Research Task:

“Can we really say with confidence that the computer will only be a silent partner? Can’t some visionary artist create an illustration form that is unprecedented? Or is illustration an antiquated art that defies change and so will vanish? Film is an integral storytelling medium that bears no relationship to painting. Can the computer be an integral medium that changes the way we perceive and practice illustration?”

Steven Heller – 2000

Questions:

Is there a clear distinction between digital and non-digital illustration?

There is a massive distinction between digital and non-digital illustration because of the medium used and the interactivity of how illustration can be viewed through various platforms. I primarily use my iPad and Apple Pencil now for illustration and animation and then use YouTube to show my creative process. I then post my outcomes on Instagram for other OCA students to like and comment on. Digital illustration outcomes are also a lot clearer as you are not spending time making sure the lighting or exposure is right for the non-digital illustrations if you were to take photos of them. Most illustrators these days also use digital portfolios to show off their work and to send to possible employers when looking for work.

Picking up on Steven Heller’s quote, what is the future for digital illustration?

Digital Illustration has a massive future and is already bigger than it ever was before, it’s ever-growing. With social media platforms like Instagram, Tumblr and YouTube there are so many opportunities for digital media including illustration and animation. I think in future even more platforms will exist and some will primarily be used by illustrators only.

Exercise 1 – Pixelated images:

Using a grid format of pixels, I need to create a series of illustrations that explore my relationship to digital technologies. I will be using my iPad to draw my pixelated images and will work in full colour.

I chose to illustrate pixelated images of the application logos that I use every day and I will challenge myself my decreasing the amount of pixels until there is only four, I wonder if we are able to still see what logo it is with these limited pixels?

My chosen app logos:

Phone Apps:

• Camera
• Indeed
• Teams
• Instagram
• WhatsApp
• YouTube
• Phone

Laptop Apps:

• Clipping Tool
• Edge
• OpenToonz
• Procreate
• Paint
• Start
• Word

Pixelated Images:

Camera

Indeed

Teams

Instagram

WhatsApp

YouTube

Phone

Clipping Tool

Edge

OpenToonz

Procreate

Paint

Start

Word

Pixelated Images together:

4-pixels each:

This exercise was interesting and for me it was more to do with understanding colours more than pixels. It’s interesting to see how many colours make up each logo, some only have two and others have multiple. I didn’t even know that some colours existed within some logos. I think all of the pixelated images of the logos can be easily identified but the 4-pixel images above are a lot harder to see, for instance Word could be mistaken for Outlook or even Teams at a glance? I created the images using a grid format on Procreate.