Advanced SearchGradients (Colonel)
We see this time and time again: new vector illustrators who are smitten with gradient effects. We’ve never been able to figure out why this is (though we’ll all admit, under pressure, that we were the same way when we first started illustrating).
Gradients can add instant depth and volume to a shape with the click of a button and make surfaces gleam. However, it takes a good understanding of how light works to turn a gradient into the powerful tool it can be in the right hands.
Example 1 is a simple file, which would work very well as line art or with some simple shading. But wait: let’s try to make it look nice and rounded with some neat-o gradients! Ouch. Wrong. The gradients here are way too harsh. Creating a gradient that transitions from a solid color all the way to white or black usually ends up looking pretty nasty. That cigarette filter looks horrible with that amount of contrast between the opposite ends of the gradient… After all, filters are made of colored paper, not chrome! The gradients are better on the white part of the cigarette because the contrast isn't as dramatic, but still they really aren't suited to the style of this illustration with its thick heavy outline. Besides, the surgeon general says smoking's bad for you.
We've kept the outlines the same in Examples 2 and 3, all we've changed is the interior coloring technique. The example on the far right is simple flat color, which is clean, bold and simple. The middle example uses a little shading to show a bit of depth, but it's nice and subtle and doesn't interfere with the style of the illustration. I'm still not saying you should light up but this cigarette would clearly be much easier on the eyes/lungs.
Let’s look at another example. Example 1: We’re going to try to use gradients to turn a simple line art illustration into something it's not (in this case a nice shiny 3D render). While gradients can be used to give the illusion of chromed metal, this time it just isn’t working. Again, the color graduation on the gradient is too contrast-y and unnatural. On the side of the padlock we have a sharp transition for no real apparent reason. Something that can give the impression of cheap 80s clipart (not that there's anything wrong with that!) is on the metal lock bar part of the padlock: The gradient of the lock goes from dark to light upwards, but the lowlight on the side goes the opposite direction. And what’s with the freaky angle of the gradient on the side of the padlock?
In Example 2, all of the gradients have been stripped away and replaced with simple flat colors, which is much more effective and appropriate for this style of illustration. There’s just enough shading and highlights on the top part of the lock to add a sense of volume, all achieved through flat colors that’ll print nicely. Now lock this file before you're tempted to add more gradients.
In Example 2, all of the gradients have been stripped away and replaced with simple flat colors, which is much more effective and appropriate for this style of illustration. There’s just enough shading and highlights on the top part of the lock to add a sense of volume, all achieved through flat colors that’ll print nicely. Now lock this file before you're tempted to add more gradients.
Gradients + Outlines + Highlights... Oh, My (Spotblind)
It’s easy to get carried away in the style department. You can add strokes, textures, gradients, patterns, you name it: why limit yourself to just one effect?! Well, it all comes down to consistency. Consistency is critical and the more you clutter your image with unnecessary elements, the more distracting and confused the final results will be. This is a key consideration to remember when illustrating for stock: The designer already has a message they need to convey… Your illustration will be used to support this message. Distracting and competing effects within a file can seriously detract from the usability of your illustration.
When planning your image you should start from the ground up and decide what the final look you want is: Light and delicate? Bold and strong? Shiny or matte? Comical, cute, whimsical, dramatic, serious? Once you’ve nailed the look and feel you’d like to aim for, every element you add should support the look. That’s not to say you can’t change your mind once you’ve started with a particular style. As long as you know what you’d like to convey to the viewer, chances are the end result will have a clear message and consistent look and feel.
Flowers have always been a popular subject to upload. Example 1 is pretty decent... But it could be a heck of a lot better, and with the amount of flower submissions this’d need some polish to get approved. The spirals are ragged and rushed, which doesn’t fit in with the soft gradients on the petals. The highlights are very sharp (perhaps this is a plastic flower?), and for some reason only 2 of the leaves have veins… Not very pretty veins at that, especially where they’ve cut right over the stem of the flower (on the lower right). The finished image is confused, cluttered, and not likely to attract any bees.
Example 2, on the other hand, is the kind of blossom you’d want to give that special someone. The distracting strokes from the first flower have been replaced with strong shapes that are subtly tinted to give a hint of depth and volume. The harsh gradients have been toned down and the highlights softened. We’ve removed the mismatched leaves and replaced them with 2 strong, simple leaves that are drawn in the same style. On the blossom itself some extra highlight/shadow shapes have been added to each petal, then carefully colored to look 3-dimensional… You can almost smell it.
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