Zodiac Illustration: Creating A Unique Series

Zodiac Illustration: Creating A Unique Series

“We’ve reached the end of this course! I hope you have enjoyed it! Let's look back at what we have done together: We have looked at the history of the Western zodiac and we’ve seen how it changed and shapeshifted over time and continues to do so. That means that your own interpretation can be completely new and original. Think of something very personal to you, something that you’re enthusiastic about, after all, you should create a series of at least three images without losing your steam! By the way, if the Western zodiac is not your thing you can work just as well with other symbols, maybe the Chinese horoscope, or the four seasons... Before starting to get into the details of each illustration it’s important to make a plan and to establish a set of rules that will accompany you throughout. First of all, there’s the technique you want to use. It doesn’t have to be similar to mine, please play to your own strengths! Then there are a few decisions as to format, composition, and colours. The best way is to create a blueprint that can be the basis for all your later images. Now start drawing or collaging, painting, or vectorizing. Put it all together, give it colour, and meanwhile don't lose the bigger picture out of sight. Take a step back to compare the individual illustrations from time to time! The need to be coherent throughout your series will help you to know yourself and your talents better. Probably your last image is much more proficient than your first and you’ll have to go back and correct your earlier work in the end! That means you’ve made progress! As you have seen throughout the course, I started by finding an idea that moved me. What I wanted to make was a horoscope of remarkable women. With that concept in mind, I started my research, trying to marry what the projects call and my personal style. In doing so, that is where you create unique and personal projects. Being creative and looking for the right references and inspiration is important, but so is putting all those ideas in order and planning accordingly. The reference materials are collected and the general composition notions have been defined. It is now time to get to work and develop the layout of the illustration. This is the stage where you will pay attention to format, colour selection, and symmetry, among others. These are the general components of both the process and the design. You can follow my rules to go about this stage or maybe use your own. Nothing is set in stone. My layouts are ready and now it is time to draw them by hand. Pencils and the eraser are your best friends here. Lightboxes are also of great help here (they can speed up the process, so it's best if you have one).

From physical to digital: we now let Photoshop help us edit and fine-tune the drawings that will be later scanned and conformed into the layouts I prepared earlier. As you might have experienced already, pencil-drawing yields for irregularities, and much more. That's why we process our designs with tools such as Photoshop, not only to render the final look but also to correct any imperfections. A minor detail might make the difference between a shoddy illustration and a polished one. So it is very important to go over them and inspect them closely before taking our illustrations to print. Photoshop (Lightbox too) is going to help spot rough edges or curves that we don't like. "Brush" and "Liquify" are your go-to tools at this stage. Go over all the tiny details, especially the edges, little grains, areas where the contrast is not quite what it should be… And then you can print it on whatever surface you wish or hang it on your wall, use it for a competition or an exhibition… In any case, it will be a good addition to your portfolio. A horoscope is a staple in most magazines, be it online or on paper. So maybe your zodiac will catch some art director’s eye because it’s just what he was looking for? It has happened to me before! However, before showing it to the wide world please share it with us on the forum! I can’t wait to see what you’ve come up with! Also share your inspiration, tips, and tricks, it will make this course a better experience for all. I’ll be here for any illustration-related questions you might have along the way, but please don’t ask me about astrology, I have no idea about ascendants or what happens when we enter a new orb of influence, but it better be something good!! Click on "Create your project" once you are ready to submit your work. Though the outcome is important, the journey that took you to that specific result is as important. I would love for you to show pictures of the most important steps throughout the process. Of course, a brief explanation of what you did at every stage would be very helpful. That way, it will be easier for me to understand what you did and I will be able to provide feedback accordingly. Besides, if you like sharing the work you did during this course, be on Instagram, Behance, or whatever outlet of your liking, make sure you add the hashtag #ZodiacDomestika Also, if you liked this course and liked me as a teacher, I would love for you to check out my other Domestika course, Book Cover Illustration: Unraveling the Essence of a Story. While the theme is different, my general approach is similar. Before I go: Thank you so much for taking this course! You’re a star! ”

Partial transcription of the video

“Final Project We have now reached the end of this course and I hope you've liked it. Before I go, I would love to go over what we have learned and give you some guidance for your own series. As an illustrator I see myself as a gun for hire. I usually part from somebody else's briefing or text in my day to day. A bit like a translator of thoughts into images and as it's difficult for me to work on anything out of the blue, I needed a theme to give me structure and this theme is the twelve signs of the Western zodiac. I know, I know, 12 illustrations is a lot, but worry not. There are many th...”

This transcript is automatically generated, so it may contain mistakes.

Course summary for: Zodiac Illustration: Creating A Unique Series

• Level: Beginner
• 100% positive reviews (50)
• 760 students
• 4 units
• 17 lessons (3h 10m)
• 6 downloads

• Category

  Illustration

• Software

  Adobe Photoshop

• Areas

  Digital Illustration, Storytelling, Traditional illustration