Tell me what I could have done better with this vector drawing

CkretAjint · 02-11-2009, 10:24 AM

Why use Paint to color it? Colorize it in Illustrator and add a bunch more shadowing. Shadows and highlights will really make it pop.

Danger_Mouse · 02-11-2009, 11:07 AM

Shadows and highlights will really make it pop.

lol....make it "pop", you sound like a client.

Not too shabby of a job, I can recognize who it is. How to improve?

Details.

You might want to experiment in the gradient mesh as well.

asur84 · 02-11-2009, 11:10 AM

Originally posted by CkretAjint View Post

Why use Paint to color it? Colorize it in Illustrator and add a bunch more shadowing. Shadows and highlights will really make it pop.

I agree i'd be tempted to play with shadows etc with a black and white image but that is more personal preference than anything

**Drazan** · 02-11-2009, 11:33 AM

To create good illustration, the lines should vary from thin to thick. Having all the lines the same thickness makes the image seem flat. Pay attention to the details, adding the shading, making sure the shirt has all it's seams present, and even so much as adding the clothing wrinkles.

If you have a chance look through the book series "how to draw magna". Not so much for the style of illustration, but for how to put in the details.

Jade

Paj · 02-11-2009, 11:43 AM

what drazan said - having lines all the same weight isnt as effective. theres some good basic illy brushes you can use for this effect, or make your own.

if your next image has lots of perspective or foreshortening (overlapping objects based on distance from the eye), lines get thicker the closer they are to the viewer - so you can use both these techniques to make some very dynamic images.

the colouring is a bit flat too - next time you can try creating areas of highlight and shadow on the face, clothing and hair (hair is always tricky!) another advantage of this is that you dont have to use lines to show form, you can hint at it with shading instead which makes it more interesting.

other than that, its pretty good - youve captured the expression on the face well and your linework is nice and clean

Drawing a Blank · 02-11-2009, 02:10 PM

I would say it is a good start. Check the shape of his nose because the first thing I thought when I looked at it was that it looked a lot like another part of a mans anatomy.

Totem-Media · 02-11-2009, 03:17 PM

Geddy's nose is very dramatic, Drawing.

tZ · 02-11-2009, 03:33 PM

Less emphasis on line more on value. Define form through shape not line. Line's don't actually exist in the real world only values. The close proximity of two contrasting values suggest the idea of a line.

klucid · 02-11-2009, 06:01 PM

I agree on the stroked lines. You should never use a stroke weight on your lines in an illustration, but rather draw outlines on each individual shade value (think in terms of a color-by-number painting).

I wish I had a vector that I did... It was a self-portrait. Not all that great, but it's a good demonstration of the said shading technique. I'll post it up if I find it.

klucid · 02-11-2009, 06:02 PM

This is a vector drawing I did YEARS ago, it's more of a cartoon style, but you can see that I never use a stroke weight, but rather polygons. Even for the outlines.

Totem-Media · 02-11-2009, 06:32 PM

Interesting and kinda cute illustration, klucid.

klucid · 02-11-2009, 06:34 PM

Thanks!

The Golden Boy · 02-11-2009, 07:28 PM

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

I'm still a novice with Illustrator, and I can't figure out how to add colors to designs like this without using the Live Paint function, which kinda sucks.

I'm going to take your suggestions, go find some online tutorials, and learn how to do that stuff.

Oh, and I tried like CRAZY to get his nose not to look like a phallus, I really did. Geddy's nose is a very stunning sight to behold, there's not much else I could do with it.

TGB

klucid · 02-11-2009, 07:30 PM

Originally posted by the golden boy View Post

oh, and i tried like crazy to get his nose not to look like a phallus...

lol!!!

Tell me what I could have done better with this vector drawing

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