Whatever is your artistic manner and workstyle, the major advice from our illustrator is like that: never stop where you are. Only the constant learning process can allow you to achieve creative development and not to get stuck on the sidelines of the information field.

But how to search for the needed data and process it properly?

These are the questions Yaroslava asked herself working on a new set of illustrations called Curious Cat. In addition, in this art project, she wanted to try new stylistic techniques that are often found in printed graphics but rarely in web illustrations.

Practical advice: If you want to reinforce and develop a certain stylistic skill, work on a consistent set of illustrations, not a single artwork. In this case, you get a hand in it, your creative approach is more systematic and complex. What’s more, you will tackle the difficulties which may not arise in one piece of art, and the customer, seeing a series of artworks, will catch the general style more accurately and understand that this artwork is not just accidental something taken out of thin air.

Stage 1: Color Palette

In this case, the artist proceeded from a style that was based on imitation of manual printing graphics. So, she chose 3 primary colors, the overlay of which would give her all the necessary palette and convey the spirit of screen printing. To reach that effect, she selected a brush in Procreate that creates the necessary texture. A more time-consuming but also the more effective method is creating your own brushes using textures from real materials. Yaroslava also added a neutral gray color and a couple of paper textures to the palette.

Stage 2: Theme

The artist was looking for an abstract theme that could have a logical sequence of illustrations and, at the same time, encourage her to search for new expressive techniques and compositions.

As a result, the choice was focused on the theme called Process, so the illustrations aimed at reflecting various stages of the research and creation process. Also, this series had a mascot character: the curious and clever Cat.

The illustrator took the basic and crucial stages of the creative process as themes for the illustrations in the set:

• statement of a question
• research
• data systematization
• analysis of the received data
• hypotheses
• solution

Stage 3: Process

It’s easy to see that the creative process starts much before the first line or word gets down on paper, canvas, or artboard. So, the set of artworks about the Curious Cat reflects will help us to define, describe, and illustrate the design flow for a series of digital illustrations.  If you project this list of points onto the creative process for illustration, then it might flow in the following way.

Statement of the question

• What goals do I set for myself?
• What do I want to achieve?
• Which illustrators do I like?
• What is in their work that caught my attention?
• What is my work missing?
• What skills would I like to upgrade?
• How can I reveal the topic?

It doesn’t mean to ask these questions all together at once, it’s enough to concentrate on a couple of aspects that are of interest at the moment since the tasks change and the entire analysis process needs to be done anew each time.

Research

This stage includes collecting references, selecting works of illustrators whose work inspires you, reading articles on the topic under study (in this case, about different kinds and approaches to the creative process), or perhaps even not this topic directly but the one that will really motivate you to work (for example, biographies of famous creative people you like), and creating a library or mood board of photo fragments you like.

Data systematization

It is a vital stage. It defines how you processed the information gathered at the previous stages and were able to structure it. For example:

• The works of this group of illustrators catch my attention and emotions with the transfer of movement.
• In this group of photographs, I adore a beautiful combination of colors.
• The description I read in the article helps to convey the problem more precisely.

Data Analysis

Analysis of the obtained data in case of the illustration process lies in the:

• creation of sketches
• trying various color selections
• thinking over the plot
• considering a character image.

The artist realized that this particular project needed a character. It was the best was to reach the consistency and united look of the different artworks. What’s more, the character was effective in clarifying the terminology and actions as well as humanizing and personalizing quite abstract notions and phenomena.

Here you can see the search process for the character images that went through several iterations before the Curious Cat was found as the best choice.

Hypotheses

This stage goes in parallel with the analysis. And often, for illustrators, it looks like creating sketches and possible variations, ideas on how you can get the best for the required plot, which composition, angle, or shape is more advantageous for conveying the essence, which colors will emphasize the mood and set the needed atmosphere.

Solution

The solution is the sum of all the stages passed and implemented in the illustration. The final result may seem simple and uncomplicated at first glance, but only after deep processing and analyzing the information, this result will be not random or accidental but will be based on experience and practice. What’s more, the set of illustrations opens a broader perspective for visual storytelling.

Hopefully, the stages described above will motivate you to try such a systematic approach in your illustration experience. Also, welcome to check more practical tips and examples by Yaroslava: in our earlier articles, she shared guides on how to build up your original style of illustration and also, she shared the creative process step-by-step in the case studies on narrative illustration, interface illustration, and theme illustration devoted to the Olympic Games.

Illustration Collections and Digital Art Case Studies

If you want to see more collections of illustrations or discover how they work in particular design projects, here’s the set of posts for you.

Book Illustrations for Visual Storytelling

45 Inspiring Illustrations About Workspaces, Creativity and Art

20+ Atmospheric Digital Illustrations: From Landscapes to City Views

Digital Art: 40+ Inspiring Illustrations on Diverse Themes

Case Study: Fulfill. Illustrations and Web Design for 3PLs Marketplace

Case Study: Roebuck. Mobile Design and Illustrations for Educational App

Case Study: World Humanitarian Day. Illustrations and Video for United Nations

Case Study: ABUK. Custom Book Cover Design for Audiobook App

Case Study: Moonworkers. Digital Illustrations on Film Production

5 Basic Types of Images for Web Content

10 Reasons to Apply Illustrations in UI Design

Originally written for Tubik Blog, graphic content by tubik arts

Сообщение Illustration Process: Creative Steps of Making Illustration Set появились сначала на Design4Users.

Under the Same Sun: Animals and People

We all, humans and animals, share one planet, one sky, and one ground, and we all live under the same sun. That’s the theme for our new set of digital artworks, full of grace and cuteness, fun and unconditional love, harmony and devotion, wildlife and humanity. It features animals in their natural habitats – and in friendly relations with the world of people!

Graceful cheetah illustration

Lion power illustration

Hawk dignity illustration

Raccoon cuteness illustration

Cheerful dolphins illustration

Loyal dog illustration

Wildlife Illustration Art

This set consists of artistic illustrations also devoted to the wonderful world of animals. The color palette is based on the natural environment, with bright color accents and pastel textures giving the feeling of harmony and letting us feel the magic of wildlife.

Forest bear illustration

Graceful horse illustration

Underwater world illustration

Peaceful giraffes illustration

Cute puffins illustration

Impressive flamingoes illustration

Animal Portraits

Here is the illustration series of animal portraits full of natural power, grace, concentration, and dignity.

Holy Cow portrait illustration

Dog portrait illustration

Rooster portrait illustration

Cat portrait illustration

Koala portrait illustration

Frog portrait illustration

Dog Breeds Illustration Set

This illustration project is both beautiful and educational. It provides a brief illustrated introduction to different dog breeds famous all over the world, their history, and their famous breeders.

Playful Jack Russel Terrier dogs and John Russel who first bred them.

Cheerful and super clever Border Collie dogs and their breeder Adam Tefler, whose dog Old Hemp is considered to be a progenitor to the breed.

Cute, snow-white, and fluffy Samoyed dogs and their known breeders Ernest and Clara Kilburn Scott.

Big, supportive, and hard-working St Bernard dogs were originally bred as rescue dogs by the hospice of the Great St Bernard Pass on the Italian-Swiss border, built by and named after Italian monk Bernard of Menthon. 

Cute Japanese Chin dogs are known for their importance to the Japanese nobility. They quickly got their high position in the Japanese Imperial palaces, where they were closely kept and guarded, while for a long time, mere peasants were not allowed to own them as the small dogs became treasures more valuable than gold.

Lovely and clever Belgian Shepherds that present the breed of very diverse looks.

Funny Welsh Corgi dogs and their most well-known fan Queen Elizabeth II.

New illustration sets are coming soon, don’t miss them!

Check more artworks in the Tubik Arts Dribbble portfolio or Tubik Arts Behance portfolio.

Illustration Collections and Digital Art Case Studies

If you want to see more collections of illustrations or discover how they work in particular design projects, here’s the set of posts for you.

Picturesque Digital Illustrations Inspired by Art of Architecture

OK Boomer. Trivia Game Design and Branding

Art of Love: Romantic Illustrations on Love and Affection

Human Medley: 30+ Bright and Stylish People Illustrations

CUBE. Illustration Set for Video Production Company

Real Bitcoin. Creating Website Illustrations

Art of Seasons: 30+ Bright Illustrations Inspired by Nature

45 Inspiring Illustrations About Workspaces, Creativity, and Art

PackYak. Mascot Design for Shipping Service

Devpost. Hero Illustrations for Hackathons Platform

ABUK. Custom Book Cover Design for Audiobook App

Originally written for Tubik Blog, graphic content by tubik

Сообщение Charming Illustration Sets About Animals and Pets by Tubik Arts появились сначала на Design4Users.

Check more artworks by Lynn Chen in her ArtStation portfolio.

New D4U Gallery issues are coming soon, keep up with new posts.

For more inspiration, check the sets of ultra-minimalistic product designs, Procreate illustration tutorials, logo animation examples, realistic 3D portraits, impressive packaging designs, dog illustrations, childhood illustrations, 3D illustrations, book cover designs, sunny digital artworks, and other posts from our D4U Gallery where we gather impressive creatives to share their art with you.

Сообщение 40 Bright Digital Artworks About Cute Corgi Life by Lynn Chen появились сначала на Design4Users.

The term “illustration” originates from the Latin “illustrare” whose meaning is to light up, illuminate, explain. An illustration may either serve as a supplement to the text or fully replace it. The series of illustrations can tell a kind of small story by means of visuals. It has to be clear and transfer the needed message properly.

To show it in the real project, in this case study, we are unveiling the design process on the narrative digital illustration by Tubik designer Yaroslava Yatsuba. Earlier we shared her tips on creating flat illustrations and the case study on sports illustration. This time you are welcome to check how the set of narrative illustrations was created for a cartoon “Paris Je T’aime”.

Project

Creating the series of narrative illustrations for the story “Paris Je T’aime”.

Process

Idea

The story features the adventures of the cute and cheerful dachshund Tubik in Paris. The initial volume of graphics set for the project was around 10 digital illustrations.

Stage 1. Rough Pencil Sketch

At this stage, the designer made research, collected references, and analyzed them. The first sketch was made frontal as at this phase it was important to catch the idea, the sequence of scenes, and plot while the composition could be worked out later. In the process, the number of shots was reduced from 12 to 8: the designer left only the most recognizable landmarks and united some illustrations into one.

First quick sketch

A bit more detailed working out one of the illustrations.

Stage 2. Compositional Sketch

Having developed the draft storyboard, Yaroslava moved to work on the elaborate drawing which will become the basis of the digital illustration. Here she considered the composition of a shot, try interesting perspectives and stylistic effects. So, she redrew the sketch from the perspective of the dog’s eye, added the effect of the Fish-eye lens and made the angle of descent steeper. All that added dynamics, drive, and fun to the illustration.

Working out the main character

Together with composition, the designer developed the image of the main character, a funny dachshund dog. First, she drew 6 different concepts for finding its looks.

Then she worked out the digital image for the chosen concept.

Having made a choice on one of the variants, she worked on the dynamics of its movements as the plot required to show that the dog runs across Paris twining round it.

Designer’s tip: Study the books on character animation, they teach much about transitions and movements.

Analysis of dynamic motion of the character

Detalization of the character

Stage 3. Color and Texture

Color
After setting up the composition and appearance of the main character, the designer drew that all in vector and moved to one of the hardest artistic challenges – the choice of the color palette. She wanted to make the illustrations bright and catchy so the choice was made on juicy colors. In the final set, there were 6 colors plus white.

Textures
Textures and ragged edges add originality to illustrations. For this series, the designer used the object’s masks and art brushes for the outline. That added the feeling of hand-drawn book illustrations.

Colors and textures chosen for the series

The elements of composition to one of the illustrations

Final Result

And here are all the shots for the series. Check the story of how a funny dog traveled around Paris and fell in love with the city.

“Err, where am I?”

“That looks interesting, doesn’t it?”

“I must see everything!”

“Unbelievable, so many halls…”

“Selfie with Mona!”

“Hey, guys, where’s the exit?”

“Ah, that’s so beautiful!”

“Paris, I love you!”

Useful Reading

Here’s a bunch of articles and case studies for more reading on graphic design and digital art:

Design Process: How to Create Catchy Flat Illustrations

Winter Olympics Illustration. Step-by-Step Process

Case Study: Creating a Mascot for a Party Game

Case Study: Brand Intro Cartoon for Wedding Dresses Brand

Creative Jobs: What Graphic Designers Do

Functional Art: 10 Big Reasons to Apply Illustrations in UI Design

5 Basic Types of Images in Web Design

Hero Images in Web Design: When, Why, and How to Use

Originally written for Tubik Blog

Сообщение Case Study: Step-by-Step Process for Storytelling Illustration Set появились сначала на Design4Users.

People love dogs. You can never go wrong adding a dog to the story. (Jim Butcher)

No secret, dogs are among the most popular and loved animals in the world. As well, they seem to be among the super favs as heroes in stories, films, and games. Not only dogs engage people to be kinder and more energetic in their everyday life but also they inspire to create artworks in different styles. Today we will share the pack of illustrations all inspired by dogs and also will introduce the new name to the gallery of illustrators in D4U Inspiration. So, meet Varya Kolesnikova, the digital artist famous on Behance in particular for elaborate animal illustrations. Although the animals are different, the dogs appear to be her favorite: they are presented in a variety of plots and perspectives, breeds and moods. So, for this design collection, we’ve decided to focus on that theme. Welcome to enjoy diverse artworks devoted to dogs, the most loved animals of the world.

Breeds of Dogs Illustrations

101 Dalmatians Illustrations

Bow-Wow Project

Dog Illustrations from Different Projects

Varya Kolesnikova’s Behance portfolio

Also, you may like a great collection of animal illustrations by Therese Larsson, childhood illustrations by Pascal Campion, stunning 3D graphics by Aleksandr Kuskov, and other posts in D4U Inspiration

Сообщение The Awesome World of Dog Illustrations by Varya Kolesnikova появились сначала на Design4Users.

By Tubik Arts

By Markus Magnusson

By UI8

By MUTI

Cub Studio

Gal Shir

By Anna Kajda

By Tubik

By RADIO

By Anna Hurley

By Fireart Studio

By Phillip Nordstrom

By Artua

By Roman Klco

By Matt Carlson

By Tubik

By Rosie Phillpot

By James Boorman

By Andrey Prokopenko

By Mario Jacome

By Icons8

By Jordan Jenkins

By Carlos Puentes

For more digital art, check the collections of autumn illustrations, summer illustrations, winter illustrations, and other D4U Inspiration posts

Сообщение Trick-Or-Treat in Digital Art: 20+ Cool Halloween Pictures появились сначала на Design4Users.

Task

Graphic and motion design for promotional video production presenting the local trashbin cleaning service.

Process

Binned is a service supporting a cleaner and healthier environment for the local community by washing and deodorizing the trash bins outdoors. The idea to support the brand promotion with the short, bright and catchy animated video was absolutely logical for this case: trashbins cleaning is not the topic to which people are ready to devote their precious time and read about all the benefits. Meanwhile, the promo video with funny and friendly characters could become a good way to inform the potential users of the service about all its advantages in short seconds.  Moreover, activating multiple directions of perception, video was found impactful in stimulating positive emotional appeal which was to the client’s liking.

At the first stage of collaboration with the company, Tubik team created the brand identity for the service including the logo in static and animated versions as well as the pack of branded items – you could have seen the detailed design story in our previous case study. The promo video had to look consistent with the visual style applied to branding and support the idea of the helpful service improving the quality of everyday life for its clients and making the environment healthier for everyone.

Binned logo

Storyboarding and graphic design

At the first stage, the client and the team agreed upon the visual concept for the video and general story it should transfer. Having got the brief and basic script of the video from the client, the graphic designer started the research and developed the first rough version of a storyboard for the story in the footage. As it usually does in the process of creating promotional videos for a company, storyboard means the illustrations arranged in the sequence of their flow for the video. They featured the images of a bin as a mascot presenting the service and the main character. In general terms, the video presented the story about a dirty and smelly trashbin which was really sad about its condition but then the truck of a cleaning service came and solved the problem quickly: dirt, insects and bad smell are removed and the bin is happy to serve people again. Below you can see the set of sketches for this stage. For this project, the graphic designer applied Adobe Photoshop for both digital sketches and final detailed illustrations.

After discussing the flow with the client and agreeing upon the final number and sequence of shots for the future video, the next step meant creating a final storyboard for the video showing the scenario scene by scene. In a funny and friendly way, the short story showed the problems, which potential target audience could have, and the ways how Binned solves them easily. The style chosen for the video reflected the idea of the hand-drawn cartoon with a friendly and cute mascot. The color palette was focused on green and blue shades associated with a clean and healthy environment. One by one, the graphic designer made the final version of every part in the storyboard sequence following the consistent style and visual performance.

One of the microtasks at this stage was creating the funny images of the rats, insects and harmful bacterias that inhabit dirty trashbins and threaten the healthy lifestyle of the local people. Even being the negative characters of this story, they still supported the general cute and funny look chosen for the video.

As we mentioned in our guide to design in promo video production, at this stage it’s vital to set a constructive dialogue between the design team and the client: every single image in the storyboard should be discussed and approved in terms of general idea and goals set for the video. Motion design has many specific features and designers have to be ready to explain them: it can happen that clients express ideas and wishes which technically can overload the footage or look bad in the limited timing. Getting deeper into the goals and results which the client expects, designers looked for the optimal solutions which would make the video both good-looking and effective.

Animation

When all the storyboard was agreed upon, it was a good time to continue with motion. Here you can see how motion designer worked on visual details in different parts of the video: the magnifier glass featuring the process of a trashbin inspection, the process of loading the bins into the service truck and washing, the bins jumping happily after the wash. The design tool chosen for this type of animation was Adobe After Effects.

It was another project for Tubik that proved the benefits of having graphic and motion designers in one team as they work together on all the details and assets from the earliest stages of the creative process and can consult with each other any moment it’s needed. It makes the workflow dynamic and productive enabling the client to get the video without wasting time on trying to bring several teams together.

Outcome

After the animation of all the shots was finished, it was thoroughly checked along the required timing and harmonic combination with the voice-over.  Here’s the final version of the video.

Binned project added one more bright page to the Tubik history providing the extensive case of participation in brand strategy for a service company, from creating visual identity elements up to consistent brand style guide and promo video. Don’t miss the updates, new case studies are just around the corner.

Originally written for Tubik Blog
Welcome to read a case study on Binned Brand Identity Design

Сообщение Design Case Study: Binned. Promo Video Production появились сначала на Design4Users.

So, let’s get inspired with this artistic animal kingdom.

Therese Larsson Portfolio on Behance

You may also like the collections of love illustrations, spring illustrations, winter illustrations, summer illustrations, autumn illustrations, and other D4U Inspiration posts

Сообщение Animality: Awesome Illustrations by Therese Larsson. появились сначала на Design4Users.