specialized. In Egypt, graphics began to occupy distinctive places in the front pages of newspapers and magazines, starting with black and white, then an additional color, followed by four colors. The first issue of Al-Ahram newspaper was in 1876, and in the same year, an illustrated magazine for literature and fine arts was issued and it was called "the magazine of women and men"; there was also ‘caricature journalism’ or ‘comics’. The graphic artists contributed to the rise of the Egyptian press and its brilliance through the illustrations they presented to express the topics, stories and press stories .It can be said that the technical and comic press in Egypt started from one starting point, or stemmed from one cell that carried its features together, before the specialization stage related to the maturity of the technical level.
The research includes the reference to pioneer newspapers and magazines in Egypt that contributed greatly in the propagation of graphic illustrations and helped in its accession to a prominent place in the press work; in Dar Akhbar Al-Youm, artists such as Rakha, Saroukhan, Bicar, Canaan, Mustafa Hussein and others, represent a good example. In this paper, the author selected two of the previously stated artists: Hussein Bicar and Mounir Canaan, for an in-depth study. They characterize the press illustration in Egypt during a period of forty years – from the fifties to the beginning of the nineties. Hussein Bicar has his unique style in illustrations for adult and for children books and magazines; he left a legacy of outstanding drawings and writings; his academic study at Fine Arts in Cairo helped him to master the art of painting and to take interest in the anatomical aspect. On the other hand, Mounir Canaan did not get any academic education in art, yet, he advanced in the field of illustrations and painting in ink.
In sum, the author sees that this art is not as prominent and high level nowadays as it was in the study period; therefore, he recommends that Newspaper and magazine operators should search for, and employ talented artists like before in drawing illustrations, to add an aesthetic dimension to journalistic work, thus help creating a relationship between the newspaper and the reader. Newspapers should devote space to painters to show their illustrative talents in fixed columns weekly as illustrations enrich journalism beyond what photographic images currently do.