Learning how to draw, from the basics to the finer points of illustration, is a popular activity which brings a lot of people online searching for as much information as they can find. A few months ago I wrote about some great drawing tutorial sites I had found, and that post continues to send a good flow of visitors to my site from search engines.
Much of my own work in recent months has been illustration, and I will be blogging more about illustration in graphic design in the near future. To begin, I’ve put together a broad range of resources to be found online about illustration; these are among the best I’ve found in recent months.
Tutorials
40+ Tutorials for Working with Wacom Tablets by Designm.ag
If you’ve got a Wacom digital drawing tablet, this is a great guide to familiarising yourself and getting the most out of the hardware.
Create a Cute Monster From a Pencil Sketch by Blog.Spoon Graphics
The simplicity of this character and the clear steps outlined in the instructions make for a very useful tutorial with a charming end result!
Computer Arts Tutorials
The extensive archive of tutorials from this quality UK design publication is a treasure trove for illustrators seeking to sharpen their skills.
Layers Magazine Tutorials
A publication providing free tutorials for Adobe Creative Suite software
Inspiration
Illustratrated Vector Landscape Design Trend by Blog.Spoon Graphics
illypads
Illustration inspiration, from a sister site to the much admired Logopond
Illustration Design Inspiration by DzineBlog
40 Amazing Illustrations For Inspiration by Web Designer’s Interviews
Blogs
Drawn!
A broad ranging blog about illustration, art and cartooning, with a vast array of ideas for inspiration.
Bittbox
Useful advice on digital illustration techniques, as well as free downloads of vectors to supplement your work.
Communities
Mojizu
Community for Character Designers
The Drawing Board
Community for Illustrators
Amateur Illustrator
Another online community for Illustrators
Illustration Friday
Every Friday a word is published as a theme for illustrators to create a piece for uploading to their own blogs. Links are provided to the work of all participating illustrators. It’s a unique way to get traffic to your site and meet other creative types.
This list represents just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what can be found online – in particular there’s been an explosion in great tutorial sites in recent times. I’ve found it especially exciting to find active social media communities populated by many very talented illustrators. Do you have any suggestions to include in this list?
