After interviewing some of the world’s most established and up-and-coming illustrators for this pro-tips series, one thing is clear. No matter how you workorwhat media or software you choose, your concept or idea is the most important part of your work. The talented illustrators and designers here ensure everyone knows this before offering valuable software and industry-specific advice to help you advance your skills and careers. He may know most of these tips, but even one nugget he didn’t know would improve his job. So, before diving into this novel concept, heed some great advice for getting the most out of Illustrator and taking your work to the next level. Correct delivery “Always ask your client what he wants the final image to look like. If you don’t want to, it’s easy to draw a large rectangle over the last image, pressdown the Ctrl key, Right-click,and select “Create Clipping Mask.”This will crop the artwork in shape you drew.” Learn Bezier Tools “I use a Wacom tablet, so I’m a big fan of the pen tool. Bezier curves take time to learn, but they’re a very efficient way to get the exact lines and shapes you need.” Use Alt/Option to drag, make a copy instead of copy and paste, and learn all the tool shortcuts to save valuable time. Start Right “Think about the art of creating a piece. A full-color image from a print magazine approaches it differently than spray paint on a wall. Our wall decal illustrations are simple, It has to be one dimensional and easy to cut out, so I use the 60’s and 70’s style of basic shapes.” Mix “Don’t be afraid to remove elements to create a composition you’re happy with. Before drawing an…
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