The Complete Guide to Digital Illustration

by Steve Caplin, Adam Banks and Nigel Holmes

• ISBN13: 9780823007844
• ISBN10: 0823007847
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2003-04-01
• Publisher: Watson-Guptill

Summary

Today's professional illustrator is light years beyond ink wells and drafting boards: the present and foreseeable future of the art of illustration is digital, and there is no more complete resource on the tools and techniques of this thoroughly modern practice thanThe Complete Guide to Digital Illustration. Written by veteran art professionals Steve Caplin and Adam Banks, this guide will take any digital artist to the next level. It examines all the key areas where digital illustration is utilizedcovering the traditional arenas such as print, corporate identity, and advertising as well as multimedia presentations and the new media of the Internet. It demonstrates the vast array of incredible effects open to today's digital artists, along with how they can be achieved. It also offers indispensable advice on the type of software and hardware the beginning digital illustrator may need for his own studio. Packed with more than 400 stunning full-color illustrations and profiles of the newsmakers and groundbreakers within the industry,The Complete Guide to Digital Illustrationis a virtual encyclopedia on the art of digital illustration and a fast-track tutorial no serious illustrator should be without. Third title in series Provides a complete and in-depth analysis of the current state of digital illustration technology Offers advice on choosing appropriate hardware and software Covers every area, from comic strips to 3-D rendering Includes a foreword by Nigel Holmes, former graphics director ofTimemagazine and highly renowned author, lecturer, and illustrator

Author Biography

Living and working in London, Steve Caplin is an award-winning digital artist and a specialist in the art of satirical photomontage. His work has appeared in periodicals throughout the UK. Former editor-in-chief of MacUser, Adam Banks has specialized in digital imaging since the early 1980s, and has contributed countless articles and tutorials to a wide range of computer publications. He lives in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 6
The Basics	p. 8
What You'll Need	p. 10
Monitors	p. 12
Input and Output	p. 14
Hardware Extras	p. 16
Different Illustration Methods	p. 18
Painting	p. 20
Drawing	p. 22
3D Modeling	p. 25
Animation	p. 26
Digital Painting	p. 28
How Digital Painting Works	p. 30
Photographic Manipulation	p. 31
Photomontage	p. 34
Natural Media	p. 36
Pixel Art	p. 38
Painting Techniques	p. 40
Working with Layers	p. 41
Layer Masks	p. 42
Photomontage	p. 44
Beveling and Embossing	p. 46
Coloring Artwork	p. 48
Layer Effects	p. 50
Diy Pop Art	p. 52
Multi-Layer Illustration	p. 54
Third Party Plug Ins	p. 59
Painting Showcase	p. 60
Digital Drawing	p. 70
Drawing Principles	p. 72
Bezier Curves	p. 73
Stroke and Fill	p. 75
Stacking and Layers	p. 78
Exploded Drawing	p. 80
Drawing Techniques	p. 82
Map Making	p. 84
Isometric Drawing	p. 86
Technical Drawing	p. 88
Tracing and Autotracing	p. 90
Meshes and Distortion	p. 93
Drawing Showcase	p. 94
3D Illustration	p. 104
3D Applications	p. 106
Poser	p. 108
Amorphium	p. 111
Adobe Dimensions	p. 112
3D Modeling and Rendering	p. 114
3D Modeling	p. 116
Lighting	p. 118
Texturing	p. 120
Rendering	p. 122
3D Into 2D	p. 124
3D Illustration Showcase	p. 126
Animation	p. 138
Introducing Digital Animation	p. 140
Macromedia Flash	p. 142
After Effects	p. 144
Toon Boom Studio	p. 146
Animated Gifs	p. 148
3D Animation	p. 150
Animation Showcase	p. 152
Professional Practice	p. 158
The Working Illustrator	p. 158
Working with Clients	p. 160
Taking the Money	p. 162
Copyright and Image Sourcing	p. 164
Essential Reference	p. 168
Resolution	p. 170
Color Modes	p. 172
Color Management	p. 174
File Formats	p. 176
Essential Photoshop Filters	p. 178
Special Effects Filters	p. 180
Glossary	p. 182
Bibliography	p. 186
Index	p. 188
Further Reading	p. 190
Acknowledgments	p. 192
Table of Contents provided by Rittenhouse. All Rights Reserved.