10 pro tips to take vector illustration to the next level
One thing has become clear when interviewing some of the world's best established and up-and-coming illustrators for this set of professional tips. No matter how you work - whatever medium or software you choose - the concept, or idea, is the most important part of your piece.
Every single one of the talented illustrators and designers that we've featured here confirmed this before going on to offer their valuable software and industry-focused nuggets of advice to help you further your skills and career.
You may know most of these tips, but if there's even one nugget you weren't aware of, you'll improve your work. So, before you embark on that new killer concept, take heed of the great advice on offer to make the most of Illustrator and vector conversion to the next level.
"Always ask the client how they want the final image. If they want the Illustrator file, and you have lots of layers but don't want to move them to a new artwork one by one, it's easier to draw a large rectangle over the final image, Ctrl+right-click, and select 'Create a Clipping Mask'. This crops your artwork to the shape you drew."
2. Learn the Bezier tools
"Working with a Wacom tablet, I'm a big supporter of the Pen tool. The Bezier curves take time to learn, but are a super-efficient way to get the exact lines and shapes you want. Use the Alt/Option key to drag off a copy, instead of copy and paste, and learn all the tool shortcuts to save precious minutes."
"Consider the technology that will produce the work - you approach a full-colour image for a print magazine differently than something you'd spray on a wall. Our wall decal illustrations have to be simple, one-dimensional and easy to cut out, so we use styles from the '60s and '70s with elementary shapes."
"Don't be afraid to remove elements to make a composition that you're happy with. I usually think about an image for a long time before I start illustrating - but sometimes I just start with a line and a shape, then remove them. I remove half of everything I draw, and from that the illustration evolves."
"Work from the beginning in CMYK and even though your final image is vector, try to send it as a TIFF. This will avoid any kind of colour problem or involuntary change - in colour or composition." Of course, the client may demand an AI file, so then take Aaron Miller's advice (see 01.).
"Make sure you keep track of your layers - I usually have a lot in any piece - and keep things tidy. I only use Illustrator's Selection, Direct Selection and Pen tools, because I prefer not to let the software's plethora of (admittedly very good) tools get in the way of my vision. It's all about simplicity and execution."
"The best way to start any project is in your sketchbook: get your ideas down on paper, and be scrappy. Push ideas around, make observations, document everything that comes into your head. When I plan an image, everything usually stems from keywords and sketches, from there it's just a matter of layout."
"I love Illustrator's Smart Guides - a great feature introduced in CS4. At the beginning they freaked me out a bit, but now I find that I just can't stop using them. They let me structure objects very quickly. They also help me align shapes and nodes when I'm drawing - they're a great time-
"Master the Pathfinder tool. Realising its full potential will enable you to quickly and easily build shapes without the need for laborious use of the Pen tool."
"Always keep consistency of style in mind in every element of your illustration. If you add too many differing styles, and too many jarring shapes, the illustration will tend to lack authority. Try to add your style to every vector element in the work, no matter how small - this will keep things consistent."
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