Sometimes the word ‘Illustration’ tends to scare off designers who immediately think it will take too much time to pull off a unique illustrative solution. This simple method shows how you can create a nice piece of artwork using a doodle in a very limited amount of time.
Keywords: Tiff, Layers, Placed, Image, Vectors, Dog
File Size: 812KB
This simple tutorial explores a promotional illustration I created for the launch of my illustration web site www.vonster.com
Over the years I’ve refined my illustrative process. I try to leave very little guess work in terms of what I’ll be doing on the computer. Most of my time and work is spent outside the box so that when I build the final art I know what it should look like. I realize this is kind of anal but it makes for an easier work flow for me.
Note: Unfortunately I could not find my refined tightened drawing that I scanned in and built from? But you’ll still be able to see how I arrived at my final illustration and be able to glean many helpful insights.
Keywords: Monster, Creature, Vector, Detail, Highlight, Shadow
File Size: 1.6MB
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
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