Thinking In Black – Tips and hacks for working black in digital illustration

Thinking In Black

Black can be a trouble to work with when it comes to print, especially with all of the varying print processes, paper finishes and general variations with commercial printing machines, inks, screen calibrations and so on - working with a black is a headache and I'm sure many others would agree! So, I have put together some tips and tricks to assist with your projects - it can be a dark and treacherous path. This post will mostly focus on creative approach rather than the pure technical aspects of Black ( K ). Working with 4 colour printing and spot colours is a detailed topic in its own right which is worthy of a post.

Illustrators, painters, artists and photographers

Firstly, does it really need to be BLACK? When I say does it need to be ‘Black’ are there many things in the real world that are completely black? Aside from an all light absorbing, all-life-drinking black hole that absorbs all light and colour? Besides… that's something that;s not of our world as far as I'm aware. Looking at the world around you, you will see come to see how lighting, surface, atmosphere and texture will absorb surrounding colours, including what you would what you would call a black surface. For example, someone is wearing a black t-shirt, more often that not if, even if it is new, light will catch on the folds, the creases and the contours of the fabric giving the black fabric a slight hue or tint depending on the light source and ambience.
  Study things! I like to look at surfaces and objects that have an interesting finish for example : gloss surfaces, bottles, matte paint, skin, fur, hair, shadows, animals, sunglasses, cloth, etc. Another good source of reference of how to use light and dark with dramatic effect is Chiaroscuro – do some research online - research Caravaggio (one of many artist's using this approach) and see what comes back. Caravaggio used light and dark with excellent dramatic effect framing the narrative in light and shadows. This is potentially subjective but hopefully... it will be food for thought – if its jet-black you’re after then please read on! ( I have attached a little image below with some dark but not black shading )

Illustration with a pinch of mood lighting! Left : a world of pure black and white without colours, the others... and bit of hue and tint

RGB controversial

Typically, I like to work in RGB first and then convert my files to CMYK afterwards, especially if I’m working on a bitmap illustration or digital painting. Why? Because working in RGB generally gives me more creative freedom in the beginning and it also allows me to move between digital and print at a later date anyway. This is a my preferred method when working on an illustration and by no means a rule, just a preference. I’m not the only one working this way. By doing a Google search I stumbled upon a commercial artist who also likes to work this way – this writer and artist goes into much greater detail about the in’s and outs of color channels on their blog. I recommend having a read at some stage – perhaps after you have read my post. :-)

(http://muddycolors.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/printing-your-work.html)

Unexpected Results - a pleasant accident

I was always taught to work in CMYK for print and RGB for digital. I still champion this for working with professional printers as trying to print from RGB file may produce some erratic results, be it for leaflets printing, flyers, and other mediums. I accidentally ran a test print from Photoshop in RGB (Thinking it was CMYK) and the results were far more superior than the CMYK version. Both were printed on the same satin finish paper, on a Canon Pixma A3 with an impressive result. Despite my efforts and tinkering with the levels in the CMYK version to replicate what had happened In the RGB Version, I couldn’t produce the same results. I will make an assumption that my Inject printer translated the RGB to CMYK and just knew what I was after. I can’t complain too much as this project was sent to print and retained all the vivid colours and strong black colours.  Saying this, I still recommend trying to stick with the CMYK for design and print despite this result as this is typically what is asked - best to be safe, but something worth exploring for the future.

Digital - Add a Hue

Unless your are working in RGB and your artwork will remain for screen (digital) only. Then may be best to work with ‘Designer Black’ check the numbers. Although the computer says it black (or you've had it calibrated) it is best to drop a bit of colour into the mix - and do test print it.

Have a little play in the Colour Palette - this is the picker from Photoshop

Tips + Photoshop!

If you are working on a image in Photoshop and have started in RGB and want to convert your artwork colour settings in Photoshop, don’t just click on “convert to CMYK” use the colour profile under edit instead as this will provide better results. Use U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2. Experiment with the different settings to get the desired finish.

Last Key Points!

• Take heed of the colour warnings when you are in the colour picker window. This could save a lot of headache later on.
  
  
• Let the printer do the leg work. Send your artwork to the printer and try to let them help you. A printer worth their salt will want to help you and have your return custom. To reinforce what results you could also send them a physical sample (saying like this please!) from your home printer – assuming you have a good quality home printer.
• As mentioned previously, if you are working on an image with a lot of dark areas why not add a little hue / tint of colour? 20% cyan for example or some magenta/red for a warmer image.
• Avoid working with 0, 0, 0, 100 K, as this best reserved for font/text printing and can your work charcoal appearance. Use a ‘Rich black’ or 'designers black' instead. 20, 20, 20, 100 k for example.
• Avoid 100, 100, 100, 100, CMYK as this is reserved for crop marks and using this colour can drown the paper - no one wants drowned paper!
• Don’t be fooled. Your screen can be way out of the sync with your printer. Do some test’s first and see what results come from your printer (even printing on your home printer cannot guarantee the finish you require when you send your work to print) So take note.
  
  Yes... black can be painful to work with! And can be tricky colour to tame!

Thank you for reading!

Artwork Update - Fantasy & Folklore Art : Manticore, The White Hare and a Faun

Artwork Update : Fantasy & Folklore

I felt it was time again to add some of my fantasy and folklore artwork to Blogger as it has been a while. I have been busy on the illustration and design side of things so that can only be a good thing, but this does take me away from working on my own personal updates. So, I have selected a couple of pieces of artwork for your interest. 

1 ) The Manticore : this is my rendition of the Manticore, a mythological beast with human features, the body of a lion and scorpion's tail. This depiction of the Manticore is based on a rewrite of a bestiary which was originally written by monks in the middle ages, which is a close as you could get to the original description of the mythological beast (how dare you! it's real I say!). Should you ever get the chance to read a classic historical bestiary I would recommend it - I don't know what those monks were taking but it seamed give them some fairly outrageous ideas! I also get the impression that most of these Monks didn't venture further than their chapel grounds, let alone visit the far east where they believed these creatures roamed free - so knights beware. I think one of my favourite inserts which I remember suggests : a virgin should cuddle a unicorn to cure a particular affliction... good luck finding a virgin!  

Red Manticore Illustration JD Odell

2 ) The White Rabbit (Hare) : I have written about this piece of artwork in previous posts and listings. This drawing was produced for a folklore exhibition I held in Looe in 2011 - with this animal being based on classic folklore "should you follow the rabbit your misfortunes will begin" the smugglers, sailors in Cornwall were superstitious in the day and this nasty legend was based on the misfortune of a young girl.

I wanted the Rabbit to look cuddly and enticing yet conceal an air of hidden malevolence to it, after all it is essentially a poltergeist. The artwork was produced using markers, pencils and PS.

The brief link below tells more of the 'White Hare' . Watch out when you next drink in the Jolly sailor in Looe - me and my partner are staying in a cottage on West Looe Hill

http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/england/cornwall/white-hare-of-looe.html

White Rabbit - Don't follow it!

3 ) The Faun Sleeps : This was another piece of fantasy artwork! This image depicts a faun sleeping in the dirt with its younger siblings nestled around him. I was fairly happy with the drawing aside from the environment looking bleak and lack of colour depth in the image. In hind sight I also wished I added more texture to the picture to really pull you into the scene, the browns all merge into one as it stands which is fine although I wander what it would have looked like with more to it.

At the very least... does the image make you want to lie down on the soft ground?

The Faun Sleeps - are you feeling sleepy?

I am more than happy to offer my services as a fantasy illustrator and artist be it for personal or commercial projects. For more information about my service please feel free to browse my website and contact me via my contact page. I can offer a range of skill with my main focus being in gritty details and commercial experience. My artwork has been used for print publications, marketing and graphic novels.

http://jdillustration.jimmsdesign.co.uk/

All artwork is Copyright James (Jimm, JD) Odell please do not reprint or distribute my artwork without prior consent. 2015

Folklore, monsters, creatures, fantasy, horror, drawing, artwork,

Illustration Meet Ups in Central London - network with other creatives and expand your business

Yoillo! Illustration Networking

Last Wednesday, I attended another Yoillo meet up in the quiet upstairs pub of the Yorkshire Grey. A traditional comfy pub tucked away in the back streets of central London. I sat there drinking my cider, waiting for the other attendees; slowly they trickled in, with the organizer Rob Barrett being the first.

The 'Yoillo meet ups' are basically the chance to network with other artists and illustrators and talk about random everyday stuff, or your latest project with like-minded people. I work as a Designer and Developer in gadget company producing artwork web bits, so I'm always looking for edge. In other words, I work across a wide area of creative projects; they call me ‘Art Guy’ at work, a Mr Crayola of the company. I found this get together to be an refreshing way to chat and network in an informal and relaxed way with industry professionals. These types of artists ranged from cartoonists, gothic artists, designers of various genres. This was great way of feeling inspired and keeping your ear to the ground.

On both occasions (October and November) 6 + people have turned up to the event, (25 plus at its biggest so I’m told) we exchanged business cards, flyers, did a bit of show and tell and picked each other’s brains about the industry and what is going on in the world at present. Ultimately it’s a great chance to get out the house for a chat and drink... so come along and bring others.

Professionals and hobbyists welcome! Usually around the middle of the month after 7pm.

Thank you Rob!

My character illustration and freelance work

**the group**http://www.yoillo.com/

Beginner Freelancer Hints & Tips - Book keeping and Clients (UK)

Hello there, I decided to add a post related to general tips for creative freelancing.
I have been asked questions on a couple of occasions about topics aside from being a creative thinker. I have worked with a couple of clients from all shapes and sizes and I am now going to offer some points from my own experiences. So I hope this helps.. (please excuse my poor spelling)

1) Agreement / Plan - Before you jump into a project make sure to get some form of written agreement to the client declaring what it is they will get for their budget in concise - detailed - bullet points, this will prove to be invaluable to you later on. A written agreement in the early stages lays down a project plan and what the client will get for their money and time. You don't want to surprise the client at last stage with over spending their budget and ignoring their needs.

Agreements will also protect you as the designer from "feature packing", feature packing is when a client would ask you to produce one poster for the same budget and then somewhere in the middle they try to slip a business card design or and extra webpage without wanting to pay for the extra time. Be careful about verbal agreements too, I have agreed to a project with a vague specification from a client only for it to back fire at a later date, make sure to talk it through in some detail first without dropping the final price into the conversation.

Don't : "Hello Jeff could you design a booklet for me" and of course you'd jump at the opportunity and say "yes, great will do for £20". Great, done and dusted....that quick, you'd be lucky. You will find yourself in probable situation whereby the client keeps changing there mind, adding elements to the project and continuous criticism about the the project. You don't wont to hear the words "that's not what we have agreed", because that's what you said on the phone, remember? That's an example of being too quick to take the project and not talking it through. Do : "Could you design a poster for me?" "yes, what size, when, who, colours, time scale, budget in mind"? that is a rough example.

In the event you don't talk it through, you may get these freelance symptoms : Loss of trust from your client, time consumption, delayed payments, loss of future projects, a headache, foul language, muttering under your breathe, morale.
So : Get the written spec if possible> Discuss > Plan Declare > Agree > Begin


2) Deposits - There are many valid reasons for asking for deposits, make sure to tie this into your agreement.
A deposit can act as confirmation for a project, this will guarantee your client is serious about investing into your time and skill. It will also confirm the start date for a project and you will find the project moves quickly. If a client starts to foam at the mouth about paying you a deposit I'd be weary, It could mean they don't have the money, or don't want invest in your time and effort. (Please only use this part as a guide, some companies may have a policy where they only pay on completion, use your instinct. I find this works for me.)How much is down to you.

Perks of the deposit are as follows : Acts confirmation for you and the client, pays for you to work through the project, protects you if the project is canceled, could keep you going until the far off completion date.

3) Price - Take into consideration what your price could be saying about your service, although many clients may want something for cheap this can also work against you (the designer). Could knocking the price down to %20 (or cheap by the current market) mean you are desperate, inexperienced or easy pickings? possibly from experience, by all means don't be greedy, but don't be too be cheap either. Being too cheap can say you lack confidence in your workmanship and will work for anything.
(If you are a graduate have the take it where you can get it attitude, if its good for the folio.)
Type into Google "salary calculator" or sign up to designweek.co.uk, better still, buy a design week and feel the printy paperness between your finger tips!

4) Book keeping - Always keep hold of your receipts, bank statements etc. As a freelancer you will need to fill out a self (assessment) form ether digitally or printed stating your earnings at the end of the tax year (April - to - April). Please take into account if you a you have a paye job, this will also add to your total earnings. Take into consideration at an early stages of freelancing and store some money to to pay your taxes and national insurance contributions, even better save your self some hassle and get an accountant.(I really should do that)
Type in self assessment in the revenue and customs website all call their hotline to talk to someone who knows more about the accounting side of things.

5) Communicate - This may sound like a cop out, but the "communication is the key" (or what ever) cliche really is the key. Talk to the client and respond to their needs. Take pride and joy in the project and this will really help you shine. The client will also be more will be more inclined to give future projects as you are enthusiastic about what you do .
Think it all through and every body 'should' be happy.

I hope you can extract some juiciness from this little article and helps you to avoid bulging temple veins!

Kind Regards,

Jimm