Creating Illustrations for PAST
During my internship, I had the opportunity to create some drawings. One of the projects consisted of me drawing two original characters, and the other consisted of drawing an existing character in my style. Both projects followed the design cycle, generally consisting of the following steps:
Discussion about concept, goal, etc. – This step mainly consists of knowing what the end product will be or what the illustration(s) are going to be used for.
Note-taking on restrictions and requirements – This step goes hand in hand with the first. This step focuses on knowing what to keep in mind when drawing. For the projects I took part in, there were specific points of focus and/or requirements on what to include in my drawing(s). For example, all of the drawings that I created needed different arm poses on the side of the canvas.
Drawing sketches
Receiving critique on sketches and/or approval – This step is one of the most important. After you have a rough sketch of your drawings, make sure to contact your mentor and have them checked. This process can be done in person or virtually. For my drawings, I created a google drive folder (including my sketches) and shared it with my mentor to receive feedback.
Fixing sketch based on provided critique – Sometimes, you may have to change/fix some parts of your drawing based on feedback. I recommend doing this on your rough draft before you start the final line art.
Finalizing drawing(s) – After both you and your mentor (or client) are satisfied with the rough draft(s), the finalizing process begins. This part mainly consists of creating the final piece and refining it when necessary.
Final critique/check of work – This is the final step of the process. Make sure to share your final product with your mentor for any final feedback. This last part ensures that your mentor (or client) is satisfied with your work, eliminating future issues.
The illustration process is very similar to the design cycle/design thinking process, which largely focuses on knowing the purpose of your project, thinking of ideas/solutions, creating the chosen/approved prototype/solution, and testing and receiving feedback.