Mapping Styles by kaeystudio

MAPPING STYLES TYPES OF ILLUSTRATION - STYLES AND TECHNIQUES

Content... I. Based on techniques 1. Pencil illustration ............................................................ 9 2. Charcoal illustration ..................................................... 11 3. Watercolor illustration ................................................. 13 4. Gouche illustration ....................................................... 15 5. Acrylic illustration ......................................................... 17 6. Pen and ink illustration ................................................. 19 7. Freehand digital illustration ......................................... 21 8. Vector illustration .......................................................... 23

II. Based on styles 1. Children’s book ............................................................ 13 2. Concept art ................................................................ 14 3. Graphic novels/ comics ............................................ 15 5. Books, Publications, editorial .................................. 16 6. Adertising .................................................................. 17 7. Packaging .................................................................. 18 8. Brand and logo .......................................................... 19 9. End note ..................................................................... 20

TECHNIQUES

Important differences in creativity A designer Often relies on a set of elements – images, typography, etc. and organizes them in engaging compositions. The main task of the designer is to focus the attention of the viewer on a certain visual concept, idea, detail, part of the design and to make an idea appealing and memorable.

An illustrator Mwore often produces the imagery themselves and not necessarily work on the whole design of the “product”. The illustrations are often supportive to other mediums – for example, illustrations often accompany newspaper articles, books, magazines and they most often serve to support and better translate ideas, texts and/or further explain them. More often than not, illustrators try to keep the balance between visual and text and try not to steal all the focus on the illustration.

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TECHNIQUES We can basically divide the types of illustration, based on the technique used, into two large groups: Traditional illustration and Modern style. Techniques for making illustration changed over time, as materials are also changing and evolving. Artists relied on paper, paints, pencils, but with the digital era evolution, even artists accustomed to traditional mediums and materials started working digitally – with the help of 2D and 3D software such as Photoshop and 3DMax and Maya, for example. The digital tools and techniques imitate traditional materials and effects achieved with them and it is easy to switch different materials and experiment.

1. Illustration by

2. Illustration by

Carter Goodrich

Georgi Dimitrov

3. Illustration by Jenny Bean

TECHNIQUES

Pencil illustrations

Maybe one of the most popular types of illustration is the pencil one. It is rich material, which allows you creating soft shadows and transitions, as well creating sharp, accurate lines. Sometimes, illustrators choose to keep the pencil sketch very loose and to draft with a pencil – later on, they finish off the illustration with another material. Above you saw 3 different approaches to pencil illustration – monochrome, with clean lines and richness of the line weight; one with colored pencil with very smooth and soft shading of the volumes; and one rough, sketchy and dynamic illustration, because of the energetic line work and the search for shapes and volumes. The last approach is very common for creating initial character design concepts

1. Illustration by

2. Illustration by

Jo Taylor

Stavros Damos

3. Illustration by Dey Stoeke

TECHNIQUES

Charcoal illustrations

Charcoal illustrations are often not as precise as pen and pencil illustrations but are a preferred choice for illustrating short stories, fast sketches, nooks. Charcoal’s blendability lets the artist create a range of textures, representing materials and shadows, people, objects and the natural world. Artists often use fingers and tissues to blend the soft material, smudge and create smooth and soft shadows. In the above illustrations, you can see how the charcoal helped in creating rough, loose sketch of a horse. Then, another artist made very fine detailing of a human face in another piece. Last, but not least, an illustrator created soft shadows, blending and texturing. Probably, the main difference, compared to pencil illustration is, that the line of the charcoal is always slightly thicker, softer and darker in quality. The reason why example 2 and 3 are so different is because of the way the charcoal is produced: charcoal pencils consisting of compressed charcoal powder and a gum binder, which produces a fine, sharp line; while vine charcoal provides a smooth, softer line.

1. Illustration by

2. Illustration by

Karl lee

Tracy Hetzel

3. Illustration by Yatoshi Sue

TECHNIQUES

Watercolor illustrations

In watercolor illustrations, the main thing is to use color pigments and to create nuances and different transparencies by adding water to the color. The overall feeling of watercolor illustrations is soft, airy, with lots of depth. Illustrators prefer it for illustrating cookbooks, feminine and fashion types of illustration, children book illustrations, as it is very light. It is one of the easiest ways of creating splashes of color, merging one into another – common threats for the mentioned illustration styles. The fineness associated with watercolor illustration allows it to be used as an effective tool for storytelling. Watercolor artwork is noted for its detailing and depth. It’s no wonder why it is is extensively used in children’s books. Using a delicate and creative combination of airy and lighter shades, artists can create extraordinary, thought-provoking watercolor illustration.

1. Illustration by

2. Illustration by

Audra Auclair

Tracy Hetzel

3. Illustration by Shelly Liu

TECHNIQUES

Gouche illustrations

Gouache paint is similar to watercolor modified to make it opaque. It offers rich, thicker, bit darker shades than watercolor and can be even reworked some years later. Commercial artists often use gouache for works such as posters, illustrations, comics, and for other design work. Most 20th-century animations used it to create an opaque color on a cel with watercolor paint used for the backgrounds. Using gouache as “poster paint” is desirable for its speed as the paint layer dries completely by the relatively quick evaporation of the water. Gouache paint, like both watercolor and acrylic paint, is a watermedia: a pigment that has to be mixed with water in order to be spread across a surface. Because it isn’t as popular as other styles of paint, gouache is often described as an “opaque watercolor,” a children’s poster paint, or a supplementary medium to be used alongside better-known techniques.

1. Illustration by

2. Illustration by

Roman Muratkin

Patrick Kretos

3. Illustration by Leo Bruke

TECHNIQUES

Acrylic illustrations

Acrylics is one of the most prefered techniques for beginners – it is relatively easier to work with them, than with watercolor or oils. Still, the artist can achieve both similar effects to oils and watercolors. One can paint with them on almost any kind of surface and they become water resistant, once they are dry. These paints are very versatile as they also come as fluorescents, metalics and other interesting effects. This type of illustration is ideal for beginners. Artists use acrylic paint on various surfaces such as cloth or canvas to create an illustration. Acrylic paints are available in different finishes and they become water-resistant once they dry up. They are extremely versatile and vibrant, offering the artist a wide range of textures, colours and consistencies. The heavy body colour of acrylics is buttery and smooth, blending on the canvas almost like oils. Because they basically dry into a plastic surface, they are ideal for using in multimedia painting as well

1. Illustration by

2. Illustration by

Don Bolognese

Natalia Andrews

3. Illustration by Cario Crene

TECHNIQUES

Pen and Ink illustrations

Illustrating with ink allows the artist to create strong areas of contrast. Most of the illustrations are done by using one tint of ink on a light surface, which again helps achieving high contrasting pieces. Inks are widely accessible and affordable material, easy to transport and to work expressively with. May be you remember the high contrasts of the woodcut? Well, inking allows you to be more mobile and to create even finer lines. Sometimes, achieving just the form is important, unless, working with ink and brush as it is in the first example illustration. Contrast be ahieved also by using dots and strokes with different weight and different distance from each other, as in the second example. In the third illustration, the artist wonderfully combined heavily shaded, rich in value areas with elegant, simple but high contrast illustration.

1. Illustration by

2. Illustration by

SudoSK

Mark Burnet

3. Illustrationby Meryl Ross

TECHNIQUES

7. Freehand digital illustrations Freehand digital illustration is created in the same way how artists use pen and ink to create traditional illustration. Artists creating digital art use stylus or tablet pen to give their imaginations a concrete shape. Artists can create stunning digital illustration styles through an appropriate use of multiple colors, tools, and brush presets. You can even address errors and implement changes quickly. With the combination of the right blends and shades, it is possible to create different effects. With various tablet and stylus combinations, detailed digital illustration can be created. However, it needs to be noted that the digital illustration will be in raster mode, which means that you can zoom or enlarge them to a certain extent or else they will appear blurred. Freehand digital illustration is used for storyboarding, animation, recreation, etc

1. Illustration by

2. Illustration by

Beto Garza

Katrine Rosse

3. Illustration by Denny Wer

TECHNIQUES

Vector illustrations

Artists creating vector illustration make sure that every point is represented on coordinate axes for determining the direction of the path. Vector illustrations can be saved in PDF, EPS, or SVG extensions. Vector graphics can be zoomed and scaled to a particular extent without having to worry about pixelation. Additionally, artists can define outlines in a clearer and better way. Due to lesser flow or gradation, vector illustration can be ideally used as web illustrations, logos, etc Vector illustration is better than freehand digital illustration and is primarily used in print media. You can use vectors with text and typography. Besides, you can easily rotate, skew, stretch, and change the graphics for getting the desired outcomes. However, the vectors are not really used for creating photorealistic art or for adding details to an art.

Styles We start with a small remark – by style, we mean the different genres in illustration (or at least the most popular ones). However, style is used also for the individual and very specific way of expressing of the individual artists, but this could be defined much harder if possible at all. Long story short, we can recognize the following genres in illustration:

1. Illustration by James Ruk

2. Illustration by Dyan Rio

STYLES

Children’s book Children book illustrations can be very diverse – from realistic, full with details illustrations to very simplified, child-like, naive drawings. It depends on the story, the target age group and many more. Nevertheless, children’s illustrations are colorful, narrating, there is always something happening. The characters are cute and friendly.

Concept Art These types of illustration include Fantasy illustrations, illustrations for Gaming, Animation and One-Pager Fine Illustrations. The term concept first appreared back in 1930s, used probably first from Disney and it was used in the automative industry as well. In concept illustration, the artists creates several interepretations (concept) of a certain theme, from which the client can choose from and see the different

1.Illustration by Clerkye

2. Illustration by Natalia Ros

STYLES

Graphic novels / comics Comics is a medium used to express ideas by images, often combined with text or other visual information. Comics frequently takes the form of juxtaposed sequences of panels of images. Often textual devices such as speech balloons, captions, and onomatopoeia indicate dialogue, narration, sound effects, or other information. Size and arrangement of panels contribute to narrative pacing. Cartooning and similar forms of illustration are the most common image-making means in comics.

Books, publications, editorial Today, a book illustration could be designed in any technique and then printed. This style is very versatile and depends on the vision of the authour and the subject of the book. Illustrators try to create eye-catching covers in order to compete with the piles of books in bookshops. It is a very specific style, which demands catching the viewer’s attention, giving a hint of what is inside the book and sometimes, it is the cover that sells the book (or publication).

1. Illustration by Rlon Yang

1. Illustration by Jesse Drok

STYLES

Advertising While book and publication illustrations should be supporting and illuminating a certain idea, without stealing the show from the text, advertising type of illustration is meant to do just that – grab your attention and make a lasting impression on one big idea or brand/product. Many companies choose illustration as the medium to send their message to the audience, because the style better translates the idea than photography, for example.

Packaging While book and publication illustrations should be supporting and illuminating a certain idea, without stealing the show from the text, advertising type of illustration is meant to do just that – grab your attention and make a lasting impression on one big idea or brand/product. Many companies choose illustration as the medium to send their message to the audience, because the style better translates the idea than photography, for example.

1. Illustration by Riodrik

1. Illustration by Kasumi San

STYLES

Brand / Logo Branding/Logo type of illustration isa very specific style, requiring a certain set of skills. For example, a logo should be recognizable and readable at smaller sizes. Therefore, the illustrator should carefully plan the details of the logo. Logos should be simple, yet grabbing attention and memorable. Sometimes, businesses need more than a logo illustration, but mascots, cartoonized version of their employees or products. With their help, the brands enhance their presence and impression on customers. Some of the branding/logo illustrations you might want to see: La Petite Joie A collection of great logo illustrations in cartoon style

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Doodle time

“When I sit down to make a sketch from nature, the first thing I try to do is to forget that I have ever seen a picture.” -John Constable

Kaey Studio

Mapping Styles

Articles inside

End note ..................................................................... 20

Books, Publications, editorial.................................. 16

Packaging.................................................................. 18