I typically like to work in realism, but lately I’ve been playing around with some illustration styles. I’m always experimenting with different techniques and trying to come up with new images. Below, are some of the new things I’ve been having fun with. Enjoy!

Pens & Pencils

Most of my projects start with a sketch—this one is no different. One day I was working with all three of these writing utensils when I decided to change my focus and start using them as the subject.

After scanning into Photoshop, I began to finish the illustration. Rather than simply coloring each sketch, I decided to try using a different method on each one. I always say that there’s more than one way to complete a task in Photoshop. I wanted to prove it by using three completely different techniques to produce the same illustrative style.

Pencil

Using the same illustration style, I’ve decided to create a more detailed version of the pencil. Here is the sketch:

As I started to add color, I wanted to find a happy balance between illustration and realism. I like the idea of combining bold/bright colors typically found in illustrations with natural gradients and shadings found in realism.

Some Past Projects

For some reason, I like to use pens and pencils as the subject for my projects. Here are some past Photoshop images I’ve created.