by Team Artonomy team@team-artonomy.com

Quick Jump:   Introduction  |  Steps 1-4  |  Steps 5-9 (vector)  |  Steps 5-9 (bitmap)

Step 5: VECTOR IMAGES The artwork used in this demonstration was for vector artwork enabling the image to be Flash compatible from the outset. This means that the scanned, inked image has to be traced using an application which converts bitmaps to vectors. There are a number on the market, but we favour Streamline from Adobe. If the artwork is intended for Flash use, we have to ensure that the vectors do not have too many points as it increases the file size for Flash downloads and also makes working on the image more difficult. This is all done in Streamline before exporting the vector image to Illustrator.
Step 6: NOW FOR THE COLOR Once the vector image is opened in Illustrator, we begin to clean up stray points and smoothing areas that were made over-complicated in the vectorization. Then we start carefully selecting color swatches and proceed to apply fills to the artwork. This stage can be surprisingly lengthy as we do like to tweak the image to as near to perfection as we can.
Step 7: LAYING OUT THE IMAGE Now each stage of the artwork has gone through the same process and is already colored, all the elements need to be pulled together to create the finished piece. This is when the artwork really starts to take shape and is one of the most rewarding points in the creation of an image.
Step 8: MODELLING and SHADING If an image is suited to having light and shade applied it is left until the last step, as the decision for the lighting needs to be made when the whole scene is finished. This is when an image can start to get quite complicated, but we know that at this stage we are on the home straight. When this stage is completed...
Step 9: ...THE ARTWORK IS FINISHED A copy of the finished artwork is sent by e-mail to the client for approval. Occasionally changes are needed, such as color, layout and even whole elements that need changing, but the methods of creation that we employ up to this stage ensure that major changes such as these will not be expensive to make.

Prev: Steps 1-4  |  Next: Steps 5-9 (bitmap)

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Team Artonomy is a partnership established in early 1999 of two Illustrators and Designers after realising that their resources as creatives were better utilised as a team. Richard Smith and Russ Cogman originally came from two quite different disciplines, but their collaboration as Illustrators, Cartoonists and Designers has become a fruitful venture, thanks to the internet and an ever developing web-site. This article copyright © 2002 Team Artonomy. Published with permission.

Rating: 9.4 (4 votes)  

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