This post is going to be a little bigger than normal so buckle up. I have gotten a few requests to show a little more of my design process and I will do my best without making it boring. Once I get and idea of what I want to create, I grab a pen and paper. I always prefer to sketch out my ideas until I get a version I really like. So for all you students out there, listen to John Francis and just do your thumbnails. You may hate it now and forever but it works if you do it right. Sometimes I get it right on the first attempt and other times it takes dozens. The first image below is the better of a few different sketches. I simply scan it into illustrator, take the opacity down to 25% or so, lock the layer, and begin with the pen tool by flushing out the basic shapes and getting more detail oriented from there. I really liked the way this sketch looked except for the knuckles. That is where the next images to the right come into play. I printed out the vector rendering I had done a few times missing the parts I was struggling with and sketched out different variations on top of them. After I scanned them in again I still didn't like what I was seeing, so I grabbed my camera and started taking pictures of my own hand until I got a decent angle.
Next I finished the black and white version (below). I like to work in black and white because it makes me focus on the detail, composition,etc. . . but I always keep the final colors in mind. In my opinion, if it looks good in b&w it will look good in almost any color. After I get this version finished with the text added, I print it out again (Notice a pattern yet?) and begin sketching out the shadows and highlights. I import that and go from there repeating a lot of the same processes.
For the final color image I tweaked a few details including the text a little bit, add addition elements including the texture, pat myself on the back and take a break. I like to take short breaks and come back with fresh eyes. I easily get caught up in a project and find it useful to reevaluate what I have been doing after I haven't been staring at it for hours. So that is my vague and longwinded process and below is the version of a promo that I am about to finish up and send out soon. I hope this was enjoyable and not too long of a post.
