Illustration process

Craft & Design
Illustration process
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Dan is an illustrator, and shares some information on how he creates his images in a few posts on his blog:

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These pencil sketches mark the initial step for all my illustrations where text and concept are distilled into a visual expression.

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Once I settle on sketches I think work the pencil roughs are scanned from my sketchbook and cleaned up, and ‘tweaked’ to fit the client’s specifications and my idea of what the illustration should communicate. I’ll then attach the jpeg image and email it to my client for their review and feedback.

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After discussing the sketch with the client I complete any required revision of the sketch and working directly from the approved sketch I render the line work onto 140lb Arches Hot Pressed watercolor paper using Higgins waterproof drawing ink and a Hunt 101 Imperial pen nib. Once the line work is dry I paint over it with Winsor Newton watercolors. Absent any specific requests from the client I generally allow the mood of the narrative to dictate the color pallet.

What’s your process for completing and delivering creative products?

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