A thought-provoking book about the very origins of the art of illustration-what it means and why it exists. The River of Ink flows from the present day back to the very first illustration drawn by a human. Along its shores are tales and wisdom from legendary artists of the past and present exploring the philosophy of communication through drawing. Why do we draw? It's a simple question with a spellbinding and complex answer in this entirely new and entertaining look at the history of art. Also featured is an illustrated interview between Appert and comics master Scott McCloud (Understanding Comics, The Sculptor) that no reader should miss!