Digital Illustration – Motivational Giraffe

I made a cute (and perhaps even funny) animal illustration out of a quick sketch I scribbled down in trying to cheer myself up. I’ve not seriously looked at the subject in question before though, and I rather enjoyed looking at reference material for the giraffe caricature. I learned that there were many types of giraffe, which I suppose shouldn’t have been a shock. I boiled down the essence of the creature in my illustration.

You probably recognise the animal below from the long neck, the horns, and the spots. But! Did you know, giraffes actually have those camouflage spots all over their bodies? For ease of reading, there’s no need to adopt physical traits 1:1. Spots all over the body would have made the figure too cluttered. You have to be the judge of what you simplify and what you discard, when creating a cartoon out of a pre-exiting subject.

I know I’ll sound like a broken record for those who have read my more recent posts that contain my works, but this really is the last vector art I’ll be making in Adobe illustrator for the foreseeable future. I’m going to look at using different programs that I can make more experimental digital paintings in. The overall style will change in relation to the tools, but my sensibilities remain the same. I’m exited more than nervous to venture into Clip Studio Paint. It’s not an ‘industry standard’ but at this point, I don’t see why I shouldn’t use it to make personal work.

One drawback I found in using Abode illustrator for this mid-century style illustration was that I could never render enough elements to form a background unless said background elements lacked in texture. Obviously, I don’t use the program in a standard way (if there is one) but it was frustrating how slow the program would run if I began to use too many textures (or individual objects) in a piece. I’m lacking in skill when it comes to drawing environments, so I want to improve in that area, and moving to raster painting, I can draw with much more freedom.

I found the same digital image prints differently on varying card stock. It’s muted on this textured, cream card, but the image is more vibrant on a rougher, grey card I had on-hand. There are pros and cons to the characteristics of both card types mentioned. I’ve still yet to look into different card for mass printing from home. I am in the middle of researching those who stock card and envelopes for bulk purchase. I’ve gotten my hands on some free samples, to mull over the colours, sizes, and textures of envelopes. Testing paper for printing on… is much more intimidating.

It might be quite some time before I share any more polished work, given I want to teach myself digital painting, but I’ve been wanting to share some graphic design books here, and maybe other media and resources, too… who knows!

Good-Bye Winter – Hello Spring!!

No matter what, time marches on, huh? It’s already spring! I’m very happy about that, though. A change of season is exactly what I need.

I said a while back that I’d practice raster illustration – digital painting – and… I’ve not yet done that. Some time last year I did invest in Clip Studio Paint. Unfamiliar programs are always intimidating, not unlike new mediums, and since I’m in no rush to familiarise myself with the program, I’ve only drawn a little in it. I really should have made it a New Year’s goal to work in it and understand the interface and tools.

While it was still the cold and rainy winter, I made a vector illustration of a little ermine in the powder snow. You might not tell if I wasn’t to say, but each snowflake here is unique. I would like to print these next winter on cards, mayhaps.

I dug into an older illustration that I’d used for risograph printing, because I still liked the full-colour image and I made a mock birthday card illustration out of it. I still have a lot to learn typography-wise, but it’s good practice. I want to make new purposely made illustrations for occasion cards.

With the weather brightening up, and even heating up, I’ll have more drive and energy to make!

Lunar New Year – Tiger!

I’ve been test printing work at home to see how my digital illustrations look in full-colour. I made a new tiger illustration, which just so happens to be the Lunar New Year animal of 2022.

As I want to experiment with digital painting, this may be the last vectored illustration I make for some time unless I invest in the programs for it. I’m exited to learn digital painting, however. I’ll have more freedom in regards to texture and line.

Some of my work has been saved as pdfs for future printing as postcards or greeting cards; I’m very happy with these motivational tiger! I also made a birthday tiger graphic (with alternate text).

I still have a lot to learn in regards to typography, but it’s fun to experiment with different typefaces, and learn as I go. I suppose when I make future greeting cards, I’ll be revising my understanding.

So.. until next time… go get ’em tiger!!

Illustration – Musical Bear

First post of the New Year. A little mid-century bear illustration. He’s having a grand old time jamming out the tunes!

I made this with the intentional limit of colours thinking I’ll try to print it as a Risograph at a later date. I’ll be happy if it turns out well, but most digital pieces will end up in a portfolio regardless.

I didn’t make any New Year’s resolutions or promises to myself – I never do. It’s not directly related to creativity, but just being honest with myself, and being kinder to myself is something that I am woking on. Always. I do, however, have goals to reach. It helps to set those.

Risograph Printing – Circus Horse

I tore into an old Illustrator file and took it apart to experiment more in Risograph printing before winter break. I chose to revisit the circus horse that I vectored much earlier in the year. Separating the layers and simplifying the image was a little bit of a pain, since I made the original image with no intent to print it as a Risograph. But the outcome is something that I’m very happy with!

Riso circus horse!!

I had planned for the illustration to use four inks, and I would have liked them to have been black, teal, red, and yellow. The yellow ink would have been used for detail on the blanket and to add texture to the background. However, I wasn’t happy with the results, so I cut that colour out all together. I think the three colours used here work together well.

The majority of the horses are printed on different coloured sugar paper. Some are printed on white card. I would like to look into printing the illustration on card of different colours in the future. I might even be able to include the fourth colour if I can tweak the original image enough, but I don’t consider it a necessity for the image to work anymore.

Horses on different coloured papers

Thinking about it, I would like to try printing grey horses, with dappled fur either using black or teal for the detail. Really, there’s nothing stopping me from printing fluro pink horses other than my own sensibilities.

I tidied up the tiger assets I already had for a mini print

After cleaning up the tiger illustration I had practiced Riso prating with, I made the graphic into an A5 mini print and then printed the same image onto card to make B5 greeting cards. It’s just experimentation, but I’ve learned a lot thus far. I’d like to make some illustrations from scratch with the intent of printing them this way – it’ll streamline the whole process.

Risoraph Printing & Vinyl Stickers – Test Run

A little update to the personal stationery project I’d started quite some time ago. I’ve had access to print some trial sticker sheets and gave Risograph printing another go after a long absence. It was exiting! Next time I share some printed works I’ll go further in-depth with each method used. I didn’t record every step of either of the printing processes, but I’ve made a note to do so for the next round.

---

Risograph Printing

It had been… a veeeery long time since I had made anything with a Risograph printer. I’ve posted some Riso work here before. But I need to get back to grips with the machine. I printed some simple note cards using only 3 inks; red, blue, and black. So including the card or paper colour, the card’s design uses 4 colours – never mind that black isn’t really a colour.

Risograph print note cards

Even though I made these rather impulsively, with assets already on-hand, I found separating the layers of the tiger graphic simple enough. Though the graphic was not designed with the intent of Riso printing, the elements of the illustration were grouped sensibly which streamlined the whole process.

Here’s also where I want to say that the mid-century design sensibilities of some of the illustrations I’ve made recently really lend themselves to this printing aesthetic.

Risograph tigers

I think the tiger turned out very cute and suites these bold colours. I ensured to knockout the tiger’s body entirely on the blue layer, or else I’d end up with purple as the two inks overlap. I used half-tones on the blue layer and black layer as too much solid colour can result in track marks (ink streaks resembling an automobile’s tyre tracks).

---

Sticker Printing

There are a few different sticker paper qualities that I can use; glossy, matt, and transparent. I intend to try out all three different types of paper, and get a better idea of what qualities suit the different visual styles of sticker designs.

B5 sticker sheet featuring two large dragons

Below are some dragon sticker sheets; before and after being separated and trimmed with the guillotine. They’re printed on white, glossy paper.

There were a couple of tiny cutting errors on this sheet. But it’s a trial run, so I’m able to sort out any mishaps (big or small) after seeing these printed physically.

Though I didn’t take photographs of the process of arranging the assets for print, next time I’ll take screenshots to show the steps taken to print these. I’ll be printing on different types of sticker paper, so when I share them, I’ll mention the quality and characteristics in-depth as I compare them.

---

Well, that’s it until next time! I’m learning a lot as I go, but it feels good to have some physical copies of digital pieces to hold at last! There will always be some sort of discrepancy in colour when printing digital pieces as printers can’t always reproduce colours accurately. (Some colours just aren’t ‘printer-safe’.) I look forward to more printing and experimentation with Riso!

Personal Project Work -Stationery Plans

There are a couple of personal projects that I’ve been slowly chipping away at. It’s difficult to move any faster than I am when most critique is from a small number friends who want to give any, and I’ve been away from academic pressure. I’ve feel like I’ve had a difficult time structuring myself. I don’t have access to all of the tools needed to reach the end of projects, so nothing I’ve done really has a ‘completed’ feeling. I’m going to log some project progress here so that I can better see how much farther I have to go.

Assets from last year that I’ll put to use on stationery

I’ve wanted to make stationery for some time now, I’d like to finalise some of the letter paper designs that I had worked on. I do need more specific critique on those works though. I thought making sticker sheets would be a fun (smaller, and more straight-forward) project.

---

You may think stickers superfluous, but they can brighten up diaries, notebooks, and workspaces in general. I’d argue that their surface value of being “nice to look at” is good enough.

I have a few assets from digital illustration experimentation in that I’d very much like to put to use, such as these pair of tigers. The current plan for a tiger sticker sheet is simply both of the tigers, with a small selection of leaves. The colours are bold and cheerful.

---

There are two dragon graphics I made with the intent of printing them as large stickers, rather than part of a sheet of stickers. Personally, I’d like to have some big stickers to place on sketchbooks and such, and I know others would, too.

I don’t want to squander space when printing, so I’d like to add some smaller stickers to avoid such waste. I’d like to add relevant objects such as coins, pearls, or jewel encrusted daggers or staffs – anything that you’d find in a dragon’s hord. But It also depends how competent I am at designing them!

I know the compact design of the first dragon graphic is much less fussy than the second. I anticipate the red dragon may be a little more difficult to peel and stick place. I don’t have any plans to adjust the design however. I’d like to see how practical it is once printed.

---

To help remedy some creative blocks I mentioned, I do want to support students though the alumni scheme I was offered, and I feel it will help build up confidence weakened though lack of any real meaningful academic discussion and exercises. I’m more than happy to share skills and methods of creativity with students. I hope that I can visit the school campus safely, and even have the access to tools I don’t have. Maybe even make use of the facilities from departments outside of graphic design (such as the textile department). I’ll be printing stickers the first change I get. I look forward to recording the results of trial sticker printing on my blog!

Animation – “The Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon”

Since writing up my thoughts on Long Way North, I had wanted to write about and share another animated movie with strong design choices that really appeal to my tastes.

The Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon is a 1963 animated feature from the Japanese studio Tōei Dōga (which was later renamed Toei Animation). The film is known in Japan as Wanpaku Ōji no Orochi Taiji (わんぱく王子の大蛇退治) literally meaning “the naughty prince’s Orochi slaying”.

Perhaps this feature is best known outside of Japan as an influence cited by Genndy Tartakovsky for the art direction of the 2001 TV series Samurai Jack, and Yōichi Kotabe for the visual design choices seen in the 2002 video game The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.

Unlike Long Way North, it’s a little difficult for me to find details on those who worked on this film, or any history in regards to its development. The character animator of this film is Yōichi Kotabe, whom I have mentioned already for his contributions to The Wind Waker.

My copy of The Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon is a Japanese DVD (sans subtitles in any form). This copy isn’t cleaned up at all; any artefacts and damage from the original source seem to be intact. It’s possible to enjoy the film grain in all its glory! (In all seriousness, the practice of digitally scrubbing film grain from old animated features isn’t something I think much of; the grain is part of the medium, and it comes off to me as a ridiculous betrayal to present the work as something it is not.)

The film’s most important characters and events are derived from Japanese mythology. If you’re familiar with any gods from Shintō religion, you’ll notice their portrayal here is with much artistic licence. In the 1963 film, the protagonist, prince Susanō, is represented as a young boy, rather than an adult, most likely for the child audience to better understand or empathise with his actions and motives.

---

A brief summary of the film:

Prince Susanō is the youngest child of the creation deities Izanagi and Izanami. When his Izanami dies, the prince resolves to travel to heaven to bring her back.

Prince Susanō constructs a boat, and leaves home with his rabbit friend, Akahana, in search of his older siblings, thinking they can aid him in reaching their mother. Susano’s brother Tsukiyomi, and sister, Amaterasu, are of no aid, however. They have accepted their mother’s ascent to the afterworld.

Susanō and Akahana leave Tsukiyomi’s moon kingdom and press onwards to find Amaterasu

Making friends during their travels, the gentle giant named Titanbō joins Susanō and Akahana. The trio eventually arrive at a village suffering under the grips of a monster. The village’s young maiden Kushinada is next in line to be devoured as sacrifice to the eight-headed, eight-tailed beast, Orochi.

Susanō meets the gentle and reserved kushinada and is captivated by her

The prince is infatuated with young Kushinada, and so decides to rid the village of the hydra-esque Orochi. Susanō is willing to fight to the death with the monster!!

After a terrible battle, Susanō bests Orochi, and is greeted by his mother up in the heavens, who praises him for his good deeds before leaving him. The prince finally accepts that he will not be seeing his mother again.

---

One thing that stands out about this movie compared to features released by Toei, is the much more angular character designs, and the abstract environments that are stripped back with many elements represented as symbolic shapes.

• 

The economy seen in the character designs to me, feel very modernist, and very confident. A keen viewer will notice that most characters have coloured outlines, rather than black outlines, which gives a softer look to many of the designs.

While the film was created for and marketed to children, it is still a showcase of some experimental sequences and unique design visual choices for cel animation that I can only better appreciate and understand as an adult.

Sharing a lot of screen shots only does the movie so much justice… Really, you have to see The Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon in motion to appreciate the skills and craft behind the animation!

The video embedded below is a sequence that presents great abstract character design and colour usage. As I have taken the video from sakugabooru, it is also an example of sakuga. While sakuga (作画) literally means ‘drawing pictures’, animation fans will use it to define fluidity in a sequence that uses little to no trickery or animation shortcuts.

The original Japanese film isn’t streaming anywhere, as far as I am aware. (Tell me if you know otherwise!) The only way to own a copy of the original film is to buy it from Japan. If you’re willing to watch this feature in any from, the English dub that was produced by Frontier Enterprises back in 1964 is available to watch on the Internet Archive.

I’d like to share more animated features, or even animated shorts on my blog in the future! Overseas works, and older films are particularly interesting to me for their (most often unfamiliar) design principles. I believe it’s good to be ‘challenged’ every so often by work that presents itself in a way you’re not expecting!

Maurice Laban – BOAC Poster Illustration

Being stuck inside most of the day, with no plans to go anywhere anytime soon, I’m daydreaming about travel. I wrote about hotel luggage labels from the ‘golden age of travel’ last year. Now, I want to share some posters by British freelance illustrator Maurice Laban (1912-1970). The following poster advertisements were were made in the late 1950s, and were used to promote the British Overseas Airways Corporation (or BOAC) and Qantas.

The images I’m sharing here are from the art auction site invaluable. Go have a look over there to see these posters at a higher resolution (as well as other vintage posters from this era) if you’re into this type of commercial art.

U.S.A. | Canada

This is my favourite of the posters. I love the racoon’s eyes being stylised as stars! Quite dazzling! The racoon is a little more anthropomorphic than the other animals in this set – standing on its back legs, and wearing a bow tie.

Far East
VIA EUROPE AND INDIA

Africa

Australia
NEW ZEALAND

Britain / Europe

Another poster that I really like. I just find the dogs’ faces very humorous.

These digitised images here aren’t likely as vivid as the physical posters; the original works having been produced through serigraphy (screen printing).

Creatives behind commercial illustration in the 20th century weren’t generally recognised for their contributions as graphic designers are today, and it makes finding information on freelance illustrators such as Maurice Laban difficult. But the fact that these pieces were preserved at all shows their lasting appeal… thank you for the inspiration, Maurice Laban!

Digital Illustration – Momma Fox Vector

To keep up digital artworking practice, I dug up an old sketch of a fox to work from. I still really liked the shapes that the fox was made up of, so I didn’t have to tweak anything before working on it. It is a pretty static pose, but I have more kinetic compositions in the works.

This digital artworking exercise was carried out in Adobe Illustrator. I followed the same steps I usually do: begin with a sketch, trace it in Illustrator, and then deck it out with colour and textures.

I traced my sketch into basic shapes

You can see the basic shapes the figure is made of. You may not think about it consciously, but basic geometric shapes all carry some ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ associations. The triangle was used a lot in construction here. You may associate triangles with progression, instability, aggression, and unpredictability. The fox is softened by the use of semi ellipses though.

I used a good four or five vector brushes to get the analogue-like textured feel that I wanted. There are probably better brushes out there (to download) for this sort of work, but I’m making do with what I have just now.

A MESS

Above, you can see how messy the canvas got while applying textures. I used the Pathfinder tools (Unite, Intersect, Minus Front…) extensively while adding textures. I’m sure there’s a more conventional way to go about it, but it’s how I taught myself to apply such details.

The end piece!!

I’m very happy with the colours of the fox, and how well the initial sketch’s silhouette translated into this vectored artwork. I feel content to make further digital works in this graphic style. I… might even want to make a set of caniformia illustrations! AR-WOOOO!!