This text is replaced by the Flash movie.
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Go Back   Design Contest Forums > Instructional Content > Vector Graphics

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 06-09-2009, 10:59 PM   #21 (permalink)
Elite Designer
 
merchantweb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Savannah, GA
Posts: 27
merchantweb is on a distinguished road
Send a message via Skype™ to merchantweb
Through taking graphic design and corporate logo and identity classes I learned that there is a process for creating an identity mark.

I like to make logos that are simple and usually elegant with flow and clean lines. The logos don't just appear that way from a pencil drawing so it might would be tempting to just go ahead and start in illustrator with the pen tool.

I don't start in Illustrator though, because I always end up changing my idea and it is absolutely faster to draw thumbs with pencil and take one idea to the final production program.

The page I scan usually has a lot of brainstorming notes, thumbnails and rough sketches. I'll sometimes blow up the thumbnail I like most and print it out in a low opacity; then draw the lines how I want them for a final version to scan. That acts as refined guide so you can easily trace your design and admire the outcome....or play with it more. I hope that this info influences more designers to draw more! Do like 50 thumbnails at least!

Last edited by merchantweb; 06-09-2009 at 11:08 PM.
merchantweb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-10-2009, 11:23 AM   #22 (permalink)
Elite Designer
 
ArtbyAudree's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Glenview, IL
Posts: 29
ArtbyAudree is on a distinguished road
I am also old school, I guess. I graduated in '88 and always scketch first. I have a small scketch book a bring with me everywhere. It's the place where I can brainsorm without consequence. I just let it flow. I have filled about 4 of them this year. Some concepts I can nail in half of a page. Some take 4 or 5 pages. THEN I move to Illustrator.

Audree
ArtbyAudree is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-14-2009, 02:22 PM   #23 (permalink)
Elite Designer
 
smack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
vancouver
Posts: 98
smack is on a distinguished road
I tend to do a lot of quick pencil thumbnails mainly for composition, establishing balance and blocking in text. This becomes an elimination process for what's NOT working quickly without too much work. That said, I rarely work out the font treatment with pencil. My handwriting is atrocious and it's hard to get a true sense of how a particular font will interact with the design elements.
smack is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-29-2009, 03:16 PM   #24 (permalink)
Elite Designer/Admin
 
sharie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Washington State
Posts: 794
sharie is on a distinguished road
Hi there everybody

I'm new to the forums and having a ball reading through the threads!

I use both methods, I draw out drafts and then work the design up in illustrator.. What I like the most is being able to use one or the other when I have a block going. Sometime looking at an empty new document in illustrator is a block in itself, so drawing out something becomes the choice of technique, it goes both ways though. I do tend to get spoiled when working in illustrator.....the clear and delete buttons work sooo well when needed LOL

Sharie
__________________
Be sure and check out all the great designs in the community contests
www.designcontest.net/community-contests.html

Check out www.designed.nu A collection of world class logos
sharie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-29-2009, 09:02 PM   #25 (permalink)
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 17
AXEL89 is on a distinguished road
I'm still studing and one of the things i'vedicovered is that, using paper and pencil is the best way to get more ideas and quickly. i can barely do a design at the first try
AXEL89 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2009, 10:46 AM   #26 (permalink)
Elite Designer
 
DesignsbyALX's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Did you know Nijmegen is Hollands oldest city? Check out Google Earth!
Posts: 71
DesignsbyALX is on a distinguished road
If i started each logo with pen and paper, my boss would have to raise his fees. This also is about a simular topic in the open challenges, where some people think anything other than sketching wit pen and paper, isn't sketching. Man, i'm in graphics for some 10 years, and you might want to expect, i can skip this proces and trust my brain. And when, for instance, i'm modelling with Blender/3d, i know the basic idea, and work to the outcome step by step, just like i would do on paper. Benefits of Blender are of course the coloring and shading along the way. I think we should all respect each others way of approach. I like all the diferent styles!
DesignsbyALX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2009, 12:15 PM   #27 (permalink)
Registered User
 
scorpionagency's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 85
scorpionagency is on a distinguished road
I'm also old school when it comes to design. I hand sketch everything first either on paper or on my graphics tablet. Once the sketch captures the basic ideas in my head, I then redo it in clean lines/paths vector.

For me, rough sketching first helps get that creative idea out better. It also saves me time in the long run, as I can provide a few rough sketch concepts to a client & they can choose which direction to go before I start the (sometimes hours) of illustrating. I would say that sketching first cuts at least 30% of wasted time out of the equation. To me time is money, so the more I can accomplish in the least amount of time is helpful to me.

To each their own though, each of our techniques is what makes us unique
scorpionagency is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2009, 12:18 PM   #28 (permalink)
Coy
Elite Designer/Moderator
 
Coy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
WA
Posts: 2,173
Coy will become famous soon enoughCoy will become famous soon enough
I have to say I approach it both ways.
If I have a set plan in my head or my client knows exactly what they want then I can start right out in illustrator and get it done.. If I'm not sure and need to jot down some ideas on paper I'll do that (which is more often) then clean them up before scanning it in to redo in illustrator.
__________________
Be sure and check out all the great designs in the Community Contests!
http://www.designcontest.net/community-contests.html
Coy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2009, 02:02 PM   #29 (permalink)
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 17
AXEL89 is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coy View Post
I have to say I approach it both ways.
If I have a set plan in my head or my client knows exactly what they want then I can start right out in illustrator and get it done.. If I'm not sure and need to jot down some ideas on paper I'll do that (which is more often) then clean them up before scanning it in to redo in illustrator.
i totally agree with you coy
AXEL89 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-15-2010, 07:20 PM   #30 (permalink)
Elite Designer
 
noxieCreative's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Raleigh
Posts: 75
noxieCreative is on a distinguished road
Paper and Pencil.

Now if my client knows exactly what they want it is a different story. But for *logo's* I usually sketch around 20-40 concepts.

Business cards or stationary I tend to look at some layouts I have already sketched on some off time and see if their logo and feel will fit into the wire frame I have already laid out.
noxieCreative is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-24-2010, 12:40 PM   #31 (permalink)
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Greensboro NC
Posts: 11
williamconklin is on a distinguished road
Send a message via Skype™ to williamconklin
75% of the design process is the use of the Brain, only 25% of what we do is on the computer. It is absolutely vital to start with a pencil/pen in hand, if you go directly to the computer you(the designer) will only go into production mode with one of your first ideas..which believe it or not is not your best idea. If anyone actually reads these posts, read carefully, sketch sketch sketch, it really does show in your work. I would rather look at detailed clean hand drawn sketch than a poorly executed rushed digital file. Oh and one thing about digital production, it is NOT OK to design logo's or work with type in photoshop, you will only limit your capabilities if you work with pixels, if you don't understand vectors I recon you jump on the train.
williamconklin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-24-2010, 06:22 PM   #32 (permalink)
Registered User
 
DixielandDesign's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Clanton,al
Posts: 32
DixielandDesign is on a distinguished road
I use paper to brain storm ideas, and to make initial drafts. What ends up happening is I have so many options it gives me a great deal of ammo to use once I go digital. My son who is also a designer and loves to work with me on some projects and we will work out separate ideas and them come together and combine our efforts. It opens up alot of other ideas and at the same time lets me spend some good quality time.
DixielandDesign is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-24-2010, 10:23 PM   #33 (permalink)
Registered User
 
ArtFX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Cleveland, TN
Posts: 17
ArtFX will become famous soon enoughArtFX will become famous soon enough
Send a message via Skype™ to ArtFX
This is absolutely true for me. Pencil on paper is where some of my best stuff comes from. I used to draw it then scan it in, in the early days. The tablets just didn't have the right feel for me and the mouse is kinda bulky for drawing.
ArtFX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2010, 08:17 AM   #34 (permalink)
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 131
atondex is on a distinguished road
I don't think the pencil will ever be replaced as the designer's most important tool.

Old school is the base, the foundation on which we can build with all the new digital tools.

That's my opinion, anyway.
atondex is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

  Design Contest Forums > Instructional Content > Vector Graphics

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2010, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.3.0
ads

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:26 AM.