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Drawing
10 Steps to Using Grids for Sketching (on Lunch Break)
As I’ve said elsewhere on the blog, I believe designers should draw as often as possible. One of the best exercises, time-tested over hundreds of years of fine art tradition, is copying the Masters. But can you do this on lunch break? Sure—with a little help from a grid!
Should graphic designers know how to draw or not?
Is there a consensus on whether or not graphic designers should know how to draw? Should drawing and sketching be a part of the creative design process? And is the answer relative?
Number one reason a graphic design fails miserably
What is the main reason a graphic design fails miserably? It’s quite simple: you played with graphic content before you worked out your message.
Why graphic designers should learn to draw
Drawing is the foundational skill of all graphic design. Learning to solve design problems with a pencil is the training we need to be able solve problems most effectively with the digital approximation tools of in the palettes of our favorite design applications. But some designers get by without drawing.
28 Crazy Geometric Graphic Design Inspirations from 500 Years Ago
Boy, the term “been there, done that, got the t-shirt” rings true today. I’m a big fan of M.C. Escher and deeply appreciate and am inspired by his work, both as a graphic designer and artist, and so I was astonished today to find what is likely – directly or indirectly – the archetypal artist [...]
Art House Co-Op’s “The Sketchbook Project” Moleskine sketches, pages 12-13
For pages 12-13 of my Art House Co-Op “Sketchbook Project” Moleskine, I wanted to do a simple exercise using quasi-isometric shapes. The inclusion of Blackletter type is just totally random. I drew the substructure in pencil and did the black and white work with a Micron .01. The Moleskine paper in this particular book has [...]
Art House Co-Op’s “The Sketchbook Project” Moleskine sketches, pages 10-11
For pages 10-11 of my Art House Co-Op “Sketchbook Project” Moleskine, I created a character who snubs his high-class nose at anything green. This bourgeois tea-totaller cannot be bothered with solar-techies, tree-huggers, or GM “Volt” supporters on any level. I also have a fascination with hand-drawn 3d lettering which finds its way into many a [...]
50 Sketches from a Graphic Designer
Drawing is fundamental to graphic design. Habitual drawing increases the skills of logo designers, page layout designers, and typographers alike. When a designer “makes do” by not sketching on a routine basis, the designer in some ways in shortchanging his or herself. Yes, designers absorb a lot of information from other designers and can “get [...]
Why do YOU sketch logos during the logo design process?
I found this great post over at Under Consideration. There are a wealth of insightful comments readers have left about their own reasons for drawing and sketching. My own contribution is as follows: “Drawing affords the path of least resistance from the conceptual visual idea to objective visual media. It has the least possible amount [...]
4 things a freelance graphic designer must do every day
There are 4 vital ways every freelance graphic designer must divide up their day if they want to continue to develop as an artist and stay ahead of the competition, be it agencies, design firms, or even other freelance designers. Let’s start with the first 3 you might already be able to guess:
Art House Co-Op’s “The Sketchbook Project” Moleskine sketches, pp08-09
For pages 8-9, I introduce the character of the Mystical Dog King who holds in his hands, the potential of a green crayon. This is because I have found the topic of “It’s not easy being green” to be quite not-easy, and found free associating much easier. First, the dog character is something I came [...]
Art House Co-Op’s “The Sketchbook Project” Moleskine sketches, p04-07
For pages 4-7, I decided I was going to compare and contrast graphite with charcoal. I’ve done a lot of graphite work over the years but never got a grasp of how to use charcoal in a way that approximated my graphite results. I’ve always wanted to sit down and do a piece in both [...]
Art House Co-Op: The Sketchbook Project deadline extended
Well I thought I had 45 days but now I have about 75 days! Looks like interest in the project was so overwhelming they had to extend in invitation and completion deadlines. From an email I just got: As the signup deadline started to approach and people started to receive their sketchbooks in the mail, [...]
Art House Co-Op’s “The Sketchbook Project: Library” and daily Moleskine sketches
Art House Co-Op has started The Sketchbook Project: Library. Everyone who signs up gets a Moleskine sketch book to fill up any way they’d like. However, each Moleskine is barcoded and themed. I got mine yesterday, with the theme of “It’s not easy being green”. I immediately misunder-read this as “It ain’t easy being green.” [...]
Every good graphic design starts with a good drawing
As soon as I could hold pencil, I was drawing. I drew through grade school where I spent time out of boring classes and instead got to decorate the hall bulletin boards. I drew through high school and three years of art studio time every day. I drew before I painted, then painted over what [...]
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