Refers to an illustration inserted into a book, newspaper, magazine, or other publication to accompany the text.
That fairy tale has beautiful illustrations in it.
This novel contains many beautiful illustrations.
新聞の挿絵が記事の内容を分かりやすくしている。
The newspaper illustration makes the article's content easier to understand.
A famous artist drew the illustrations for the novel.
We made a picture book with illustrations for children.
図版 is a more formal term covering diagrams, plates, or photographs printed in a publication, whereas 挿絵 usually refers to a drawn picture accompanying text.
挿画 is a slightly more literary synonym for 挿絵, both meaning an illustration inserted into a text, but 挿絵 is the far more common everyday word.
counter for thin, flat objects; sheet; plate; coin · serving of soba; portion of gyōza · sumo rank position; wrestler at a given rank · field; rice paddy plot · palanquin bearer
illustrator
Standard kanji spelling, common in news and publishing.
Mixed kana-kanji spelling, sometimes used for readability.
Variant with okurigana, less common but still seen.
Compound of 挿 (insert) and 絵 (picture), literally 'inserted picture'.