illustration friday: b&w
Argh. I used to scoff at the concept of texture. I would see other people obsess about it - fashion designers, antique dealers, faux finishers, and of course my fellow artists and illustrators.
I was all about colour and form.
I did not care for texture.
Now all of a sudden I find myself obsessing over just how in the heck this dude manages to squeeze the most beautiful water-colour, gouache, ink and chalk look-alike images out of lowly little Adobe Illustrator. I mean, I’ve been really trying, really hard to replicate stuff so that it looks like it has a human touch to it, like it was created using traditional medium. I’ve even gone so so far as to re-introduce myself to the real stuff, but this guy comes along and makes me feel completely inadequate.
So if my interpretation of Black and White for illustration Friday seems a little simplistic, it’s because I spent a long while just trying to get the textures to look halfway decent.
I have come to believe that Steve Mack is either a liar, a magician or a genius. Or he at least needs to share his techniques. With me, preferably.
June 17th, 2005 at 9:02 pm
That cookie remembers me that i need go to eat something…*-* i wish chocolate cookies! >.<
June 18th, 2005 at 9:52 am
i really really love it, it’s so appealing & well done. :)
June 18th, 2005 at 9:25 pm
Okay, I will say that Steve Mack’s work is nice. But I also have to say that your work always inspires me. I love your textures, especially the pieces you’ve done with a wood grain look. I don’t suppose you’d be willing to share that technique?
June 18th, 2005 at 9:52 pm
It’s as simple as using the wood grain hatch tool in illustrator 10. Ok, it’s not quite that easy, I do layer them and make them translucent so they soften and the colours blend a little… But really, that’s what I use most of the time to get texture. Variations of the Pen and Hatch tool layered over one another. It creates a huge file size, and requires a bit of playing around, but it seems to work pretty well most of the time.
June 19th, 2005 at 8:17 pm
Thanks! I can’t wait to try it!
June 20th, 2005 at 6:37 am
So nice!! How could you go wrong with an oreo cookie? :D
June 21st, 2005 at 12:58 am
I think your textures are excellent. I love the whole look of this… the starburst, the cookie, the letters, the colors…
June 21st, 2005 at 8:19 am
Great illustration, beth! And I know your pain. I too long to uncover the vector secrets of Mr. Mack. Someday…. someday (and hopefully without resorting to eating his brain — yuck!)