The Role of Digital Tools in Modern Illustration

Thanks to technology, it is now simpler for illustrators to realize their ideas. Electronic tools such as drawing tablets and styluses, as well as robust design software, help artists craft swiftly, accurately, and flexibly.

Programs like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or Procreate are vital tools these days for contemporary illustrators because they allow them to alter colors, textures and designs in ways that could not have been achieved with classic media.

Actually, many artists who draw pictures now only use computer-based tools for their work. The benefits are obvious:

• Efficiency: Artists can quickly experiment with different styles, undo mistakes, and adjust compositions.
• Portability: Digital files are easy to share with clients and collaborators across the globe.
• Adjustment: Software for digital art provides multiple brush types, textures and effects, which gives artists unmatched creative liberty.

Artificial Intelligence and Art: A New Frontier

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a new, advanced technology that’s transforming the art world. AI-driven instruments like DALL·E, MidJourney and DeepArt apply algorithms to produce artwork from user prompts. This gives artists the opportunity to co-develop with machines, creating completely fresh ways for creativity.

AI is also utilized to automate regular duties such as resizing, color adjustment, and even producing concepts for new projects. The following are some of the ways AI impacts art and illustration:

• Generation of Concepts: AI can create initial sketches or mood boards that artists can further polish. Artists can incorporate the style of well-known painters or particular genres into their creativity.
• Automation: Regular duties such as shading, arranging layers or positioning items can be simplified. This allows artists to focus more on the artistic parts of their jobs.

Nevertheless, there are worries about AI’s influence on the uniqueness and worth of human contributions to creating art. Some are apprehensive that machines could take over illustrators’ jobs, while others perceive it as a cooperative tool that boosts creativity.

Augmented and Virtual Reality: The New Canvas

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are expanding the limits of our encounters with art. These systems provide settings where artists can generate in three dimensions, offering spectators a participatory experience.

AR in Art: Through Augmented Reality, artists can superimpose digital drawings onto our tangible world. This technique gives spectators an opportunity to engage with these artworks as they happen live. For example, your mobile camera can be utilized to see a digital piece of art on the wall of your living room.

Art with VR: Artists use VR tools such as Tilt Brushes and Quills to make 3D drawings, which can be seen and investigated in virtual places. Narrating stories is particularly thrilling because spectators have the chance to “enter” an art piece and perceive it from different viewpoints.

Also, these technologies are changing the field of education. Schools for art, such as Frank Brunner’s, are incorporating VR and AR into their coursework to provide students with practical experience using advanced tools.

Blockchain and NFTs: Changing the Art Market

Blockchain technology has revolutionized secure online transactions in various sectors, such as internet gambling. It has also made a big impact on the art world through NFTs. With NFTs, digital artworks can be tokenized to prove ownership and authenticity. This development opened up new opportunities for digital artists by giving them novel ways to earn money from their creations that were unthinkable before.

• Ownership: NFTs ensure that the rights of their digital creations remain with the artist, even when they are transferred to different people.
• Royalties: Artists can earn royalties each time their NFT artwork is sold again, which offers continuous income sources.
• Global Markets Access: Artists can use blockchain technology to connect with a worldwide audience without requiring the usual galleries or middlemen.

Although the NFT market has shown instability, it continues to be a significant resource for illustrators who want to experiment with different types of possessions and ways of making money.

The Rise of Collaborative Art Platforms

The Internet is now a strong place for cooperation, and many drawing artists are using it

to participate in worldwide projects. Cooperative art sites such as Behance, Dribble, and DeviantArt make it possible for artists to display their work, get responses from others, and find creators with similar interests to cooperate on different tasks.

These platforms give freelance illustrators the chance to reach wider audiences, which is very important for establishing their reputation. Moreover, they present access to materials, guidance sessions and community help, which assists artists in learning new abilities and keeping abreast of industry movements.

Ethical Considerations in Tech-Driven Art

Like all advancements in technology, merging new tech into art brings with it several ethical considerations. It becomes necessary for artists and illustrators to confront dilemmas such as:

• Copyright: AI-generated art raises questions about ownership and authorship.
• Availability: Even though digital instruments make art creation accessible to many, conventional techniques and abilities may be overlooked.
• Effect on Environment: The power usage related to NFTs and blockchain technology has initiated discussions about sustainability in the sphere of digital art.

Artists must stay updated on these matters and confirm that technology is employed morally and accountable.

The Future of Art and Illustration

As technology continues to develop, so will the world of art. New technologies offer thrilling chances for illustrators to boost their creativity and connect with fresh audiences. From tools powered by artificial intelligence to fully immersive virtual reality experiences, the forthcoming time in art will be more vibrant and easy to access than in the past.

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For traders looking to integrate drawing into their routine, starting with simple doodling or sketching exercises during breaks can be beneficial. Such practices not only refine mental clarity but also reduce stress, enabling traders to maintain focus during market volatility. As traders evolve their drawing skills, they can create detailed mind maps that outline potential trading moves or scenarios, effectively using art as a tool for strategic planning. This creative outlet might also inspire traders to explore new avenues for their investments, such as learning how to efficiently deposit money in Exness, leveraging artistic thinking to enhance financial strategies. This holistic approach not only boosts cognitive flexibility but also helps in maintaining sharp focus, essential for successful trading.

Introduction of Drawing

Drawing is a form of visual art that uses any number of drawing instruments to mark paper or another two-dimensional medium. Instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, various kinds of paints, inked brushes, wax colored pencils, crayons, charcoals, chalk, pastels, various kinds of erasers, markers, styluses, and metals. It is one of the simplest and most efficient means of communicating visual ideas. The wide availability of drawing instruments makes drawing one of the most common artistic activities.

Historically, drawing has been used for decoration, enjoyment, and communication since prehistoric times, with evidence of artistic endeavors dating back to cave paintings. Throughout the centuries, drawing has been a foundational skill in various fields, including art, architecture, engineering, and science. The discipline serves as a critical tool in the artist’s repertoire, essential not only for the creation of art but also for planning and conceptualization in other industries. Today, drawing remains a central element in both traditional visual arts and in the digital realms, adapting to new technologies and mediums to maintain its relevance and importance in the creative world. 

The Science of Focus in Trading

The science of focus in trading is a critical aspect of a trader’s ability to make informed and efficient decisions under pressure. Focus in trading involves maintaining attention on market trends, understanding complex data, and executing trades at optimal times without succumbing to emotional impulses. This cognitive process requires not only acute concentration but also the ability to manage distractions effectively, a skill set that traders continuously develop and refine.

Neuroscientific studies indicate that successful trading relies heavily on the frontal lobe of the brain, which is responsible for executive functions such as planning, problem-solving, and inhibiting emotional responses. Traders must be adept at maintaining focus amidst the volatile and often chaotic environment of financial markets. Techniques from cognitive psychology, such as mindfulness and task segmentation, are frequently adopted to enhance concentration and prevent cognitive overload. These methods help traders to stay present and methodical, reducing the risk of hasty decisions fueled by stress or fleeting emotions. Additionally, the discipline of focus in trading is not just about intense concentration but also about the strategic allocation of attention—knowing when to zoom in on details and when to step back to see the bigger picture. This balance is crucial for long-term success in the trading arena.

Connection Between Art and Traders

The connection between art and traders may not be immediately apparent, but upon closer examination, the synergy between artistic practices and trading activities becomes evident. This relationship is rooted in the enhancement of cognitive abilities, emotional regulation, and strategic thinking—all essential skills for effective trading. Here’s how art and artistic techniques benefit traders:

Cognitive Flexibility

Art nurtures cognitive flexibility, an essential trait for traders who must frequently adapt to rapidly changing market conditions. Engaging in artistic activities such as drawing or painting can stimulate neural pathways that improve a trader’s ability to switch between different tasks and viewpoints. This enhanced mental agility allows traders to better analyze diverse market data and adapt their strategies accordingly.

Emotional Balance

Trading is often a high-stress profession, with significant financial risks and the potential for emotional highs and lows. Artistic expression offers an emotional outlet and a form of stress relief, helping to maintain a balanced psychological state. Regular engagement in art can mitigate the effects of stress and anxiety, leading to more rational decision-making and improved risk management in trading.

Enhanced Observation Skills

Art enhances visual literacy skills, such as noticing fine details, understanding spatial relationships, and recognizing patterns—skills that are directly transferable to technical analysis in trading. Traders who practice art are likely to be more adept at interpreting complex chart patterns and indicators, leading to more precise and effective trade execution.

Improved Intuition

Artistic activities encourage a deep connection with one’s intuitive processes. For traders, intuition can be a powerful tool, especially when combined with thorough analysis. Art helps in honing this intuition, enabling traders to make quicker, more confident decisions based on their subconscious understanding of market trends and behaviors.

Strategic Creativity

Art fosters creativity, which can be strategically applied to develop innovative trading strategies and solutions. Traders who engage in creative practices are more likely to think outside the box and come up with unique approaches to navigating the markets. This creativity can be particularly valuable in identifying new opportunities or solving problems that more conventional methods fail to address.

Communication and Presentation Skills

Art also plays a role in enhancing communication skills. For traders, particularly those who work with teams or need to present their analyses and strategies, being able to clearly and creatively express ideas is crucial. Artistic skills can aid in the visual presentation of data, making complex information more accessible and understandable.

Drawing Techniques in Modern Trading

In the realm of modern trading, drawing techniques are utilized not just for artistic expression but as powerful tools to enhance analytical precision and strategic planning. These techniques intersect significantly with technical analysis, a crucial aspect of trading that involves the study of market action through charts and graphs to forecast future price movements. Here are some ways drawing techniques manifest in modern trading:

Chart Patterns

Traders use drawing tools to identify and analyze chart patterns, which are foundational to technical analysis. Patterns like head and shoulders, triangles, and flags can indicate potential market movements. By drawing these patterns directly onto price charts, traders can visually track emerging trends and shifts in market sentiment.

Trend Lines and Channels

Drawing trend lines helps traders determine market direction and identify areas of support and resistance. These lines are drawn by connecting multiple price points on a graph, creating a straight line that highlights upward, downward, or sideways trends. Channels, parallel to trend lines, help traders visualize the range within which the price is expected to fluctuate.

Fibonacci Retracements

Fibonacci retracement levels are drawn between two significant price points (high and low) to identify potential reversal levels. This technique is based on the idea that markets will retrace a predictable portion of a move, after which they will continue to move in the original direction. Traders use these levels as indicators to enter or exit trades.

Candlestick Formations

While not drawing in the traditional sense, interpreting candlestick formations involves a keen visual acuity similar to that required in drawing. Recognizing patterns like doji, hammers, and engulfing candles can provide insight into market psychology and potential price movement.

Risk Management

Drawing techniques are also applied in plotting risk management tools such as stop-loss and take-profit levels. These are crucial for defining exit points on a trade, either to cap a loss or to lock in a profit, based on a visual assessment of the price chart.

Mind Mapping

Beyond technical chart drawing, some traders use mind mapping to outline their trading strategies, risk management rules, or trading psychology reminders. This creative visual planning combines drawing with strategic thinking to manage and streamline the decision-making process.

Conclusion

Drawing and other artistic techniques offer significant benefits beyond the canvas, particularly for professionals in high-stakes environments like trading. Engaging in art can enhance cognitive flexibility, emotional resilience, and observational skills, all of which are crucial for traders facing the rapid pace and complexity of financial markets. By fostering a balanced psychological state and encouraging intuitive and creative problem-solving, art can be a strategic tool for traders. Incorporating artistic practices into a trading routine not only helps in managing stress but also sharpens the mind, enabling traders to navigate the markets with greater precision and insight. Therefore, embracing the arts may not only enrich a trader’s personal life but also amplify their professional effectiveness, making it a worthwhile pursuit for those looking to excel in the trading arena.

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As we delve into the realm of art, we’ll explore a variety of mediums and methods that cater to different styles and preferences. From the precise control required in pencil drawing to the fluid spontaneity of watercolors, and the digital precision in modern illustration, each discipline offers unique challenges and rewards. This article aims to demystify the initial hurdles that many beginners face, providing practical advice and easy-to-follow exercises. 

Best Techniques of Painting for Beginners

Painting is a rewarding skill that allows for creative expression in countless forms and mediums. For beginners, starting with the right techniques can pave the way to developing both confidence and competence. Here are some of the best painting techniques that are especially useful for beginners:

1. Choosing the Right Medium: Beginners should start with a medium that is forgiving and easy to manipulate. Acrylic paints are ideal for starters because they dry quickly, can be diluted with water, and are easy to clean up. Watercolor is another good option, though it requires a bit more control and understanding of water usage.
2. Underpainting: Start your painting by creating an underpainting, which is a monochrome version of the final painting. This technique helps establish values and tones that serve as a guide for your composition. Underpainting is particularly useful in acrylic and oil painting to build depth and volume.
3. Blocking In: This technique involves painting the major shapes of your composition with a solid color before adding details. It helps in setting the composition and provides a clear path to follow as you begin adding complexity. Blocking in simplifies the process by breaking down the painting into manageable sections.
4. Dry Brush: Dry brushing involves using a dry brush with a minimal amount of paint to lightly brush over the canvas. This technique is great for creating texture and highlighting details. It’s particularly effective for depicting things like foliage, fur, or hair.
5. Wet on Wet: Known as “alla prima” in oils and sometimes used in watercolors, this technique involves applying wet paint onto wet paint without waiting for successive layers to dry. It’s excellent for blending colors directly on the canvas and achieving a natural, soft look in the transitions between hues.
6. Layering: Especially important in acrylic and oil painting, layering involves applying multiple layers of paint, allowing each layer to dry before applying the next. This technique enhances the depth and richness of colors and allows for more detailed and refined finishes.
7. Palette Knife Technique: Using a palette knife instead of a brush can offer a variety of textures and effects. It’s excellent for creating bold strokes and adding dimension and impasto effects to your painting.

Beginner Techniques for Drawing

Drawing is a fundamental skill in the visual arts, serving as the foundation for other art forms such as painting and sculpture. For beginners, mastering basic drawing techniques can significantly improve their ability to capture what they see and imagine. Here are some essential techniques that are ideal for beginners to develop their drawing skills:

1. Line Drawing: Begin with simple line drawings to focus on the shapes and outlines of objects. Practice using continuous lines without lifting your pencil to develop hand-eye coordination and confidence. This exercise helps you see and capture the basic forms of any subject.
2. Contour Drawing: This technique involves drawing the outlines and edges of forms without looking at the paper. Known as blind contour drawing, it’s excellent for improving observation skills and helps artists truly capture the essence of the subject.
3. Hatching and Cross-Hatching: Hatching involves drawing closely spaced parallel lines to suggest values and textures. Cross-hatching uses layers of parallel lines crossing over each other at different angles to create a sense of depth and dimension. These techniques are vital for developing your ability to depict light and shadow with just a pen or pencil.
4. Scribbling: While it may seem rudimentary, scribbling can be a creative way to fill large spaces with texture and tonal variations. It’s a free-form technique that can add dynamism and movement to your sketches.
5. Stippling: This technique uses dots to create values and texture. The closer the dots, the darker the area appears. Stippling is excellent for detailed work and gives the artist control over light and dark without using traditional shading methods.
6. Shading: Understanding light source and using shading techniques to create depth and volume is crucial. Practice shading with different pressures of the pencil to create gradients from light to dark. This technique helps to give your drawings a three-dimensional feel.
7. Perspective Drawing: Learning basic perspective rules, such as one-point and two-point perspective, is crucial for rendering realistic spaces and objects. This technique helps to create the illusion that certain elements of your drawing are further away than others.

Illustration Techniques for Beginners Users

Illustration is a versatile art form used in various media, including books, magazines, advertisements, and digital content. For beginners, mastering some basic illustration techniques can open up a world of creative possibilities. Here are foundational techniques that beginners can start with to develop their illustration skills:

1. Pencil Sketching: Start with simple pencil sketches to lay down the basic composition and structure of your illustrations. Pencil sketching allows for easy corrections and adjustments before adding color or details.
2. Inking: After sketching, you can use inking to define lines and add sharpness to your illustrations. Inking involves using pens or markers to go over your pencil lines, which can be especially useful for creating clean, bold lines in comic art or storyboard illustrations.
3. Digital Illustration: Many illustrators now work digitally using software like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator and devices like drawing tablets. Digital tools offer tremendous flexibility and control, including the ability to undo, layer management, and an extensive range of brushes and effects.
4. Watercolor: Watercolor is a popular technique for illustrations due to its fluid and translucent qualities. Beginners can start with basic watercolor washes to learn about color mixing and controlling water and paint flow.
5. Color Blocking: This technique involves using solid blocks of color to define shapes and forms within the illustration. It’s an effective way to create bold and impactful images and can be done with various media, including digital, acrylics, or markers.
6. Layering: In both traditional and digital painting, layering is crucial. Start with lighter colors and gradually build up to darker shades to create depth and volume.
7. Texturing: Adding textures can bring life and vibrancy to illustrations. This can be done using physical materials like sponges in paint or digitally using textured brushes and overlays.

Conclusion

Mastering beginner techniques in drawing, painting, and illustration is an exciting and rewarding journey that opens up a world of creative possibilities. Whether you’re sketching with a pencil, painting with watercolors, or crafting digital illustrations, each medium and method offers unique opportunities to express your artistic vision. By starting with fundamental techniques and gradually experimenting with more complex ones, beginners can build a solid foundation of skills that will serve them well throughout their artistic endeavors. The key to success in the arts is practice, patience, and perseverance.

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So how can I be different from others, what is the essence of my style – these are the questions an illustrator should ask himself.

The answer is hidden in the question itself and in each of us. In fact, each illustrator is a completely unique creative unit, with its own personal experience and view. It is our personality, identity that can help us find our style. Even such tiny, seemingly tiny details as our favorite drawing materials as children matter here. If you dig deeper, you’ll see that your love of sharp contours and flat fillings comes from fairy tale books with illustrations by Bilibin. And the combination of colors you often use is exactly like your mother’s dress, which you admired as a child.

How do you start working on your style?

The first thing you should do is to look through your work over the period of 1-5 years (it all depends on how long you have been drawing and how fast your progress in drawing has been) and select about 10 works in which you like something. It could be technique, materials, colors, line, maybe shading or composition. It is possible that you have experimented and never returned to this style again, but it has stuck in your heart.

Choose the most promising in your opinion directions from those that you have selected (it will be on average about three) and give them time. Find new references and paint in each style. You may find that you lack the skills to work with new material (so the technique was abandoned, but this is no reason not to develop), the style has no development (for example, you drew then without the use of green color, and now your gamut has become richer), the technique simply loses interest for you for personal reasons. Among all these offshoots you will still find something you want to work with.

This is where the time comes to analyze it. Perhaps if you are interested in the technique but lack the skill, it makes sense to spend more time to see a decent result in the long run.

The second thing you should do is to put together a collage of 9 works by different illustrators that you like the most at the moment.

Analyzing the collage, you will see the links between the works – this is the vector of your development. Do not take someone else’s style as a direct instruction to action, but it is not shameful to copy at the stage of search. The main condition of your copying is not to use copies for commercial purposes. Sometimes only after a couple of copies comes the realization of style and in the end, you will not continue to copy “from and up to” another illustrator, and borrow some expressive move. This is perfectly acceptable and would not be considered plagiarism.

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Pastel is a rather simple, but at the same time quite expressive material. Colors come out bright and saturated, and from the tools of the artist need only your own fingers.
Forget about brushes, palettes and thinners!

It turns out that you need a few pastel crayons and a sheet of paper. No other materials will give you the opportunity to make colorful sketches as easily and quickly as pastels.

To make pastels, dry pigments, chalk and a binder are mixed together until a thick paste-like substance is obtained. This is then used to form bars and dried until completely hardened. Accordingly, pastel is practically a pigment in its purest form.

But not everything is so simple, there are some technical peculiarities in working with pastels. Ordinary paper is not suitable for working with pastels, the surface of the paper must be rough. It is in this case pastel has perfect color rendering and does not crumble.

Let’s summarize what advantages pastels have:

Mobility: essentially only paper and crayons are needed. There are no specific techniques and rules of work: apply and mix colors as you like.

Illustration will always be bright and saturated: pastel does not burn out in the sun, does not fade and does not change its color over time, unlike other materials.

Colors perfectly convey all the nuances: soft transitions from color to color, give an incredible result – it is easy to portray even portraits.

“Velvety”: visually, pastels create a beautiful texture reminiscent of velvet fabric.

The only thing you should always remember about the specifics of the paper and take into account that loose pastels can crumble or smudge. It should either be drawn on a rough surface or framed under glass.

Pastel is applied to the surface very easily: there is no need to press hard on the crayon, the lines come out soft, with uneven and loose edges. This is how the unique pastel softness inherent only to this material appears.

Also the uniqueness of pastel is that it does not burn out in sunlight, is not afraid of temperature changes, does not crack and does not fade.
If you always take into account the features of the material, the work will be kept in perfect condition for a long time. It is important to remember that with any touch, the colorful layer is destroyed, and when trying to preserve pastel with various fixers and varnishes, it irrevocably fades.

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Combining photographs with illustrations and textures

A new visual aesthetic is in trend – combining photos with 2D hand-drawn illustrations. Elements of illustration are added to the photo, or they complement each other. “Mixing two realities” opens the door to creative and marketing ideas.

It is possible to combine a photo with an illustration in different graphic editors. Plus, you won’t need a lot of tools here – just your time and the idea itself.

Lines and minimalism

Line drawing is an easy, simplistic illustration style. Minimalist design uses only the most essential, thin lines and a very limited color palette (often two-color) to create a memorable style.

Illustrative Lettering

It’s also called handwritten lettering, but whatever this trend sounds like, one thing is clear – it’s thriving, and for good reason according to Jamie Clark. “No matter how large the range of fonts available, sometimes lettering is the only way to showcase a particular illustration style in an image.” Martina Flor and Carl James Mountford’s cover designs are excellent examples.

Patterns and textures

There has been a noticeable increase in the use of patterns and textures to date, but you don’t have to use them following the example of your competitors. The trend is the combination of several patterns at once in one design, in several parts of it.
Virtual web users face a shortage of texture and three-dimensional images. For this reason, the full immersion format is becoming increasingly popular.

Atmospheric gradients

Although gradients were at the peak of trends in the 2010s, they are now making a comeback!

Soft transitions of saturated or muted tones are a real trend this year. The most stylish are two-color gradient transitions consisting of harmonious shades.

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If you pay attention to a number of other artists, you will notice a similar tendency – one idea, different variants. In addition to the search for a compositional solution, such sketches developed the creative thinking of artists and in this search was born what we later have the opportunity to
to call a masterpiece of fine art. Creativity is a kind of creating connections between, sometimes, different things. Let’s look at the most important approaches to developing creative thinking.

Why develop imaginative thinking?

First of all, I develop my professionalism, look for new approaches to familiar subjects. Secondly, you are “putting” your hand, often practicing on simple tasks. Learn not to be afraid of mistakes, because only those who do nothing are not mistaken does nothing. You broaden your horizons and your visual memory, over time discard unnecessary elements of the drawing in favor of the important and most expressive. Learn to observe objects, favorable angles and texture. And finally, in our daily lives, you learn to how to solve a problem in a non-trivial way.

Exercise on associations with color

You can use music or smells to work with. Let’s look at this exercise using music as an example. Collect a playlist of different style compositions that you like. Don’t forget to add classics or songs without words – they better help you to abstract from the lyrics and feel the rhythm and instruments. Grab whatever tools and materials feel good to you – maybe it will be watercolor with round, flat brushes or a sponge.

Turn on some music, close your eyes and listen to the composition, try to transfer to paper the color the instrument is playing, its tones, its mood. It doesn’t matter if the people around you recognize the music in your sketch. It happens that these associations are diametrically different even among close people.
Do not take large sheets, literally A5 or even smaller, so you can make sketches quickly – during the sound of the composition. Pay attention to the mixture of materials for greater expressiveness, for example, watercolor and oil pastels, splashes, dry brush, salt.

Single line painting exercise

Imagine that your pen/pencil/brush is only capable of drawing a line like a thread without taking your hand away. You can layering lines, crossing lines condense. Use broken lines and soft plastic depending on the the subject matter. Don’t be intimidated if your first sketches aren’t the most successful this is because your brain is resisting the unconventional way of (instead of strokes, it’s a solid line). Despite the uncertainty first steps, after a few days you will get a completely different result.

Exercise for the development of abstract perception

Take an object, an object, anything that comes to mind or is at hand. For example, a pencil sharpener. Make a list of the object’s properties and associations. Note its function and main characteristic element.

Next, take a pen or pencil, limit the space of the sheet of paper to a small square and try to draw these feelings. Make several compositions. Use only one color and different line thicknesses.
As a result of this exercise it is useful to find out from others what emotions these compositions evoke in them, what they remind you of. This will allow you to understand whether you are on the right path, because these abstract compositions linearly and compositionally should cause most people more or less similar associations. In the future, this can be transferred to your commercial orders to evoke the right emotions in the viewer.

Exercise on tactile perception of objects

Ask someone to put an object in a bag or box without showing it to you. The object should not be obvious in shape. For example, no one doubts what an apple and a banana look like and, having fumbled for it in the box, you will draw this object from memory.

Take something more complicated: a perfume bottle, a stapler, or some other compound object. It may not be in plain sight every day or used often, and even if you recognize it, draw on your senses and the textures/textures of the object.

An exercise in combining the incongruent.

This exercise was used as a creative experiment by the Surrealists in the first quarter of the twentieth century. It looked like this: a group of people a group of people, wrote on a piece of paper one word at a time – one had a subject, another had a predicate and so on other members of the sentence. Then the pieces of paper were put together and made into sentences. Among the successful results of such experiments were the phrases “a graceful corpse will drink young wine” and “the meeting of a sewing machine and an umbrella on the operating table.” Some illustrators build their style on the basis of just one this exercise alone – the difference is in the technique.

But we can, as an exercise, keep it simple and choose just an out-of-the-box word combination and then try to put that together in a drawing. Choose words from an area that is close to you. For example, if we’re talking about fashion, let’s take the word combination zipper dress. What did you picture? A dress made of zippers or a dress with zippers on it? Sketch it out and you will see how your imagination will create new and new associations of this combination in the process. This move works well for fantasy illustrations and is well remembered by the viewer for its originality, and you break patterns of thinking.

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In this article we will talk about watercolor paper. It has the most questions, as watercolor is primarily water and pigment and much depends on how the paper “make friends” with them.

The texture of paper for painting with watercolor is divided into three main groups:

1. Fine grain (satin) – a fairly smooth texture obtained by hot pressing the paper. Suitable for fine detailing and flattering, botanical painting. In fact, will also be good for portraits and watercolor sketches of the figure, as the grain will not be distracting and create additional “noise”.
2. Medium grain (fin) – can be called a universal paper, as it is suitable for different techniques and tasks: on it will look good and landscapes, and large format, and beautiful fills with granulating watercolor. This paper is produced by cold pressing. It is ideal for beginners, as it is not capricious in work and it is easy to get a spectacular result with minimal effort.
3. Coarse grain (torchon/rough) – most often obtained by drying without squeezing. In this way the paper acquires large bumps and hollows resembling the skin of an elephant. This kind of paper is not quite suitable for detailing and portraits, but it will be comfortable for expressive techniques and dry brush work. On such paper it is easy to get beautiful divorces and interesting effects, but realistic stylistics with this paper is extremely problematic.

In addition to these three varieties, we can also mention the paper with non-standard embossing-linen, shell, leather. All these papers are most often of low density and are more suitable for stretching on a tablet. Plus, at its core, this paper is similar to good old-fashioned absorbent cotton. Which means it’s cellulose. The low density prevents watercolor from making even a few layers and shows lint extremely quickly. Hemp and linen are pleasant enough in texture on their own, but leather has too large creases to allow portraits, anything jewelry or fabric to be painted on it. Rather, such paper can be used for dense colors-acrylic, gouache, tempera.

Among the paper’s compositions, two ingredients are worth noting first: cotton and cellulose.

It’s hard to pick favorites between them, as everyone may have different goals and skills. Yes, and elementary, the habit of working with this or that amount of water. But still for practicing skills it is better to start with cellulose – firstly, it is more budget-friendly. And at the beginning of your creative journey you must and will make mistakes, to make out, it will take quite a lot of paper, so the ideal option is cellulose. It’s predictable, dries quickly, and lays down more evenly than cotton. In essence, pulp is wood.

In principle, wood will not absorb the paint deeply, and as a consequence, it is convenient to work on it for flattering. But it is also possible to master on it, if you work in a single layer. The paper will bear corrections on a quick hand, but old layers will not be washed out.

Rather quickly lint can appear, be careful. However, despite the disadvantages, the cellulose has a weighty pluses – it does not “eat” the color. This is very important for the beginning of work with watercolor, as you get after drying the result that was in the process.

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Everyone who is already engaged in illustration or is just planning to become a specialist in this field, it will be interesting to understand the features and types of this profession.

So, who is an artist – illustrator and what is his difference from a commercial illustrator?

ILLUSTRATOR

This is a specialist who creates drawn images with the help of various art materials and techniques. His works are united by his own, unique style. These can be drawings for magazines, websites, commercials, computer games. Also artists-illustrators apply their skills and in the fashion sphere, drawing prints for fabrics and clothes. These masters often work on freelancing, cooperating with different customers. And those who have created their own recognizable style can also earn on merch with images of their authorship.

COMMERCIAL ILLUSTRATOR

Basically works within the framework of the order, creating different types of graphics according to the requirements of the client. This is often the advertising segment. A commercial illustrator can render advertising products for brands and companies (brochures, banners, web platforms, animation and storyboards for movies).

Of course, there are some professionals who don’t categorize themselves as any particular type of illustrator. They, as a rule, adjust to the conditions of the customer, but the style is left to themselves. So often work illustrators, whose name is already on the rumor.

WHAT DOES A PROFESSIONAL COMMERCIAL ILLUSTRATOR NEED TO KNOW AND BE ABLE TO DO?

• understand composition, color theory, light shading and perspective.
• work with different artistic and painting materials and techniques
• draw in digital – be able to work with raster and vector
• know the principles of animation
• know the basics of typography, print and web layout
• understand the peculiarities of platforms where creatives will be placed – YouTube, Instagram, Telegram, etc.
• do the work quickly and respect deadlines
• know the basics of copyright law, so as not to violate someone else’s and to defend your own, if such a need arises

DEMAND AND PROSPECTS

Illustrators are in demand in many fields, from literature to fashion. Do not be afraid of too tough competitive environment.Illustration is original in itself! After all, it is the fruit of your imagination, and it does not pretend to objectivity. It is also a good motivator – a chance to get an order from a big company or a famous brand! Art directors are always in search of fresh ideas and are ready to cooperate with a creative illustrator, even if not promoted!

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Convenience in working with the customer

How to choose an iPad for drawingIf we talk about convenience, then in this category the tablet is the winner! To work with it, you do not have to prepare a separate workplace, you can work with it anywhere!

You do not need to think where to put paper, markers, watercolor paints and brushes, because all this is replaced by just one device – a graphics tablet or iPad. Whereas for working with manual techniques the case is different!

When working with a customer, there is often a need to make changes: change the color, shape, add or remove some details, increase or decrease the size of objects in the illustration, radically change the background.

From personal experience, illustrators say that every time to redo an illustration with a large number of adjustments – very energy-consuming and takes a lot of time.
Even though the edits are paid additionally, such work is not very satisfying.

Then the tablet comes to the rescue, which gives the opportunity to draw in layers. It is thanks to the ability to break the illustration into layers, you facilitate your work.

If the customer wants to make certain adjustments, you simply fix some one or two layers, rather than redrawing the entire illustration over again.

Learning speed

If we talk about the speed of learning, at the start it will be higher in digital illustration. Because here we are dealing with artificial art materials and we can always click on the undo button or simply delete a section or layer we don’t like.

Color fills are much easier to perform, at any moment the shape or object can be distorted or changed shape, color and many other useful options.

Whereas working with manual techniques, you are dealing with a “live material” that must be controlled, such as watercolor or marker.If you spoil the fill color, you will have to draw everything again, there is no “undo” button.

But, drawing by hand on paper, you develop your eye and “put” your hand, learn the correct composition, which affects the overall perception of the illustration. You work out a beautiful line and stroke.

You learn to work with live materials and get a better understanding of mixing colors and combining shades, you begin to control the whole process of drawing as a whole.

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