ILLU326 Atmospheric and Environmental Illustration
Perspective and constructive drawing techniques are essential when creating compelling narrative illustrations. Through research and practices, students illustrate building interiors, exterior environments, vehicles and other objects from different perspectives and in a variety of locations and atmospheric conditions.
Course Introduction
This course is designed to help artists develop a better understanding of environments and atmospheric conditions and the effect use and benefits in illustrations. Students will explore a variety of environments and weather and climate conditions using an assortment of techniques including depth, water vapor and moisture, light and color, and both real and imagined atmospheres. Exploration through sketchbook and in-class exercises help student learn and utilize a wide range of effects and styles to develop more dynamic and emotional illustration techniques, methods and assets. The end results will be numerous portfolio quality final illustrations.
The Importance of Sketchbook
The Artist's Sketchbook is an integral part of developing unique creative ideas and a means to continue to grow artistic talents and skills, while exploring visual storytelling. During this course, I recommend every student keep a Sketchbook with regular entries of content and mediums.. Sketchbook entries are open to interpretation and I encourage you to be creative - any medium - any style - be creative!
I suggest a 9" x 12" spiral sketchbook with 100 pages. Use a variety of mediums and techniques and the standard sketchbook paper will work fine.
In Class Swatches
These exercises give the students an opportunity to sharpen skills in color, rendering and composition while receiving immediate feedback and assessment. Subjects can include: Weather, buildings, landscapes, perspective, scale, composition, color, creativity and concepting, textures, moisture, organic and man made.
Assignment One
Tropical
Utilizing structure, environment and atmosphere – create individual and composite structure - site-based reference content – could include Mayan/Aztec/Tai culture - environment, atmosphere and background – depth, realistic conditions and content, and lighting effects - Hot - Humid - Steamy - Mysterious - Lush
Assignment Two
Village
Based on Village environment using structural examples -utilize accurate perspective themes - create interior and/or exterior Village Themed Worlds. Individual and composite sturctures - site-based reference materials and content - environment, atmosphere, and backgrounds will define this project. Depth, realistic conditions and content will help make the scene believeable.
warm - sunny - friendly - clear - inviting
Empahsis on lighting, perspective and environment
Assignment Three
Frozen Conceptual Futuristic Complex
Utilize two and three point perspective – including interior and exterior themes - Utilizing a contemporary theme, content and components - create individual and composite structure - site-based reference content – environment, atmosphere and background -Etheral - Apocalyptic - Other World - Evening - Blade Runner-like - Weather conditions should include ice and snow!
Assignment Four
Arid/Desert Planet
The emphasis here is a desert planet - hot - dry - abandoned civilization - only thing that remains is structures and vehicles - sand - dunes - mirage - void of life - yet mysterious and deathly -atmosphere is sun-like - crematorium - water is hot and toxic
Due Dates
Jan 6 - Pre Quarter - DUE - beginning of class
Jan 13 - Assignment One - Tropical - Thumbnails - DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before end of class.
Jan 13 - Swatches #1 - DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before end of class.
Jan 15 - Assignment #1 - Tropical - Color Comps - DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before beginning of class.
Jan 24 - Assignment #1 - Tropical - Final Art - DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before beginning of class.
Jan 27 - Assignment #2 - Village - Thumbnails - DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before beginning of class.
Jan 27 - Swatches #2 - DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before end of class.
Jan 29 - Assignment #2 - Village - Black and White Comps - DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before beginning of class.
Feb 3- Assignment #2 - Village - Color Comps - DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before beginning of class.
Feb 5 - Swatches #3 - DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before end of class.
Feb 10 - Assignment #2 - Village - Final Art - DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before beginning of class.
Feb 12 - Assignment #3 - Conceptual Futuristic Complex - Thumbnails - DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before beginning of class.
Feb 12 - Swatches #4 - DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before end of class.
Fed 17- Assignment #3 - Conceptual Futuristic Complex - Color Comps - DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before beginning of class.
Feb 19 - Swatches #5 - DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before end of class.
Feb 24 - Assignment #3 - Conceptual Futuristic Complex - Final Art - DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before beginning of class.
Feb 26 - Assignment #4 - Arid/Desert Planet - Thumbnails - DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before beginning of class.
Feb 26 - Swatches #6 - DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before end of class.
Mar 2 - Assignment #4 - Arid/Desert Planet - Color Comps - DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before beginning of class.
Mar 4 - Swatches #7 - DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before end of class.
Mar 9 - Assignment #4 - Arid/Desert Planet - Final Art - DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before beginning of class.
Mar 11 - Assignment Portfolio- DUE - Must be placed in Dropbox before beginning of class.
Recommended Textbooks
Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist. ISBN-13: 978-0740785504
Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter . ISBN-13:978-0740797712
Master the Art of Speed Painting: ISBN-13: 978-19094 14341
Digital Painting Techniques :ISBN-13: 978-1909414341
Beginner's Guide to Digital Painting in Photoshop : ISBN-13: 978-0955153075
59 Illustrated National Parks - Hardcover: 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service :ISBN-13: 978-0996777704
The Art of Anthem: ISBN-13: 978-1506707013
Archiving Your Work
Preparing each Final Illustration File.
Digital files (PDFs, animation stills, storyboards, comic panels, sequential art, etc.):
All native files, fonts and supporting links contained in a single folder
All final submission folders compressed as a zip file
All zipped folders named in a manner that includes the campus, year, quarter, program abbreviation, the student's first and last names, and the title of the artwork. This information also needs to be embedded in the metadata so Full file naming guidelines are attached.
CAMPUS_Quartercode_DEPT_FirstnameLastname_title
Sample: SAV_202020_ACCE_AidanBarrow_snapbelt (Quartercodes - Fall 10, Winter 20, Spring 30, Summer 40)
All images submitted as JPEGS at 300dpi, JPEG quality 12, Adobe RGB1998.
Images MUST include Meta Data
Disclaimer - All content on this page is protected by the artists who created the work. The purpose for showing their artwork on this page, is for educational purposes only. The owner of this site does not claim any artwork on this page as his own. All rights are protected and considered copyrighted. ©2020
Copyright - all images on this site are protected by artists copyright laws. No image may be copied or reproduced. For reference purposes only.