IllustrationClass.com

This creative exercise isn’t anything new, it’s actually a test often done in creativity courses. It forces you to look at the mundane “Two Circles” and see what you can visually make from them. There is no right or wrong approach to this, cut loose and push yourself.

Keywords: Circles, Exercise, Doodle

File Size: 244 KB

In a digital age analog methods are still valid and one could easily argue essential to a well defined creative process. I say that because this tutorial is more than a mere “click here and pull down this menu” type of process. It requires a level of drawing skills, there really is no way around that. But don’t let that intimidate you, anyone can improve their drawing skills and in return it’ll improve your design regardless if you ever want to become a full-blown illustrator or not.

I’ll show you how to derive a vector based portrait from a source photograph using simple common sense methods and helpful plugins that make building your art a whole lot easier. All you’ll need is Photoshop, Illustrator, Scanner, Pencil and Paper. So sharpen your pencil and your mind and lets dive in.

Remember, improved drawing skills will help you with all your design projects be it illustration, print brochures, or logo development.

This tutorial was originally created for MacUser Magazine UK. It includes a self-contained PDF of the tutorial for easy offline access. If you enjoy this tutorial be sure to check out the Billy Mays tutorial that goes more in depth on this same type of project.

Read my blog post associated with this tutorial.

(Tutorial Includes Notes in both ‘English’ and ‘Español’.)

Keywords: Stylized, Portrait, Macuser

File Size: 23 MB

This helpful PDF produced by “The Creative Group” contains “20″ cost-effective ways to keep you creatively focused and inspired in an uncertain economy.

Several of Illustrationclass.com creative exercises are included in the PDF under “Drawing People Together”, along with other fun practical content to help you push yourself creatively.

Keywords: Creative, Exercise, PDF, Group

File Size: 3.1 MB

As some of you may know I designed promotional art for Adobe CS4 Illustrator called “Loyal Order of Wormwood.” Along with that project I also put together a “How-To Guide” for them as well which Adobe has now posted on their web site so I have posted the same blurb below which gives you access to same content and a little bit more. But be sure to check out Adobes page to view other cool promotional art created for CS4.

Loyal Order of Wormwood
by Von Glitschka, Glitschka Studios

His inspiration for “Loyal Order of Wormwood”: “I never know when or where inspiration will come. Most often it’s captured initially via a simple doodle. Then at a later point in time I take that doodle and flesh it out into a refined sketch. Once my drawing is exactly the way I like it, I simply scan it in and start building my vector art.”

Read the how-to guide File Size: 9.5 MB
Download the Illustrator CS4 file File Size: 7.2 MB
Download Missing “Step by Step” Tutorial File Size: 11.4 MB

Adobe copyright © and usage limitations of this art are clearly stated within download files.

(PDF and Tutorial Include English notes only.)

Keywords: Adobe, Wormwood, CS4, Illustrator

I’ve been asked many questions over the years regarding my creative process, art style and other various sundry opinions about illustration and design in general. Below are several PDF downloads covering several of these topics. You can use them as student handouts or just download them and read them for your own informational enjoyment.

Illustrative Designer Creative Process
I view illustration and design as equal partners in the creative process. This helpful resource will walk you through the systematic approach I take on all my projects for both design and illustration. Read it, learn it and then adapt your own methods.

File Size: 56 KB

Why Doodle?
How do you become a better artist? How do you improve your raw drawing skills? Simple, just start doodling. You don’t have to become a full blown illustrator. But if you do a little each day over a period of time you’ll become creatively stronger and that will help your design ideas and fleshing out concepts. This simple download will spell out the basics to get you started.

File Size: 36 KB

Collecting and Using Textures in Your Artwork.
If there is one aspect to design that is timeless, it is textures. A real-world texture looks just as authentic now as it will in 100 years. That’s because it’s not created by a person sitting at a computer. Textures are natural, or are the by-product of natural elements interacting with man-made edifices and structures.

Creatives can take these authentic, raw patterns, and apply them to design and illustration. Using textures, you can break free from the clean and crisp look of computer-driven art, and enter a realm of delectable decay and depth.

This download contains the preface and texture exploring chapter from my design book ‘Crumble. Crackle. Burn’ and includes ’10′ FREE sample textures in the same format as those offered with the book. Because the textures are hi-res this download is extremely large.

File Size: 125 MB

The Themes We Love.
Why do creative types tend to gravitate towards specific themes? Have you noticed it? I have and this article I wrote for Computer Arts Magazine out of the UK shares what I believe are the top ten favorite themes of illustrators.

Whether you ultimately agree or disagree with my assessment it’s a fun read.

File Size: 216 KB

Back-To-Basics Design.
This was a feature article for HOW Design Magazine covering my “Illustrative Design Methods.” I was interviewed by Lisa Baggerman Hasen who wrote the article.

The project showcased in this article will eventually be available as it’s own tutorial download in the near future. This is a well written insightful article that will help you approach your own projects with a frame work for success.

File Size: 432 KB

How Limitations Influence Creativity
History itself is replete with examples of human ingenuity showcasing it’s creativity when faced with restrictive resources. So much so that a popular saying has survived a millennium and is still in use today to describe such situations. You have probably heard it.

“Necessity is the mother of invention.”

This article written for SessionsDesign “NotesOnDesign” Blog explains how you can leverage limitations to your creative advantage.

File Size: 88 KB

Process Makes Perfect!
Learn the basics of accomplishing your creative goals by following a solid, systematic creative process. This handy PDF gives you a glimpse into what it takes to create unique and effective illustrative design on a consistent basis.

This project was fully documented in a previous tutorial post on this site called “Piranha’s Revenge – Illustrative Logo.”

File Size: 968 KB