We are trying to come to grips with this issue as staff adjust to some of the
peculiarities of
RDA. I would agree that a creator of an illustrated book sans text should be
regarded as the "creator"
and given the designator "artist". Yet, if you read LC-PCC PS for rule 18.5.1.3
it suggests that illustrators/artists of
juvenile material will be coded in the MARC 700 tag with the designator
"illustrator" This is exampled in
http://lccn.loc.gov/2012944944. This suggests LC would never regard an
illustrated children's book as being created by
an artist. I may be wrong in this interpretation and I hope I am. I believe
this relegates some artists to a "second class" status.