Harry Potter – Bookcover
Concept sketches
I usually start my illustration process by sketching out some spontaneous ideas about a certain project. At this stage of illustration I'm not very fixated on a result. I try to gather inspiration and record it on a concept board over a time period spread over multiple days. This is essential, as it encourages me to look for different approaches to the illustration and prevents me from investing too much time into the first idea that comes to mind.
Refined sketch
When I'm satisfied with the amount of concept sketches, I pick my favourite ideas and try to incorporate them into a refined and more detailed sketch. This second stage of my process usually goes by a lot faster than the creation of concept sketches, as I already established the main focus points of my illustration.
Illustration
The actual illustration is created using a vector graphics software (Affinity Designer). I create the shapes mostly using the pen tool (Bézier curve tool). This stage of illustration is usually the most time consuming, as it covers the whole execution of the previously prepared sketches and concepts. A more detailed insight of this stage in my illustration process can be obtained from the video below.
