An inspirational blog posting that I found while browsing in Digg.com. A set of screenshots of websites implementing vector illustration in their interface. To see the posting click here.
Saturday 30 August 2008
Digital Illustration: new opportunities
An eye-opening article from ComputerArts Magazine.
"Lawrence Zeegen investigates how illustration has been reborn for a new audience, with a new generation of illustrators who are taking it into new territories
Illustration is a force to be reckoned with. Not content to break back into a marketplace once dominated by the photographic image, illustration has fought hard, forced itself under the spotlight and stepped into the limelight. A rebirth, once attributed to the flexibility that digital kit offered, has now reached a vital second phase – a new stage of extended opportunities in the development of the discipline." Read more.
Thursday 28 August 2008
Vector Speakers #2
Another free vector stock by xavialonso10. To use open the pdf in Adobe Illustrator. Download
*note: You can also take a quick look at the first vector speakers that I posted in March.
*note: You can also take a quick look at the first vector speakers that I posted in March.
Wednesday 27 August 2008
Spirals
A free set of of spiral vectors by sexualtyranosaurus. You can easily create similar shapes with using the "Transform Again Feature" in Adobe Illustrator (Ctrl + D or Cmd + D) Download. To use open the pdf with Adobe Illustrator.
Sunday 24 August 2008
Typographic Techniques in Adobe Illustrator
If you had any ideas or questions about designing type with Illustrator, take a look at this image-based tororial. It covers techniques like: transfering sketches type into vector-based format, using templates, stroke cap options, outlining stroke and balance. Click on the image to see the full tutorial.Thanks to inde-graphics
Saturday 23 August 2008
THE LANGUAGE OF FORMS
I love this picture from an old reference book about birds.
The anonymous artist could have presented the same basic information a thousand different ways, but he chose to emphasize the design. When you look at the shape, the colors, the negative space, you know right away: this was an artist who understood the language of forms.
In previous posts about the enduring importance of design, I have shown pictures from the Museum of Modern Art or recent graphic novels that are not as concerned with design or other aesthetic qualities. For example, one famous graphic novelist wrote, "if one tries to look at my strips as 'good' drawings... they're not, but ... I'm able to write with pictures without worrying about how I'm drawing something."
I always thought it was the job of an artist to be "worrying about how I'm drawing something," but my narrow minded attitude has only provoked scorn from readers who believe that "good," well designed pictures are no longer as important, especially for sequential art. Samples of their feedback:
But good design doesn't limit an artist to pretty or ugly, detailed or simple, realistic or abstract, fast or slow. Any of these approaches can be either well designed or poorly designed. Ever since art began, the challenge for the artist has been to marry content with "good" pictures, not to surrender one for the other.
The map maker who drew this 15th century map of the world could have displayed accurate information without worrying about composition, style or color. Yet, he obviously felt that a visual medium demanded attention to aesthetics as well as content:
The same could be said about this Tibetan image explaining the "wheel of law." The artist could easily have ignored considerations of form and resorted solely to a technical diagram. He did not.
Egyptian wall paintings tell complex religious and historical narratives. Yet, after overcoming dozens of obstacles not faced by artists today, the artist made sure that his images were also beautifully designed, right down to the smallest little figure in the corner:
Artists who can speak the language of forms are sensitive to the balance, the rhythm, the harmony and aesthetic designs of nature, and are capable of employing those magical powers in images. The artist who drew that bird understood he was in the presence of sacred things.
Artists are of course free to grant themselves exemptions from any standard or challenge. There is no law preventing an artist from saying, "I don't care about making good pictures because I have other priorities and I can't handle both at once." But 30,000 years of art history proves that good content is not incompatible with good form. Artists who lack this ability, or who lack the drive to do things with this ability, will always be second rate to me.
The anonymous artist could have presented the same basic information a thousand different ways, but he chose to emphasize the design. When you look at the shape, the colors, the negative space, you know right away: this was an artist who understood the language of forms.
In previous posts about the enduring importance of design, I have shown pictures from the Museum of Modern Art or recent graphic novels that are not as concerned with design or other aesthetic qualities. For example, one famous graphic novelist wrote, "if one tries to look at my strips as 'good' drawings... they're not, but ... I'm able to write with pictures without worrying about how I'm drawing something."
I always thought it was the job of an artist to be "worrying about how I'm drawing something," but my narrow minded attitude has only provoked scorn from readers who believe that "good," well designed pictures are no longer as important, especially for sequential art. Samples of their feedback:
Art Spiegelman and Chris Ware are geniuses and should not be judged by old fashioned standards for drawing.
The drawings in Panter's comics... are not meant to be studied like... paintings..., they are meant to tell a story.
You are completely on crack. I have never seen such a misguided discussion in my life.... the art world is horrifically driven by vacant aetheticisms...
I think you are mistaking the sequential storytelling of comics with illustration.... If the focus of your blog is ILLUSTRATION ART, perhaps you should stick to that and not try to include Chris Ware in a category he does not belong.
A couple of suggestions for you Dave; grow up & wise up.
Sorry, David, but you have no idea what you're talking about. Go back to reading batman; you're totally out of your depth in trying to understand why Ware is a great artist
These artists make images that could be called bad drawings by someone looking for something pretty, but in actuality have great ideas behind them... Maybe because the drawings are essentially "bad drawings", it is hard to distinguish what is actually good from what is bad.
But good design doesn't limit an artist to pretty or ugly, detailed or simple, realistic or abstract, fast or slow. Any of these approaches can be either well designed or poorly designed. Ever since art began, the challenge for the artist has been to marry content with "good" pictures, not to surrender one for the other.
The map maker who drew this 15th century map of the world could have displayed accurate information without worrying about composition, style or color. Yet, he obviously felt that a visual medium demanded attention to aesthetics as well as content:
The same could be said about this Tibetan image explaining the "wheel of law." The artist could easily have ignored considerations of form and resorted solely to a technical diagram. He did not.
Egyptian wall paintings tell complex religious and historical narratives. Yet, after overcoming dozens of obstacles not faced by artists today, the artist made sure that his images were also beautifully designed, right down to the smallest little figure in the corner:
Artists who can speak the language of forms are sensitive to the balance, the rhythm, the harmony and aesthetic designs of nature, and are capable of employing those magical powers in images. The artist who drew that bird understood he was in the presence of sacred things.
Artists are of course free to grant themselves exemptions from any standard or challenge. There is no law preventing an artist from saying, "I don't care about making good pictures because I have other priorities and I can't handle both at once." But 30,000 years of art history proves that good content is not incompatible with good form. Artists who lack this ability, or who lack the drive to do things with this ability, will always be second rate to me.
Friday 22 August 2008
Adobe MAX 2008/2009
MAX is an experience unlike any other — an opportunity to connect with thousands of designers, developers, partners, executives, and Adobe staff for education, inspiration, and community. MAX 2008/2009 will be held in San Francisco, Milan, and Tokyo. Be sure to mark your calendar for this important global event. More here and here
Thursday 21 August 2008
Adding perspective to maps with Adobe Illustrator
Mark Mayers shows you how to give flat Illustrator maps a third dimension by using the Free Transform tool and a custom perspective grid...
Illustrator has many features that help you create maps. In the first part of this tutorial you’ll learn how to draw a 2D map from a sketch. You’ll use type on paths, utilise Symbols and discover how global swatches can be a real time-saver. Full Tutorial and Source Files via Computar Arts Magazine
Illustrator has many features that help you create maps. In the first part of this tutorial you’ll learn how to draw a 2D map from a sketch. You’ll use type on paths, utilise Symbols and discover how global swatches can be a real time-saver. Full Tutorial and Source Files via Computar Arts Magazine
Wednesday 20 August 2008
Monday 18 August 2008
Creative Brief
Composing a creative brief has always been an important step in the graphic design process. Digital Arts Magazine posted a great article with tips and some useful creative brief links...
"Not every client will be an expert on the design process – that’s your job. A solid creative brief makes all the difference to a job, and here’s how to get one.
Many designers have experienced the horror of a client seeing a design for the first time and then complaining, “But it’s not what I asked for”. It’s a nightmare scenario – and one that’s easily avoided by agreeing on a clear, functional brief." Full Article via Digital Arts Magazine
"Not every client will be an expert on the design process – that’s your job. A solid creative brief makes all the difference to a job, and here’s how to get one.
Many designers have experienced the horror of a client seeing a design for the first time and then complaining, “But it’s not what I asked for”. It’s a nightmare scenario – and one that’s easily avoided by agreeing on a clear, functional brief." Full Article via Digital Arts Magazine
Sunday 17 August 2008
GROUND ZERO solo show
(image: Company Car - Ladbroke Grove, London)My solo show opens on Thursday 28th August at Cosh Gallery, Berwick Street, London. It will be open until 20th September!
Saturday 16 August 2008
Thursday 14 August 2008
Random Pop Art Symbols for Adobe Illustrator
A collection of free Adobe Illustrator symbols from Cherryflip.The set contains 29 shapes that could be used for constructing abstract pop-art design elements or for decorating your vector composition...
To use them you will have to expand the .zip archive and load the "besos" file in Adobe Illustrator (File>Open). After that, simply open the symbols window (Window>Symbols) and you will see a panel similar to the one in the preview image below. Download
To use them you will have to expand the .zip archive and load the "besos" file in Adobe Illustrator (File>Open). After that, simply open the symbols window (Window>Symbols) and you will see a panel similar to the one in the preview image below. Download
Frankensteining Vector and Raster
A great tutorial for frankensteining pixel and vector elements with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. From istockphoto's article section.
"Many artists use only vector art in some of their designs, whether it’s for print or the web. Some clients’ web sites or print material lend themselves to consist of illustrations rather than photos. Other clients may prefer almost all photos to have a more personalized look that has more human interest appeal.
Raster images are composed of pixels, and are often photos. When you take a photo of something, digital cameras save the information in this way. So when you open the image at full size, that’s as big as it should be." Full tutorial
Wednesday 13 August 2008
Victorian Decoaration
A set of free vector brushes from sergeypoluse. The pack contains different swirtl ornamentsin victorian style. To use, open the PDF file with Adobe Illustrator. Download
Tuesday 12 August 2008
China?
Lace Fence is a product developed by the Dutch designer house Demakersvan. (And when one is not using it as a political statement, it is adorable)
Sunday 10 August 2008
Butterfly Brushes For Adobe Illustrator
A free brush resource from remittancegirl. " These vector butterflies are made from a Zoology text on Central and South American insects in 1901." Download (to use open the PDF file with Illustrator)
WILLIAM A. SMITH
During World War II, the illustrator William A. Smith was sent by the OSS to China, where he spent time behind enemy lines working on the propaganda war. It was an eye-opening experience for a boy from Ohio, and he drew everything he saw.
He drew soldiers on a bumpy flight in the back of a C-47 aircraft. He drew Chinese children playing in the street. He drew vanquished japanese prisoners in camps. You can see his thirst for knowledge in these wonderful drawings.
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I find it uplifting that, in the midst of war, an artist retained such curiosity about the world around him and such sensitivity for his subjects. There is a lot of humanity in these drawings.
It is especially interesting to contrast Smith's personal drawings with the propaganda drawings he was doing at the same time (caution: some of these are a little raw).
Smith's personal drawings were clearly an educational process. He learned a lot from keeping his eyes open. On the other hand, his propaganda drawings demonstrate none of the same effort. Great art enriches us by exposing us to the complexity and nuance of life, but in times of war complexity and nuance can be a hindrance.
These twin sets of drawings are a good example of why William Butler Yeats said, "We make rhetoric out of arguments with others but we make poetry out of our arguments with ourselves."
Thursday 7 August 2008
Skin Tones
Create characters that glow from within, using these handy tips for painting realistic skin colouring.
How do you paint skin tones? Do you fill in with one largely uniform colour, and then add a bit of a flush on the cheeks? Real skin tones are more complex than that. Read more ?! ...click here
How do you paint skin tones? Do you fill in with one largely uniform colour, and then add a bit of a flush on the cheeks? Real skin tones are more complex than that. Read more ?! ...click hereWednesday 6 August 2008
30 Vector Flower Symbols
A collection of 29 vector flower symbols for Adobe Illustrator by cherryflip. The file contains different by shape and color flowers that can be used for decorating your artwork or for building a seamless pattern for the web...
The artwork is saved in EPS file format, you can use any vector compatible program to modify the file. Download
The artwork is saved in EPS file format, you can use any vector compatible program to modify the file. Download
Tuesday 5 August 2008
Antscape Painting
Crystal Palace, LondonI have finally got my sweaty little hands on the first copy of my book and it looks great! Seeing it for real for the first time was a buzz - I just can't wait to see it in the shops now!
The book is out on the 5th of September but we are having a book launch event on Sunday 31st August in London - The Little People Treasure hunt! I will be placing four installations at various locations around London and it is up to YOU to track them down and find them. The hunt starts at my show at Cosh Gallery on Berwick Street. The first person or team to spot all four installations and get to the finish line at the Truman Brewery Bar on Brick Lane will win a signed print from the show. There is also a special prize for the best photography of the installations, with a flickr page set up here for you to upload to, so bring your cameras! After the hunt, there will be music and drinks at the Truman Brewery Bar and the chance to buy the book a full 5 days before it arrives in shops (woopie!). And if that wasn't incentive enough to sign up, everyone that registers gets sent a free exclusive badge set featuring artwork from the book cover (while stocks last!) To see more details and sign up, click the link below (or above).
My first solo show, Ground Zero, will open on Thursday 28th August at Cosh Gallery. Further details will be anounced very soon...
Monday 4 August 2008
Anime Eyes
If you're currently interested in anime character design you may save some time with the eyes. The stock contains eye vectors in 8 different styles. Download
*note for those who have problems with importing the pdf file in Illustrator I added a an .ai (Adobe Illustrator) file which you can download from here. Resource by hetoan2
*note for those who have problems with importing the pdf file in Illustrator I added a an .ai (Adobe Illustrator) file which you can download from here. Resource by hetoan2
Sunday 3 August 2008
Rotate Tool & Custom Pattern Brush Tool Tutorial
A great two step tutoarial with empasis on using the rotate and the brush tools in Adobe illustrator by www.bittbox.com"Creating intricate circular designs and patterns may look difficult because the shapes can be very complicated, but you will be surprised at just how easy making these shapes can be. I will go over some neat tricks, tools, techniques, and settings that will have you pumping out perfect circular designs in no time using Illustrator." Full Tutorial
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