which illustration technique is the best
We are often asked the question “which illustration technique is best – digital or traditional”? Let's look into this.
We are often asked the question “which illustration technique is best – digital or traditional”? Let's look into this.
Convenience
You don't need to think about where to store your paper, markers, watercolour paints and brushes, as all of this is replaced by one graphics tablet or iPad. This is not the case with manual techniques!
When working with a client, you often have to make edits: change a colour or shape, add or remove some details, increase or decrease the size of objects in the illustration, or radically change the background.
I can tell you from personal experience that making a lot of changes to an illustration is very energy and time consuming.
Even though edits are paid extra, such work is not particularly enjoyable.
If a client wants to make any adjustments, you simply edit one or two layer rather than redrawing the whole illustration from scratch.
If a client wants to make any adjustments, you simply edit one or two layer rather than redrawing the whole illustration from scratch.
Speed of learning
Colour fills are much easier to do, at any time you can, among other options, alter the figure or object or change its shape and colour.
While working with manual techniques, you are using “live materials” that need to be controlled, such as watercolours or markers.
If you mess up the colour fill, you will have to re-draw everything, as there is no undo button here.
You learn to work with live materials and become better at mixing colours and combining shades, and begin to control the entire drawing process.
Learn to draw in different techniques on courses from Fantasy Room Online. On the course “Profession of a fashion illustrator: from beginner to professional”, our students work in the most painting techniques such as watercolor, alcohol markers, gouache, ink, collage. And also in the program of the course: a lot of fashion images, we will learn how to convey the texture of different fabrics, draw faces of different races and illustrate fashion accessories.
And on Fashion Illustration in Procreate online course, we will draw in the Procreate program on the iPad. We will also learn the basics: a figure and a portrait, learn how to convey the textures of different fabrics, we will stylize our illustrations and create animation.
Learn to draw in different techniques on courses from Fantasy Room Online. On the course “Profession of a fashion illustrator: from beginner to professional”, our students work in the most painting techniques such as watercolor, alcohol markers, gouache, ink, collage. And also in the program of the course: a lot of fashion images, we will learn how to convey the texture of different fabrics, draw faces of different races and illustrate fashion accessories.
And on Fashion Illustration in Procreate online course, we will draw in the Procreate program on the iPad. We will also learn the basics: a figure and a portrait, learn how to convey the textures of different fabrics, we will stylize our illustrations and create animation.
ANIMAL SKETCH
DRAWING HUMAN
Quality of work performance
You can draw in high resolution, which saves you from having to digitize your work. Many graphics programmes allow you to save finished illustrations in a variety of formats, such as PDF, PNG, JPEG, and PSG.
But I can tell you for sure that a drawing on paper is no worse than its digital counterpart.
Such illustrations are alive and give you the opportunity to enjoy the texture of paper and colours, and so clearly express your mood. These qualities are what customers often want to see.
And I am glad that traditional illustration continues to be very popular.
Enjoyment of the process
But there is a special thrill in working with live materials, mixing colours, choosing a palette of markers or paper for a future illustration, never mind the drawing process itself!
By drawing such an illustration, you are maximally focused on the object, you are deep into and control the process of drawing: a line, a stroke, each stroke with a watercolour or marker. With this type of illustration you are focused as much as possible on the subject, you are completely immersed and in control of the drawing process – every line and every stroke with a marker or watercolour. It is art therapy!
But there is a special thrill in working with live materials, mixing colours, choosing a palette of markers or paper for a future illustration, never mind the drawing process itself!
By drawing such an illustration, you are maximally focused on the object, you are deep into and control the process of drawing: a line, a stroke, each stroke with a watercolour or marker. With this type of illustration you are focused as much as possible on the subject, you are completely immersed and in control of the drawing process – every line and every stroke with a marker or watercolour. It is art therapy!
COST
You may have to shell out a lot of money up front to buy a tablet, stylus and graphics software for artists, but in the future you won't have to spend money on the regular purchase of paints, markers, paper, pencils, liners and other materials.
Although manual illustrations are often more expensive than digital ones.
Удобство
Will an artist who draws well on paper be able to repeat their work on an electronic device? Apparently, yes! And what's more, with a greater range of possibilities, the artist will recreate it in a more interesting way.
And will an illustrator who has never drawn manually be able to recreate their work on canvas or paper? I don't think so.
As you can see, having compared both options, to achieve mastery in illustration, you need to master both manual techniques and digital illustration. The question is in what order.
Let's conclude:
If, apart from a source of income, you regard fashion illustration as an enjoyable hobby, it is better to start by learning traditional illustration, and then later improve your skills as an artist by mastering digital illustration.
And if you want to get into commercial illustration, you should choose the digital format, and if you then want to become a real professional artist, you need to learn manual illustration techniques.
If, apart from a source of income, you regard fashion illustration as an enjoyable hobby, it is better to start by learning traditional illustration, and then later improve your skills as an artist by mastering digital illustration.
And if you want to get into commercial illustration, you should choose the digital format, and if you then want to become a real professional artist, you need to learn manual illustration techniques.
