Digital Illustration I
Course Overview: Building upon Digital Applications I & II, this course will focus on developing strong conceptual approaches to the creation of digital illustration. At the same time we’ll learn the advanced illustration techniques available in Illustrator, Photoshop and Corel Painter. Some attention will be paid to the fields of animation, motion graphics and illustration using 3d software.
Week One: Review of Digital Illustration – January 12th
• Lecture Presentation: What is digital illustration today?
What are the definable styles, methods and techniques emerging in the field of digital illustration?
• Demo: Creating an illustration using Illustrator.
Will cover pen tools, color selection, pathfinder palette. Emphasis will be put on the process of image development (concept, linear drawing, value sketch, etc.), and logical layer management.
Assignment 1: Editorial Illustration to accompany magazine artictle (to be provided ). Due Feb. 9th. Grade Value 30%.
Week Two: Spontaneity with Illustrator – January 19th
• Participatory Demo: Discover and explore Illustrator’s spontaneous capabilities for shape construction (warp tools, symbols, gradient mesh, effects, Live Color, and Kuler.)
• Lecture Presentation: Concept development for illustration. Defining and refining an image concept. How to research and gather reference material.
Review sketches and concepts for first assignment. Discuss methods of execution.
Week Three: Combining Illustrator with Photoshop – January 26th
• Demo: 3D in illustrator.
• Demo: Bringing layered Illustrator files into Photoshop. Discuss “smart layers”.
Discuss sketches and concepts for assignment 1
Week Four: Painting with Photoshop – February 2nd
• Participatory Demo: Create a painting using Photoshop’s Brush tools. Will discover how to use Photoshop’s powerful brush engine; how to create your own brushes; and how to use layer styles to create detailed texture.
Week Five: The Power of Photoshop February 9th
Assignment 1 Due
• Participatory Demo: How to combine layer styles, blending modes, masks, brushes, and effects to create an illustration.
Review concepts and execution of assignment 2.
Assignment 2: TBD
Week Six: Even More Photoshop – Feb 16th
• Participatory Demo: Scanning in textures, artwork and found material. Type techniques. 3D in Photoshop.
Review concepts and execution of assignment 2.
Week Seven Introduction to Corel Painter – March 2nd
Demo: Working with Painter’s brush controls. Creating your own brushes. Working with the pattern pens and image hose. Using layer blending to create effects. Discuss Andrew Jones. Show tutorial video.
Review assignment 3.
Week Eight: Illustration for Animation and Motion Graphics – March 9th
Assignment 2 Due•
• Lecture: Telling a story through image sequences. Introduction to motion design and time based media. The ABC’s of “telling” (showing) a good story. How to “tell” a story with just images.
Assignment 3: Create illustrated image sequence (at least three keyframes) for 15 second PSA (subject to be announced) .
Week Nine: Animation and Motion Design – March 16th
• Lecture Presentation: What are the definable styles, methods and techniques emerging from the field of animation. How to create assets for animation.
• Demo: Creating artwork for animation. Discuss the programs used to create animation (Flash, After Effects). Discuss and demo storyboarding techniques.
Review concepts and execution of assignment 3.
Week Ten: Introduction to 3D Programs – March 23rd
• Lecture Presentation: What are the programs used to create 3D illustration.
• Participatory Demo: Render a 3d object using Blender, a robust 3D
Week 11: It Ends Too Soon – April 23rd
Assignment 3 Due.
Evaluation Profile:
Assignment 1 Georgia Straight Editorial: 30%
Assignment 2 Poster: 30%
Assignment 3 Image Sequence: 25%
Participation: 15%
