Dictionaries usually define illustration as a picture or a drawing that helps make something clear or attractive. For a long time, humans have utilized tools at their disposal to illustrate ideas and events or to tell stories. Illustration has always been a powerful visualization utensil in the human’s communication arsenal.
Nowadays illustration tools have changed considerably. With the advent of computers and various software, drawing by hand is not the only possible way of illustration anymore. But what has not changed since ancient times is that illustration still stands as a solid way of communicating ideas.
In this article we will explore various types of illustration used in different industries, the tools used, and different illustration jobs out there!
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Digital Illustration vs. Traditional Illustration
At their core, digital illustration and traditional illustration are the same. The only difference is the tools used. Digital illustration services refers to using computers and drawing tablets for illustration. As we all know, traditionally, illustration was done using ink, pens, pencils and papers. Nowadays with the advent of computers and graphics software, artists draw using graphics tablets and use various software to paint the drawings. Wacom tablets are one of the most popular drawing devices used by artists and Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator are among the most commonly used software for painting and manipulating digital drawings.
How to Become a Professional Illustrator?
Assuming you have a passion for drawing and you think you are good at it, there are a few steps you need to take to get into the field professionally. We recommend finding a niche you enjoy drawing and start creating a portfolio of illustrations in it. Getting out of your comfort zone and posting your illustrations on social media is a great way of getting recognition. A useful strategy for getting recognition on social media is to draw illustrations for the trending stories on the internet. That way, social media algorithms help get your illustrations into the feeds of people who are interested in those trends. And last but not least, do not wait for the perfect time to apply for illustration jobs.
The Role of Illustration in the Entertainment Industry
The entertainment industry has always been in need of talented illustrators. Illustrations help form visual ideas and direct creative projects. From print media to moving pictures and video games, all benefit from illustration services.
Visual Storytelling
Visual storytelling is probably the most popular form of illustration. Comics, Manga, and book illustrations are all artistic drawings that are considered illustration. We are inherently drawn to illustrated stories because they take us to imaginative lands. Publishers employ illustrators to help bring their stories to life. Illustration as a form of storytelling isn’t limited to the publishing companies, various games and educational apps also make heavy use of illustrations for storytelling and visualization. Working as an illustrator for publishing and media companies is an exciting career if you are a creative person with drawing talent. What could provide you with more job satisfaction than taking people on exotic imaginative journeys?
Concept Arts and Storyboards
Animation, movies and games are some areas of the entertainment industry where illustrations are heavily relied on. Producing animation and even movies are usually started with concept arts and storyboards.
Concept art is an illustration that helps convey an idea. Imagine a character is needed for a creative project. Illustrators are the first ones who are tasked to create a visual representation of that character through communication with directors, writers and producers. That is what is known as concept art. It is based on that illustration that actors are chosen for films or 3D and 2D characters are created for game and animation projects.
Storyboards are a sequence of images, usually rough sketches, representing how a movie or animation will unfold. Illustrators draw scenes, characters and major environmental elements in a storyboard shot by shot. These drawings will then be created using animation software or acted out by actors. It does not matter if it’s a live-action movie or a 2D or 3D animation, storyboards are an integral part of pre-production in the majority of projects.
Illustration in Game Art
Another area where illustration is featured extensively is in game art services. Mobile games, whether action platformers, trivias, or casual games, rely on illustrations for their art. User interfaces incorporate illustrations for characters, props, and shop items. In many games, stories are narrated through illustrations displayed within pop-up boxes. Even AAA 3D games need many illustrations for item selections, loading pages, tutorials and storytelling. It is almost impossible to publish a high-quality game without using illustrations.
Illustration in Newspaper and Print Media
Illustrations have always been present in newspapers, magazines and every type of print media. Walt Disney, the animation industry pioneer, used to work as a commercial illustrator for a newspaper ad company prior to beginning his animation career. Editorial illustrations, infographics and caricatures are used extensively in news outlets. Editorial illustrations help grab audience attention and add visual presentation to an article. Caricatures are another popular use of illustration in this industry. Their cartoony and humorous design can help reduce the severity of political narratives. If you enjoy dark humor and sarcasm, and you have those magical drawing talents, working in this industry might grant you a fulfilling career.
Illustration as a Means of Advertisement
Illustration is also incorporated extensively in advertising campaigns. It is a form of highly sought-after commercial art that engages the audience and brings value to the advertiser. Billboards, magazines, brochures, and even web and TV ads are among the many outlets illustrations have found their way in. In addition to great drawing skills, a commercial illustrator needs proficiency with photo editing software like Photoshop as well.
Illustration in Fashion Design
Illustrations are an integral part of designing new apparel. Fashion designers rely heavily on illustrations to visualize how their designs will look before producing them. Fashion illustrators should have a strong command of the human physique and understand intricacies of various fabric materials and how they appear in different poses. These illustrations are essential to showcase design ideas for acquiring approvals from clients or manufacturing companies.
Scientific Illustrations
Visualizing phenomena related to science is an impossible task without illustrations. Micro-scale organisms, chemical reactions, physical forces, and many other forms of scientific processes are depicted using detailed illustrations. A scientific illustrator should have a good grasp of foundational sciences to be able to produce accurate results. This type of illustration is not always done using drawings. Computer-generated imagery also plays an important role in creating scientific illustrations.
Technical Illustrations
Visualizing technical processes such as mechanical workflows requires detailed illustrations that depict inner workings of various components embedded inside each other. These illustrations are required for scientific and technical journals. Thus, technical illustrators use various design software to draw illustrations of these highly complex processes. Technical illustrations are usually rendered using CAD software, SolidWorks, MATLAB, or even Blender. These illustrations are more expensive to produce compared to hand-drawn illustrations.
Final Words
We understand ideas better when they are depicted in pictures, which is how our brains perceive the world around us using its visual cortex. Illustration is a powerful tool to convey ideas, information, and even feelings. A good illustrator grasps concepts, processes them and masterfully converts them into images all of us enjoy staring at. There are many types and styles of illustration and almost any industry can benefit from their unique power. Times have changed, while the majority of illustrations today are still drawn by hand with various digital devices, there are some types of illustrations that are not hand-drawn but are still considered illustrations. While tools used to create illustrations have changed over time, the core idea behind illustration remains the same, to use pictures and colors to make something clear in a fun way.
