Modern Illustration – What You Need to Know About It

Although traditional illustrations are extremely popular, we have come too far in the field of science and technology to keep still using the traditional. The processes in which illustrations are made today are pretty different from what they used to be decades or centuries ago. But then some similarities between the two approaches can still be found. Further, modern illustrations can be divided into two broad categories- one is a freehand digital illustration, and the other is a vector illustration. Let’s delve deeper into the types and find out what they mean and how they work-

Freehand Digital Illustration-

Freehand illustrations are created pretty much like how traditional illustrations are made with the help of pen and ink. The difference is just that in modern times digital devices are used to create the drawings, instead of paper. And styluses are used instead of pens or pencils. 

So, basically, it is on a digital platform that artists give their imaginations a form or shape. With the use of brush presets, and multiple tools and colors, outstanding illustrations can be created on digital canvases. The best thing about making illustrations on a digital canvas is that you can correct mistakes without any hassle. And any change can be implemented in seconds. Also, a lot of different effects can be given to your illustration with the combination of shades and blends.

A lot of people create digital children book illustrations on tablets with styluses. And the creations that result are detailed just like those drawn on paper. One thing that, however, needs to be taken into account is that freehand digital illustrations are mostly raster images. That means when you zoom into them or enlarge them; they appear blurred or pixelated after a certain point. Nevertheless, digital illustrations are extremely useful and can be used for recreation, animation, and storyboarding.

Vector Illustration-

Artists who make vector illustrations see to it that every point in the image is on a co-ordinate axis so that the direction of the path can be determined. You can save vector illustrations in a lot of extensions such as SVG, EPS, and PDF. Vector illustrations face no problem with zooming- you can zoom into them to a significant extent without spotting any kind of haziness or blurriness in the image. Also, outlines in a vector illustration can be defined in a clear manner. Since vector illustrations generally don’t get pixelated when zoomed in, they are used for logos.

So, it’s evident that vector illustrations are far better than raster illustrations. And that is why their use is widespread in the print media. Vectors can also be applied to typography and text. Also, based on the outcome that you want, you can stretch, skew, and rotate your illustration without any hassle. But then the only setback with vector illustrations is that you can’t add a lot of details in them. You also can’t use this method to produce photorealistic art.

Hence, when you hire a children book illustrator, you should make sure that they have sufficient knowledge regarding these modern illustration techniques. It is only when you are conscious and careful while selecting an illustrator that you are able to choose the best within your budget.

Tarun Batra: