Illustrator Assignment A6: Depth Illustration

Assignment #6

Depth Illustration

DeNiro in Taxi by Susan Baxter

Working with Depth & Complexity in Vector Format

(10 points)

For this final Illustrator assignment, you will create a complex vector illustration of your own in Adobe Illustrator, drawing an object or group of objects designed with a background and indicating depth & 3-dimensionality. (You may also draw a portrait or scene.)

You may use any Illustrator tools to complete your final illustration, but pay attention to effective line (stroke), fill (color palette), and contour to indicate form, depth, 3-dimensionality, and texture. 

You may either “trace” or replicate a photographic image for this assignment or draw an image from your imagination (you are also free to use one of your Practice exercises as a starting point). 

The crucial point is to use color and gradients with varied line width to give your illustration a sense of depth and perspective, and to place it in a setting. 
Manipulate the illustration using the pen tool, brushes, pencil, shapes, and paths but go beyond a simple contour line drawing to create pattern, depth, value, and texture with fills, strokes, brushes patterns and/or gradient. (You might for instance use a stylized technique like “hatching,” stipilism, varied line width, or other traditional pen and ink techniques by adapting your tools in Illustrator.) Also consider basic drawing strategies such as linear perspective, shadow, and reflection. 

While image trace is allowed as a starting point, you must go far beyond simply using the automatic features if you take this route. An image-traced document should be manipulated to create a new background, a composite of more than one traced image, or extreme and dramatic changes in color and stroke.

Chapters 4 and 5 provide several examples of vector illustrations appropriate for this assignment and student examples are provided to view at the link below. 

Your work will be evaluated in these criteria--

• Subject Matter/Choice of Object(s)
• Design & Composition Choices
• Overall Aesthetics
• Fulfillment of Assignment Requirements/Use of Depth & Texture
• Contrast/Value/Color Choices
• Appropriate Complexity of Work/Demonstration of Software Skill
• Clarity/Skill with vector paths
• Use of Pen Tool, Shape tools, and Brush
• Use of Other Illustrator Tools
• Attention to Detail /Finesse
• Written component

Load the finished file on the server in its complete Ai format (and PLEASE put your name in the file!).

A written component is required with this final Module 2 assignment--a description telling me how the image was created and why you chose to go in the direction and with the style you did. Explain the process undertaken to come up with your initial idea, how it evolved over the execution, what challenges you faced, and how you think the final design appropriately reflects the subject you chose to depict. You may if you wish also include here general summary of what you've learned using Illustrator.


RESOURCES

Examples, Previous Semesters

Quick Ref/How-To Articles:
Duey's Drawing Tutorials 
Using Live Paint vs. pen/fill/stroke
Using the Blob Brush to merge paths into one color 
Gradients Tutorial 
Applying Pattern Fills 
From Sketch to Vector: Illustrating with Depth 
Drawing People in Vector: 5-Value Process 
Make Vector People from Photos
Step by Step Illustrations
Basic Illustrations

Videos:  
Megan Fox Speed Vector
Terry White's Top 5 CS5 Drawing Tips
"Inking" & Using the Blob Brush 
(Pencil Tool) Sketching
Sketching Tutorial with Deke
Making Swirls
Draw in Perspective
Prepping a Photo for Live Trace
Simple Live Trace
Live Trace
Live Trace Adjustments
Live Paint Bucket (Advanced) 
Using Gradient Meshes
Another Gradient EFFECT