Droid Workshop design by Mark Sheldon boehly - Graphicsbyte Creative

July 22, 2023

Graphic Illustration

July 22, 2023

Graphic Illustration

What is Commercial Illustration?

Commercial illustration is a blend between graphic design and illustration. The term is also known as “graphic illustration.” These designers can use any technique to create a visual style that is artistic but follows company guidelines. This form of design is often used when trying to create a deeper bond with consumers, products, and ideas. Like other areas in design commercial artists often meet with clients directly. They use both traditional and digital tools to develop concepts for advertisements and product packaging. Commercial artists keep open communication with their clients when developing various concepts. Usually, the client receives several options to choose from before a final decision is made.

Both graphic design and illustration have a unique set of techniques, artistic goals, and mediums. Illustration is the wild child in the art world. Illustrators often tell stories through visual scenes or creative typography. They want to convey emotion while adding a personal aesthetic to the design.

What is Illustration?

One of the most popular styles of illustration is the use of black, white and color. Pencil drawings can create in depth textures, sharp edges and soft areas. Other popular mediums include the use of ink which brings out contrast. Charcoal drawings are used for hard shadows, and sketching abstract forms. Illustrators often use different paints such as watercolor, gouache and acrylic to tell their stories. Watercolor creates soft tones while gouache paint is rich and has a fast drying process. Acrylic is versatile and can be used on many surfaces. In recent years lithography and print making are becoming popular choices again. Both techniques can produce a detailed look with fast turn around times.

Other styles of illustration include collage, etchings and woodcut art. In a collage artists use found objects and arrange them in a creative way to tell a story. Etchings is a timely process where artists scratch illustrations into metal. One of the oldest techniques is woodcut art. Artists use this method to carve into an actual piece of wood.

Illustrations can be created for fun, found in published media like books, magazines, posters, flyers and educational materials. With the help of tablets and computers a lot of illustration is now being produced digitally.

What is Graphic Design?

Graphic design is the profession of using visual content and compositions to solve problems with their target audience. Messages are communicated through color, form, line, shape, size, space, texture, typography and imagery. Graphic designers usually receive direction from branding strategies and marketing teams.

Graphic design exists in both print and digital worlds. Work can be found in packaging, business cards, logos, posters, fliers, email marketing, websites, etc. The visual identity (logo) is usually the starting point of a graphic design job. From there emotion, story, color palettes, images and other design guidelines are used to build a consistent brand.

The next step is to market the idea/ product. Traditionally this was done with printed materials such as newspapers, magazines, and flyers. Nowadays designers also use social media, email campaigns, Internet browsers and other online websites. The internet has provided many ways to create ads and get feedback from the users. UI/UX designers also market to their clients by creating games, apps, motion graphics, film, trailers, GIF’s and various web banners.

There are many areas of interest for graphic designers to specialize in. Publication designers create layouts for books, newspapers, catalogs and magazines. They use different forms of typography and imagery to help pull the audience into their story. Packaging designers create physical products for consumers. Then there is environmental design. Architecture is combined with landscapes to create ecological and aesthetic harmony using murals, exhibition displays and signage.