Creating digital illustrations is a fun way to add some artistic flair to your pictures or online content. You can start by picking an interesting image that you want to use as your source material.
You can then edit the colors of the image or even create a new picture using only parts of the original photo. Once those changes are done, it’s time to choose a drawing app that will help you design and shape your illustration.
There are many apps out there that let you do this, but one of our favorites is PixelArt Studio. It has some cool features that make creating your own illustrations easy and fun. Let us show you how to take digital artwork from plain photograph with no decorations to your own unique style!
We’ll be going over all the steps for this beginner level tutorial here.
Take a note of important features in the photo
Important feature analysis is an integral part of making digital illustrations. You can start by looking at the main subject of the picture, or what zoom level you should be at when editing the image.
You could also look into whether there are people in the photograph, and if so, who they are. Some interesting things about people include their facial expressions and clothing styles.
Another important element that makes photos good as art is contrast. There should be some strong and weak areas in the picture to make it feel balanced.
When reducing the size of the pictures for your article, do not reduce the quality too much. A website with low quality images will not read well for most readers.
Create a mood board of images that inspire you
While it’s fine to take inspiration from other artists’ work, don’t just use their style as a source of ideas.
Finding new ways to approach old concepts is what makes an artist worthy of praise.
By looking at how others have tackled similar themes and materials, you will find newer approaches that are just as effective and possibly even more creative than the original.
General tips: Use tone-on-tone colors for backgrounds and contrast color schemes in your painting. Try using bright or neutral shades to add depth.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different brush sizes and techniques. Even if you make no progress for months, do not give up! You can always return and rework your piece later.
On that note…
If you are struggling to choose which elements go into your illustration, try doing some quick sketches. Or, if you already have some concept drawings, compare them against the article’s bullets to see where you could use some help.
Research images similar to the one you want to use
There are many apps that can help you make your own digital illustrations. You may have heard of some of these apps like Photoshop, InDesign, or any other popular design software such as Sketch, which have special features for creating your own artistic designs.
Some of these software packages have an option to create a new document by adding pictures or materials to them. This is called using an image template and there are lots of great source material to choose from.
You do not need to purchase this premium package to add photos to a docu-ment. There are ways to take free photo downloads and then edit them to look more illustrative.
By researching common images, you will learn how to mix and match colors, shapes, and styles to achieve the look you desire.
Use photo editing software to edit your photo
There are many ways to take advantage of this tool. You can go into more artistic modes to add some depth to your image. Or you can simply use it to give your picture new colors or textures.
There are several free, beginner-friendly apps that contain features such as color adjustment, texture manipulation, and overall enhancement. Some even have special tools to create digital illustrations!
Many of these apps also offer premium accounts that allow you to access additional settings and features. This is especially helpful if you are looking to achieve higher levels of precision in your designs.
Use the pencil tool to add shape to your photo
The first way to make your picture into an illustration is by using the pencil tool. This tool allows you to create shapes out of portions or all of a photo. You can then modify these shapes, cut them down, or combine them together.
One of my favorite ways to use this tool is to take a close up photograph of something and draw some lines across the image. Then, I edit the lines so that they blend in with the rest of the image. For example, if I wanted to design a wall pattern using the pieces as templates, I would start off drawing very thin lines across the image.
I would then pull away parts of the line and layer new ones on top creating a texture effect. I could also go back and erase parts of the line or even merge two colors together!
You do not have to be artistic to get great results. With digital art, there are many tools available to help you achieve your goals.
Use the paint tool to add colors to your photo
The next way to edit your photos is use the paint tool. This tool allows you to go in with different color selections and shapes, and then you can apply these changes to only some parts of your image or all of it.
The best part about using this tool is that you do not have to be very artistic to create beautiful designs. All you need to do is pick your favorite hue and drag it across the canvas to make its own layer within your picture. Then, repeat for other shades!
You also do not have to limit yourself to just coloring individual objects either. You can take any area of the image and give it their own brush by choosing “Texture” under shape.
Use the blur tool to make your photo look like a watercolor painting
The other way to do this is use the blur tool. The bluer the color of the image, the more it will blend into the background. By choosing a very strong white or black area as the background, you can add some depth to the picture.
By experimenting with different shapes and sizes of areas, you can create beautiful designs that resemble watercolors!
You can also go in reverse by using shades of gray to cut off parts of the image or even adding darkness to an existing portion of the photograph. This creates a cool effect similar to when light reflects off of still waters.
These types of edits are fun to experiment with if you have a photographer friend or know someone who does.
Use the clone tool to create a new image that looks similar to your photo
The next way to make your picture into an illustration is by using the cloning tool in Photoshop or other software. The cloning tool allows you to copy a part of another layer or object and then transform it.
You can use this tool for different things. For example, you can take one line drawing and turn it into a circle, add text to it, or both! Or you can take a specific shape such as a square or rectangle and scale it up to look like something else.
The best way to learn how to use the cloning tool effectively is by practicing, practicing, practicing! There are many ways to do this so start exploring them.
