Whatever it may be, in this article I’m going to re-introduce sketching and explain why this simple process is important and why people should continue to sketch by providing examples and referencing two artists, Evan Worsham and James Sisti.

Sketching is the most important thing I learned from art school. During my undergrad, Ronnie Lawlor, an established illustrator and teacher made it clear to the class that sketching is important because 95% of the creativity and discovery happens in the doodles and playing around with ideas. I can remember during class and even at critiques she was very much interested in how each of the students approached assignments through their sketches. Imagine, you were tasked to visually represent the Invisible World. Where would you start? What would it look like? How can I make the topic personal?” With your mind racing to discover this Invisible World, you’ll soon notice that your sketches are trying to find this unseen place.

There’s a certain magic that happens while sketching. In the most literal sense, sketching is problem solving. Lets go back to high school algebra…we wouldn’t rush to the solution and say that x=3, right off the bat. You need to plug different possibilities into the equation and see if it works. Artist Evan Worsham has shown below how he arrived at the finish of his pieces Girl and Bush. Notice how, in his approach for Bush, he tried several times to get the desirable impression of Bush Jr. The point is, you may not necessarily make the Mona Lisa in one try, but you’ll learn what steps it takes make her.

What is a sketchbook?

A sketchbook is the physical collection of ideas. However your handy little moleskin isn’t limited to doodles and designs. What I find striking is that words, poetry and even scrap booking is found in a sketchbook! So in that case, why do they call it a sketchbook? It should be named something like “MY WORLD” or “THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD”.

Personalize!

A sketchbook isn’t exclusively a black covered book with white paper! Design the cover! Visit your local art store and explore the different options in paper. Don’t be afraid to ask the attendants either! They might be able to point out some fun surfaces to draw on.

One of the many beautiful aspects of a sketchbook is that it can be made out of anything! My friend and artist, James Sisti was nice enough to share pictures of his crafted sketchbooks, which are made out of various different weights of watercolor paper. The benefit of handmade sketchbooks is that the pages aren’t limited to the standard yellow or white paper. By doing this, you’re opening your book to a world of different papers, weights and textures. Try everything! Who knows, you may discover a liking to use hot press 300 lb Canson Water Color paper or even single ply cardboard.

A way into the Mind.

A sketchbook is a very personal space. I’m not advocating complete privacy, but as the author of such a piece, these pages are blessed with your personal thoughts. In the images below, you’ll notice how Evan Worsham plays with ideas. This is your space, have fun with it!

A sketchbook can also tell a story. In the images below, James Sisti recounts a tragic accident through words and imagery in a sketchbook he made during recovery.

Experiment man!

Your sketchbook is the one realm where no one can criticize you for the wacky and ridiculous ideas you may have. Keep in mind, “Nothing is impossible”. I remember a classmate of mine painted a portrait of a friend out of ketchup. Neat, huh? Below are more examples of Sisti’s work…notice how he isn’t afraid to try new things.

Don’t worry about erasing either. Maybe that misaligned pencil stroke is a mark of genius. Try cutting out a sketch and designing around it. Your sketchbook is the perfect place to have fun.

History of You, Volume 1.

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT THROW OUT YOUR SKETCHBOOKS!

Sorry for the caps folks, but those Picasso-esque sketches you have now may seem outlandish and irrelevant; however it may become the genesis for your next piece. To this date, I have all the sketchbooks I’ve ever drawn dating back since the freshmen year of high school. If you do the math, that’s about 9 years of my life as an artist.

By browsing Amazon.com, you may find the “behind the scenes” or “the making of” style books for artists and popular movies. The awesome thing about these books is that they offer you a glimpse at what the design team or artist was thinking while creating their work. If you treat your sketchbooks in the same manner, you can track the process and steps you took to come across an idea. A cool practice is to visit those old sketchbooks…you might become inspired again.

Another cool feature is how the sketchbook plays as a record of tracking significant changes in your artistic direction. Remember how Picasso had a cubist period? Well, you may find that point where you grew out of hyper realistic art and went towards a comic book graphic feel.

Goodies

While using Stumble Upon I came across Sketch Swap, which is a neat web browser based sketch space that allows you to doodle and share drawings with people. You can check it our here.

Also, I highly recommend anyone who loves filling up sketchbooks or wants a challenge to participate with the SketchBook Project 2012. I’m participating and here is a brief blurb about the event, “Sign up to join the 2012 Sketchbook Project. Each participant receives a blank sketchbook that will be exhibited on the 2012 tour and cataloged permanently in the Brooklyn Art Library”. (Sketchbook Project)

Conclusion

I hope that after reading this article, you may appreciate sketching and personalize those sketchbooks. Just remember, to have fun and keep sketching!

Thank you to www.psdgraphics.com for allowing me to download their blackboard graphic. And a major thanks to my friends Evan Worsham and James Sisti for happily sharing their art for this article. I highly recommend that you check out their stuff.

Supposed you worked for Time Magazine and the following scenario happened…

“You and your design team have been working to the last-minute to meet a publication deadline for the latest issue of TIME Magazine. Its 9am, your team’s job was to provide the Art Director with the finished InDesign document containing the latest issue however, instead of “packaging” (refer to packaging later in the article) the documents, you grabbed all the local files onto a zip and emailed it. All went smoothly until the Art Director realized that the illustrations and photos are missing and the fonts aren’t recognized. Because of this small mistake, the deadline wasn’t reached on time and Time Magazine postponed their publication by several days.

Though the above example may seem drastic but missing files, lost typefaces and even folders that aren’t properly sorted can affect people’s livelihood especially when facing a deadline. The reality is, something simple as a missing linked file can put a hold on a project, and potentially mar your career’s reputation as a professional.

During my undergrad years at Pratt Institute, I can’t tell you how many times I saw students…even seniors print out their children’s book or graphic design project only to find that local files were missing all because of a little laziness towards organization. If used properly, this guide may help you avoid the potential mistakes and headaches associated with poor management.

Regardless of your discipline and your current place of work, files and documents need to be organized! As a budding professional, it’s your duty to be on top of your database. So with that said, I’m going to share with you my system.

Simple is Nice!

The purpose of a file management system is to help you or the users find what ever file. For my friends who prefer the desktop space, here’s a refresher on sorting. Keyword: Ease.

Below is how I treat my files.

This system follows a basic 3 folder system.

• Assets: Thats where any photos, textures and stuff you added to your work should go.

• Artwork: The raw art files go here.

• Press: It’s a good idea to have versions ready for Print and Web. Saves you the time.

It could be that simple!

However, a file system can be complicated.

Note: For my folks using InDesign CS3 -> CS5, you can “package” your document so that all linked files and typefaces are grouped together in an easy bundle. AWESOME!

Whatever the case be, your file management system should make sense and work for you. Now that I shared my system, below are some tips to keep in mind.

Discipline!

A decent file organization system lends itself well if properly used. In other words, don’t make an elaborate maze of files only to become lazy and dump your files onto the desktop! Your documents shouldn’t be an “organized chaos” or be constructed meticulously. The point of a system and this article to help you, the reader, locate files easily by properly sorting your folders and files.

Did you forget to Save?

It’s a simple practice, but the average designer and student doesn’t save nearly as frequent as they should when working on the computer. RAM intensive programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, Maya and After Effects are notorious for crashing when least expected. Like in your video games, save often!

Past, Present, Your Success

A good tip is to have your files backed up either online or via external hard drive. Personally, all the work I produced in college is stored on my 1TB Lacie. I suggest having a small flash drive…something like 4gb+ to carry whatever local or project files you were currently working on (this saved me multiple times!). I recommend visiting Cnet.com in regards of purchasing the right external storage device.

Nothings worse than losing those precious illustrations and designs you worked endlessly on.

Iterations

By definition, Iterations are newer versions of the original file. Lets say you’re coloring in a line art drawing of a character. A good habit is to save versions of each major change separately in a new file while leaving the original file alone. By doing this, you can always retrace your steps and not worry about damaging the original artwork.

Benefits

Throughout this article, I kept mentioning “organization” and using every derivative of that word, but I can’t stress this point enough! In the third year of my undergrad as an Illustrator, I wished that I knew half the points mentioned in this article. I pulled a rookie mistake by having missing files for an After Effects project that I needed for a critique. After several near failing marks, my professor at the time showed me how my files should look like.

Avoid simple headaches and mistakes.

By knowing where your stuff is, it cuts down the guess work and allows for easy transport. For example, if your digital painting project is sorted and grouped together, you’ll be able to pick up and work anywhere.

Bottom Line:

Being organized is a must for any professional.

So what do you think? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below.

For a designer who is put under a time limit by a client, this time waster can be lethal, and doesn’t just mean lack of inspiration and ideas, but also lack of money. So how then, can we get out of the dreaded creative block and stimulate our minds into fifth gear? Well different things work well for different people, and it is all about finding what is right for you and the way your mind works, but I am going to discuss a variety of tips and techniques that I find work well for me, so that you guys can try out their levels of success on yourselves.

Firstly, Stay Positive

To overcome a mental block we must understand what causes it. Mind blocks occur when we know that we have a task to do but there are external factors that are subconsciously ‘blocking’ us from focusing on these tasks. How many times have you sat there at the desk thinking ‘come on think, think!’ when all you can really think about is the fact that you can’t actually think! Well the first step to overcome this is to stay positive, and tell yourself ‘I can do this’. This helps you subconsciously to believe that your goal is possible, and the following steps will help you clear your mind of any distracting external factors once this is achieved.
Additionally, surround yourself with positivity. Depending on where we work; at home, in the office or somewhere completely different; we are surrounded by different types of people. Try as much as you can to stay away from negativity around the workplace. If you know those around you often moan or complain, try and shut yourself off for a bit so you can wholly concentrate on yourself. On the other hand, if you know people who are usually positive, or know how to motivate you, then stop for small chats with these people to take a break from your work; once you come back to your screen you will be fresh-minded and positive.

Remain Focused

1. Drink lots of water and eat lots of fruit. I know ‘eat healthily’ seems to be the answer to everything these days, but it honestly does help to keep a fresh, creative mind. GQ says that ‘A University of Alabama trial fed rats 200mg of vitamin C twice a day and found that it almost stopped the secretion of stress hormones in the toothy little blighters. An OJ a day might just keep the worries at bay.’ They also suggest that coffee, although providing a quick boost in our energy levels can ‘raise the pulse and blood pressure, and studies show it may also increase blood cholesterol’, therefore increasing stress levels.

2. Eat plenty of carbs. GQ says ‘Complex carbohydrates help boost the body’s production of serotonin, the brain’s feel-good chemical. According to wellscotland.info, “the carbs present in one baked potato are enough to relieve the anxiety of a stressful day”. Alternative feel-good carbs include bread, pasta and rice.’

3. Be realistic and honest with your clients. ‘Conflict between what we want to say, and what we actually feel we can say, causes great stress. The solution is to do what most people are reluctant to do – be honest’. If you feel as if you have set an unrealistic deadline for yourself, be honest with the client rather than stressing and doing a poor job.

4. Have sex. Obviously not right in the middle of a project, but GQ says that ‘An orgasm releases beta-endorphins in the brain, leading to feelings of relaxation and well-being. Alternatively, just have a cuddle, or even hold hands. A study from the University of North Carolina showed that any form of loving contact significantly lowered blood pressure and heart rate in stressful situations.’ For those stressful nights before a big deadline then, sex can be the solution to calm yourself down for a peaceful night’s sleep.

5. Get a dog. For those who work at home, they find it can get a bit lonely at times. GQ says that owning a pet and interacting with animals ‘shows improvement in a number of areas, including lowering levels of anxiety. Dogs also provide unconditional love and stave off loneliness.’

6. Finally, get financial advice. For those working freelance there are often stressful periods where little work is coming in and money is an issue. GQ says ‘Stress is often linked to financial worries, which are almost always solvable. Get a financial planner to help you through any minefields – it’s what they do.’

Listen to Music

Although I discussed earlier external factors such as the TV being distracting, music can actually help to boost creativity as I’m sure you are aware. Studies on children have shown that when Mozart is played in the classroom, productivity is considerably increased. It is no different for designers, where music can help to stimulate creativity. Mozart may not be to everyone’s taste, but I find that instrumental music or songs with little words such as drum and bass certainly help put me in the creative mood. For those who work in the office this may not be the easiest technique, but some offices are even implementing playing music into their daily routine to create a relaxed atmosphere and boost productivity.

Take a Break

On those occasions where you are just sat in front of your computer screen for hours on end praying for an idea or burst of creativity to come to you, I find there is only one solution: take a break. Get up and go somewhere with a completely different change of scenery. Take the dog for a walk, pick the kids up for school, do the washing, do anything that takes your mind off your work. Studies show that activities that require both mind and body to complete them use up more of the brain, allowing us to take our mind off of the project for a while. I often find that when I later come back to the desk with a fresh mind a new idea hits me, or I even come up with an idea during the activity I am doing to take a break. It may seem time wasting to be away from the desk, but it saves more time than sitting in front of your computer doing nothing and staring aimlessly at the screen.

Exercise

An experiment led by researchers at National Cheng Kung University showed that by allowing a mouse to run as much as it likes stimulates it’s brain power. By pushing it further and making it run a little more than it usually would, its thinking improved even more. It is the same for us; when we are feeling a little brain dead, a short period at the gym or going for a run can stimulate those brain cells back into action. When you know you have a long period of work or a large project ahead of you, assign yourself breaks for exercise throughout the day.

Be Confident in Yourself

Sometimes designers have so much work on they forget to take a step back and be proud of their work. This can lead us to rush through things and be sloppy with our work, which obviously will lead in one unhappy client. It is important to be confident in ourselves in order to remain positive as I mentioned earlier. After each piece stand back and acknowledge what you have achieved in that project. Look at the feedback in a positive way, taking pride in compliments and seeing negative comments as a challenge to work on in your next project. Remember no-one is perfect and not everyone will always like your work. One of the most important parts of being a designer is realising that there will always be someone that dislikes your work.

Acknowledge the Inspiration Around You

Undoubtedly as a designer and an artist, much of our creativity comes externally from pieces and people that inspire us. Inspiration is all around us, whether it is pieces on the net, people in our daily lives, those we idolize, or even nature itself, everyone is inspired by someone or something. I can’t tell you what you are inspired by as only you can know that, but I can tell you how important it is to constantly surround yourself with this inspiration to keep your creativity and productivity levels high. However, keep in mind my post on maintaining originality when being inspired by other artists!

Mindmap

I find that no matter what I’m doing, whether it’s coming up with an idea for a new project, writing an essay, or even writing this post, I create a mind map to get my ideas down on paper. I find mind mapping is a great way to quickly jot down ideas so I don’t forget them. It also allows us to create the ‘snowball effect’ where one idea leads to another and so forth, creating a constant flow of creative ideas.

Keep a Notepad on You at all Times

On occasion all the above techniques can be tried and there is still no way of getting rid of your creative block because there is simply just far too much on your mind. So how can we help this? Well, make use of the times that we are feeling creative. Take a notepad and pen everywhere you go so if an idea or concept suddenly hits you during your daily routine you can jot it down and use it at a later date when you are feeling less creative. I find that I am most creative just before I go to sleep because I am getting into dream mode and the imagination is running wild. I therefore keep a pad and pen by my bed so I can jot down any crazy late night ideas I have and look at them in the morning. Additionally this helps if you wake up in the middle of the night with a great concept that came to you in a dream – jot it down before you fall back asleep and forget it!

So those are my tips that I find help me get rid of my creative block. I hope some of them can help you release your creativity as they do for me, but at the end of the day only you can truly know what works well for you and the way your mind works. I believe everyone has creativity within them, some just have bigger urges to express it than others, and overcoming creative block is all about finding a way to release it. Take note of these tips and see if any work really well for you, I would be interested to know if any do or if you have any additional tips to share with everyone below!

You can also add me on Twitter to be notified of my future posts!

Images courtesy of Shutterstock, theromb [1] & jumpingsack [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]

Tip One – Avoid Design Clichés!

It goes without saying that the most important thing to do to achieve originality is to avoid imitating clichés and design trends in your work. However, this is easier said than done when the internet is crammed full of design tutorials and inspiration posts that suggest we should base our work on pieces already created. Although these types of posts are essential for our growth and development as a designer, and of course inspiration is essential for any artist, it is important to ensure that whilst we are being inspired by other pieces, we are interpreting and developing them into our own style, rather than merely imitating them. To do this, we must steer clear of particular design trends that have been reproduced continuously across the net, and attempt to create new trends ourselves. After all, even the most reproduced and worn out design trends had to start out as original designs at some point. For example, take the Avatar franchise that started out as original designs and have now been imitated and reproduced by thousands of today’s designers. So what are the most common design clichés and how can we avoid them? Well if we see it on the net, then it’s been done, and admittedly I am guilty of some of the following clichés, but it is important to distinguish whether your work is for experimental uses or for the purpose of creating an original design. Here is a list of just a few of the most overused design trends seen today:

Floral and Swirly Brushes

All too often do I see pieces of art lazily finished off and vamped up with free brushes found across the net. The most common being the dreaded floral and swirly brushes! Admittedly these can achieve nice effects, and can instantly add that extra something to your artwork, but it is ridiculously overdone! These brushes are free to download and available for anyone to use, and should only really be used when experimenting, in order to save time – but not when creating original pieces of design!

Eye Photo Manipulations

In ‘photo manipulation’ or ‘photo montage’ designs, several themes and symbols are frequently repeated across the net. One of which is the eye manipulation, again the effect achieved can be beautiful, but whether it’s a hand crawling out of the eye lid or flames, moons or water for pupils – it’s all been done!

Mystical and Futuristic Female Characters

Another overused design in photo manipulation is the use of mystical female (and sometimes male) characters. They are often placed in the design with no purpose other than being aesthetically pleasing, and serve no contribution to the overall message of the design. Obviously sometimes it is important to have human characters in your art to express certain emotions or create a connectivity with the viewer, but please ensure they serve a purpose rather than just being there for the sake of a focal point of the design!

Splashing/Fragmented Skin Manipulations

The third photo manipulation cliché seemed very popular throughout 2009 and I am constantly still seeing it across tutorials and pieces of design. This is the distortion of the skin with a splash/fragment effect where the skin looks like it is breaking apart. Visually stunning when it was first achieved, but again, constantly overdone.

Grunge Textures

The use of grunge textures is something that has been used for years now, and sometimes it can be used in innovative ways to achieve great effects. However, all too often I see it being used as a heavy, dark overlay to cover up the unprofessionalism of the work underneath it.

Background Gradients

Similar to overused brushes and textures, gradients are often overused as backgrounds for designs when the artist cannot think of anything else to put there. Photoshop gradients have many functional uses, beyond the aesthetic use, and should generally be avoided to cover space in designs.

In Web Design:

Similar to the clichés found across illustrations and photo manipulations, there are many overused trends that can be seen everywhere across the net in the form of web design.

Drop Shadows

Drop shadows are used in all sorts of areas of design to create a three-dimensional effect and make pieces ‘pop’. However, there are far more innovative ways to achieve this effect, as drop shadows often look amateur and lazy.

Rounded Corners

Rounded corners on boxes in websites are often used to create a ‘soft’, ‘friendly’ feel, but again it is way overdone and can sometimes look amateur.

Glossy Buttons

Glossy Buttons are famously connected with the apple merchandise, and instantly give an elegant, professional feel to a website. However, they have been imitated so much by websites that they now offer nothing creative and original, and even make the website seem cliché and boring.

This list is just a few of the hundreds of overused trends that can be seen across designer’s work. Sometimes they can be recycled to create new, innovative designs, but the general rule of thumb is to stay well clear of these clichés if you want to stand out from the crowd in the design industry. Check out the following design cliché parody by the guys over at makemylogobiggercream.com!

Tip Two – Create Your Own Distinct Style

By definition, to be ‘original’, you must create something that is individual and unique to you as a designer. By creating a style that is instantly recognisable and connected to you, you are not only bringing a new area into graphic design, but you are making yourself recognisable as a product to the client. If they like your particular style and feel it would fit well with their campaign, they are going to choose you because the product you are offering is unique and they will not find that style anywhere else. If you are merely repeating styles and techniques used by top designers, then you are offering no more than the other hundreds of designers that are trying to do the same. Some styles may not be a huge success at first, but it is important to have a style connected to your name – proof of this success can be seen everywhere in art. For example, once you are familiar with the work of Salvador Dali, a piece of his work that you haven’t seen before is easily recognisable as belonging to him. It is exactly the same concept in graphic design, and many of the top designers have a distinct design style to offer. Here are my personal favourite top three successful designers with distinct styles:

Alberto Seveso

Alberto is my personal favourite example of how an artist can create a distinct style. His beautiful skin manipulations in his portraits and illustrations are both visually stunning and sexually suggestive, creating a bold design statement across his works. His use of colourful vectors against monotonic portraits has become so distinct that the style has been coined as ‘sperm shaping’. It is this style and technique that has lead to Alberto’s success, where he has worked on several magazine covers and been noticed by companies such as Nikon who have wanted him to transfer his style onto their campaigns. View more of his designs on his Flickr or Behance.

Christopher Haines

Christopher Haines is a young designer from Australia who’s blend between 3D modeling and photo manipulation is second to none. It is through this beautiful blend of mediums that Chris has created some truly outstanding works that have set him apart from the rest, allowing him to be the king of his own style. He is proof that it is possible to have your own style whilst still being versatile, as his work covers several areas of design. Here are just a few of his beautiful pieces, you can view more on his Behance.

Jerico Santander

I have included Jerico here because he is a good example of the correct way to be influenced by another artist’s style. You can see from his works below that he is highly influenced by the works of Salvador Dali, but at the same time he has transferred Dali into a new medium, whilst incorporating his own thoughts and style into the pieces. His use of fluidity in textures and his abstract take on portraits show characteristics and origins of Dali’s style, but develop rather than imitate it. More of his works can be seen via Behance

From all three of the above designers, it is clear how they have achieved a distinct style and made it unique to them. However, when creating your own individual style, it is important that you do not limit yourself to one particular area of design. Practice ways in which you can transfer your style to other areas of design, such as illustration, 3D, photo manipulation, typography and web design. Whilst it is good to present yourself as a unique product, it is also important to display a diverse range of works to prove to your client that you are versatile. Originality and success is finding the balance between your own style and a variety of works that display this. You can only achieve a style you are comfortable with by experimenting, which brings us on to tip three.

Tip Three – Experiment!

Tutorials are a big part of the graphic design world. They can be found on pretty much any graphic design blog, and new ones are continuously being produced. In fact, the majority of the skills I have learnt as a designer have developed from tutorials I have read on the net. However, once these basic skills have been learnt it is important to try and break free from producing effects presented in tuts. By creating works based on tutorials we are merely imitating a popular style that has gained enough attention to be taught to designers. So how can we achieve effects that are original and therefore create this unique style that I have been talking about? By experimenting. So often when I am scouring the net, I come across the work of the designer that instantly makes me say ‘wow’, as it is something that I have not seen before. This leads me to wonder how they achieved these effects, and the answer is through experimenting. By experimenting with our work we can achieve great effects and develop them into our own personal style. But we have all at some point sat at Photoshop attempting to experiment with the features and ending up with something looking like it’s been created by an infant. So how can we experiment correctly and use it to our advantage? Well this brings me back to those ‘wow’ factor pieces of unique work that we often come across. When you come across an interesting effect from another designer, try and achieve this yourself without the use of any tutorials. Now I know this idea of copying another artist’s work goes against everything this article stands for, but remember it is for experimental purposes rather than publication. By playing around with Photoshop and attempting to achieve other artist’s effects, we can then develop this into our own style, and learn how to achieve a unique effect of our own.

A further use of experimenting is to combine the techniques that you have already learnt from tutorials and various sources and experiment to achieve something new. When doing this, try and break from typical conventions of graphic design. More and more often we are seeing pieces that incorporate techniques from more than one area of design, for example my previous reference to Chris Haines’s blend of 3D and photo manipulation. This is being taken further on all levels, with illustration, typography and even sketches being incorporated into artwork. For example take a look at these Clubmaster ads for Ray Bans that recycle an 80’s retro feel by collaborating several different techniques into one.

All of these stunning effects were achieved through the artist’s experimentation, and can be developed further into endless possibilities. At times as a designer we lack inspiration and it feels as if every theme and area of design has been covered by other artists. However, there is always room for development and expansion. Art has been around since the beginning of time in several different forms, and will never cease to stop growing, as long as individuals continue to bring originality and unique perspectives to the field.

Conclusion

I hope that my 3 tips have helped inspire your own originality in your designs. I think the main importance is to impart a part of yourself, as no two people are the same, and if this can be translated into design then you will have achieved your own style. This can be difficult when working for a client who will obviously have set ideas about what they want you to express, but when creating pieces for the sake of art, never be constrained by the conventions and trends of the design world. Always try and manipulate your own style out of your work, and most of all be happy with what you have created and the message it portrays. If you are not happy with your art yourself, then it will be even harder for anyone else to be.

Let me know your thoughts on how you ensure your pieces are original, and follow me on twitter, or view more posts on design and style on my new blog!

Several graphic design blogs also feature interview posts, where the most successful artists of our time are questioned along with their featured works. However, it is often forgotten that we can be inspired by the works of other members of the graphic design community similar to ourselves; it is not as often that we see the stories behind aspiring artists, rather than established graphic designers. It is for this reason that I will be creating a series of interview posts that will question designers of all abilities in the community; allowing you to share your tips, inspirations, your own artwork and your own journeys.

Today’s post features Anthony Hibbert, a professional designer and illustrator from England. He has kindly answered several of my questions to allow you to see the process behind his artwork.

Featured Work! – ‘Doorway to Success’

My personal favourite piece of Anthony’s work is this school-themed illustration, which was originally created as a supplement cover. I feel this piece represents Hibbert’s body of work as a whole – his collaboration of illustration, doodles, stock imagery and textures can be seen across many other works he has created. In particular, the use of grunge-like, crinkled paper textures are often used in innovative ways in Anthony’s art, and the use of stick-men characters has become almost a trademark of his work.
Click the image to be taken to the work’s Behance page and let Anthony know your own thoughts on it!

Hello Anthony! Thanks for taking the time out to answer questions for the rest of the design community, could you start off by telling us how you initially got started in the graphic design field?

I did a degree in Design & Communication. It was a pretty open course where I managed to experiment with whatever I was interested in the time. Looking back it was a bit Mickey Mouse but I got enough out of it despite almost being thrown off the course twice.

In addition to your degree, were some of your skills self-taught?

I tend to teach my self through trial and error. I used Photoshop for weeks and weeks before I really knew what I was doing. I think it’s best to make your own mistakes on the way to creating a look or style. Following tutorials can sometimes be insightful but often all they do is show you how to recreate a particular image that is already out of fashion.

Recently I’ve been looking at VideoCo-Pilot.net and greyscalegorilla.com to learn more about After-Effects and animation. As it’s such a vast field you just have to absorb as much as possible

Is there a particular area of graphic design that you feel most comfortable in? Do you plan on extending your skills to any additional fields in the future?

I’m interested in too many things: I started professionally in print but did as much digital work as possible, often learning software (like flash) during a brief. A bit scary when you’re winging it but sometimes the only way to get the job. In recent years I was a full-time digital designer working on websites, screensavers, flash games, banners etc. I’ve also spent alot of spare time on illustration based work (Editorial, educational etc). I’ve dabbled with bits of animation alot of the years and I’m spending alot of time pushing myself in After-Effects.

You have a vast portfolio showing excellent talent, but is there a piece in particular that you would claim as your favourite?

Recently I’ve been proud of a postcard set I did inspired by H.P Lovecraft and tourist photographs, titled Holidaying Horrors: HP Lovecraft Influence:

Anthony’s Process:

Anthony’s final products:

If you could describe ‘the purpose of art’ in one sentence, what would it be?

I’m not sure what Art is but if I can be a little creative everyday I tend to sleep better.

Who would you say is your biggest inspiration?

I tend to be inspired by creative people from any and all fields. It doesn’t matter whether it’s still image, moving image or music based it’s always the idea and how it’s expressed that interests me.
I’m an avid fan of Dave Mckean, Terry Gilliam, The Beatles, Radiohead, David Lynch, Super Furry Animals, Bob Staake… The list goes on and on.

Can you take us through what you consider a ‘normal process’ when embarking on a new piece of work?

It’s different every-time. Sometimes I’ll just know in a instant what I want to do. Sometimes I just have to do something, anything until it looks finished. Sometimes the initial idea seems too easy and I’ll waste hours to justify the initial and simple response. It’s never the same and I have the back ache to show for it. If I do storyboards or sketches I usually end up following them pretty closely, at least for the composition. I’ll usually find that I’ll add details as I go that I’d not thought of previously.

Sometimes I’ll just start with a blank page with nothing in mind though this can be difficult without a well stocked library of fresh photography, drawings and textures. I try to source new stuff myself as often as possible.

Case Study! – ‘Prison’

Here we can see the process Anthony went through in order to achieve his stick-men inspired piece set in a prison cell.

Initial Sketches:

Illustration Process:

Final Product:

Many members of the community work hard to get their works noticed, how do you promote your own works?

I have a website but haven’t really promoted it much recently. At the moment I send targeted emails to individuals, and I also have Flickr and Behance accounts that are great for receiving constructive criticism from other members of the graphic design community.

Where do you see your relationship with graphic design in 5 years time?

I’d like to have produced a short film of illustration that I’m proud of and be a little more sure of myself. And hopefully supporting myself as a freelancer (As I am currently).

You’ve already talked about music being a big inspiration to you, are there any songs in particular, or any other mediums that help get those creative juices flowing?

I listen to alot of podcasts and watch alot of movies on BBC iPlayer. Podcast wise, I don’t listen to much that’s related to Art & Design. I try to find as much good comedy as I possibly can like the following. Laughing when you have a ridiculous deadline to deal with is important!:

• The Adam & Joe Podcast

• The Ricky Gervais show

• Radio Spirit world

The VFX show is a fantastic show about visual effects. People working in the field discuss new and classic movies from a visual point of view.

I also listen to alot of original movie soundtracks – Clint Mansell (The Fountain, Moon) is fantastic. I have eclectic tastes. At the moment my songs include ‘Depth charge Ethel’ by Grinderman, ‘Father Lucifer’ by Tori Amos and ‘Ohio Heat’ by Super Furry Animals.

Ohio Heat – Super Furry Animals:

If Photoshop was a deserted island and you could only take one PS tool with you, which would it be and why?

The transform tool. I guess distorting imagery is where all the fun is in Photoshop. Retouching and colour correcting is important but you can’t beat warping texture onto a drawing of tentacle for that warm feeling of a job well done!

Finally, do you have any advice or quick tips to share with other members of the design community?

Learn as many keyboard shortcuts as you can and stay off the beer!

If you would like to see more of Anthony’s work, head over to his Flickr and Behance pages, or visit his blogspot!

For your chance to be the next featured viewer, or if you have any questions that you want to be seen asked, follow me on twitter or my new blog!

First off, thank you Steve for taking the the time to participate in this interview. Can you please tell us a little about yourself?

My name is Steve Goodin aka DEMEN1. I am 29 years old and currently live in Sacramento, California USA. I am currently working in the Creative department as a Motion Graphics Designer for a new media agency here in Sacramento known as Wirestone. I have been working in the Motion Graphics field for about four years now and I am constantly learning something new and I feel very blessed to be able to do the work I do.

What does design mean to you?

To me Design is a way for me to truly express myself, it is a real escape, I feel the process of design just swallow me up into a world where nothing matters but the work. Everything around me becomes a blur and I feel my own creativity taking hold, controlling my every move. Everything is fluid, movements feel more deliberate than they have ever felt. It is such a liberating feeling, I guess you could say design is my schizophrenic alter ego.

What design applications do you use?

The applications I mostly use at the moment are Cinema 4D, Sometimes Adobe After Effects and of course Adobe Photoshop. I started using Cinema 4D because it is the primary 3D software the creative team uses for our motion projects at work. Not only is it very easy to use, it also integrates seamlessly with After Effects. So after working with Cinema 4D for motion design, I started using it to render 3D elements for my print work. As for Photoshop, its the only raster editor i’ve ever worked with.

What tricks or secrets do you have that you don’t want people to know?

If I told you then they wouldn’t be my secrets anymore.

You put a lot of time into your designs. How do you know when too much is too much?

I know when I’m trying to add too much when whatever I’m trying to add or do just isn’t feeling right, when the mood of the piece has changed, or if maybe the balance is being thrown off. I have noticed that its never easy for me to call it quits on any piece… I could tweak a piece forever and still fell it needs something else. I guess deadline would sway my opinion on the matter as well. If I am up against a shorter deadline then my time for fine tuning a document that has 1,000 + layers rapidly decreases.

What was the most embarrassing moment you had with a client or design?

I think the most embarrassing moment was when you and I designed (Well you designed it) one of our flyers for an Annihilation Productions party, we got the prints from PsPrint.com and and found there was a misspelling, the prints all had “Febuary” on them…

How did you get into graphic design?

Well for as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be “An Artist” or at least do something creative. I’ve grown up around really talented musicians, illustrators and graffiti writers, and I always felt this yearning to stand out, to express my individuality like they could. and for me design is that medium. it gives me what I need to express my creativity and carve something out of this life that is truly my own. My first exposure to digital art came when you (Jeya One) and I took a 3D Studio Max class at a community college in Reno, NV. That was when I really started to understand the possibilities of design and digital art.

Lately you have been doing a lot of motion graphics. How did you get into that?

I got into doing motion graphics work while working at a cable access television station. I was an editor and most of the shows i would work on needed animated opening titles created. So naturally i had to jump into Adobe After Effects with both feet and learn everything I could. Now I currently work for a new media agency in Sacramento, California in the Creative Department as a Motion Graphics Artist.

What version of Photoshop did you start at? Do you remember what was hard about learning it?

I believe I started using Adobe Photoshop at release 7 I think, at the time I had no idea what an alpha channel was or what the difference between a jpg and a gif, let alone what a psd or a pdf were… so, to me, it was all foreign and i was lost in the sea of technical jargon and the vast desert of file types. I was and will always be a little lost.

Who are some of your favorite artists?

Some of my favorite artists are Daim, Giant One, Reyes, Sam Flores, Scott hansen, Joshua M. Smith (Hydro74). and sooo much more… There are so many people out there who are very talented, I hope to one day be half as creative and successful as they are.

Your a big Burning Man fan. How does that affect your design?

To me Burning Man is kind-of a different experience all together, its more of a cleansing of the mind and relaxing go where the wind takes you kind of approach to my life in general. While I’m there I really forget about everything that I have going on back here, work, art, bills, groceries, bank statements. everything gets filed away so its not cluttering up my mind therefore allowing me to take in all that the playa has to offer me.

Burning Man Temple Panorama – Photo ©2008 Steve Goodin

On average, how long does it take you to complete a design?

I guess on average a piece can normally take me around a week. and that’s pitch, conception, sketching, and then implementation.

Before you start a project, what things do you do to prep for it?

Whenever I start a piece, i usually take a few days gathering inspiration and doing research based on the mood I want to set and the theme I want to convey. After I feel I’ve got a nice foundation or an idea of how I want the piece to look, I start to create any 3D elements I need, then gather any stock imagery. Based on the quality or the balance of those stock images, the overall piece may change given the original preliminary comps I may have mocked up. After that the real fun starts, this is where the piece will evolve and transform into something I could like to look at.

What are your Top 5 forms of inspiration?

I’m not sure how to answer that, I mean, I can find inspiration anywhere. so I guess my top Five would have to be: In music, animation, fashion, architecture, and nature.

Outside of design, what are your other passions and hobbies?

Other than design, I grew up Skateboarding, and Snowboarding. I used to work at a ski resort a while ago so I used to love getting up everyday, riding until like 3 in the afternoon, then bumping chairs till 9. Some of the best times of my life. I like to think I rode a skateboard or a snowboard because at the time, I didn’t draw or paint or play music, so it very much became my way of expressing myself creatively. I was never into playing any team sports so thats another reason I would ride, it was only me and the street, or snow, and I could pick my line as I rode alone. I didn’t have to follow any “play-books” or gather into any “huddles”.

If you could work with one artist, who would it be?

To me a chance to work with any talented artist or designer is an honor for me, I learn so much when I work with another creative. It’s always exciting to be working in a collaborative atmosphere as ideas that I would have never thought of are brought to the table.

What other forms of art/design do you practice?

Well as I said, I grew up around very talented artists most of which were graffiti writers. I have always been intrigued by the rawness of it, and naturally, the rebellion of it all. Sneaking around in a train yard at night, or laying in bushes as cars passed so as to not be caught in their high beams just to hit that spot you’ve been eyeing all week. In some cases it was like planning a prison escape or a diamond heist, you always knew the plan if you needed to bolt. Never go back to the car!!!

How did being exposed to graffiti affect your design work?

Well I guess for me I was really drawn to graffiti because of the letters. I guess in a way it was the first time I was exposed to Typography. And today, Typography is usually one of the main design elements in my work so I suppose you could say that I have always been drawn to type and all the different forms of type.

If you were influenced by one artist who would it be?

For as long as I can remember, I have always really admired “gmunk” (http://www.gmunk.com/),(http://www.gmunk.tv/). I have always loved his approach on his own marketing. In my opinion, he is one of the forefathers of “Viral Marketing”. Brilliant!

Where do you see yourself in 1 year, 5 years, 15 years?

I hope in 1, 5 or 15 years I’m still finding ways to stay creatively productive. I am blessed to have the career I have now. I want to continue to learn as much as I can and continue to work and create.

What tool do you have that every designer should have?

I think there are many different types of “tools” a designer may use, but I think one every designer should have is an open mind and a willingness to learn.

Thank you again for taking the time to be interviewed. Do you have any last words? How can people find you and check out your work?

So the past few years have been really amazing for me. And It’s only going to get better, I have just recently learned I’m going to be a new daddy soon and I can’t wait to meet my baby. I cant stop thinking about it like, WOW! I am going to be a dad! And you know my son or daughter will be surrounded by the arts in some form, and just knowing that makes me feel even more blessed. I hope my words made sense, and this wasn’t too hard to read. It sucks having A.D.D… I would like to thank you for the opportunity. I am very honored and humbled.

You can see my work on: Behance and Deviant Art

If you have the luxury of being the designer as well as the photographer, then you have complete control of the contrast between the subject and the background. Try to make the background as plain as possible with highly defined edges. This will make any of the methods below an easy process in removing the background.

Most of the time you will be supplied an image or have to find one on a stock site. Unfortunately, if the background is pretty intricate, you will have more of a time consuming road ahead of you. You should assess your image and try to figure out which method will be the easiest and cleanest way possible for your design.

Becoming a master at extraction is very useful in all design jobs. Go through the different options below and find the method that you like the best. More than likely you will find yourself using a mixture of multiple techniques to achieve a perfect extraction.

Extract Filter

The Extract filter is an oldie but goodie extraction filter that originally came pre-installed with Photoshop. The filter is now available as an add-on that you can get from the Adobe website for free. Adobe removed the Extract filter so they could create new tools built directly into Photoshop. Some of these new tools like Refine Edge are already built into newer versions of Photoshop, while others are still in development. Until all the new tools completely replace Extract, it will remain available as an optional download. The extract filter is mainly used when you’re in a rush and want to get fast results.

Download Windows
Download Mac

Pros for Extract Filter

• Easy to use and learn
• Great for hair
• Great results when the background is not to complex. Try to use it on a solid background

Cons for Extract Filter

• You have to manually install it into Photoshop
• Not the best results when compared to other techniques
• If the background is complex, the filter sometimes leaves unwanted pixels

Tutorials:

Fine Selections Using Photoshop’s Extract Filter

The Extract filter dialog box provides an elegant way to isolate a foreground object or objects and remove the background on a layer. Even objects with wispy, intricate, or undefinable edges may be clipped from their backgrounds with a minimum of effort. When you extract the object, Photoshop erases its background to transparency. Pixels on the edge of the object lose their colour components derived from the background, so they can blend with a new background without producing a halo effect.

The Extract Tool

One of the most common things beginners to Photoshop wants to be able todo is seperate one object or so from it’s background. There are as many ways to extract an object from it’s background as there are languages on our earth and every one is different from eachother. One way is using the filter in Photoshop called Extract.

Learn how to use the Extract Filter

Before we start working with the tools in the Extract dialog box, let me give you an overview of what’s needed to successfully extract an image from its background. Extract needs three pieces of information: which areas should be thrown away, which areas should be kept, and which areas contain the transition between the first two areas (including semi-transparent areas).

Magic Wand

The Magic Wand tool is a selection tool that allows you to select similar colored area without having to trace around the outline of the object. You have some available options to help get the perfect extraction, like specifying the color range and tolerance for the selection.

Pros for Magic Wand

• Arguably the fastest way to remove a background
• Great for simple objects and plain backgrounds

Cons for Magic Wand

• Edges are not as clean as other methods
• Does not work in Bitmap mode or on 32 bits-per-channel images
• New tools, like Quick Selection, have pretty much replaced the Magic Wand

Tutorials:

Photoshop 101 – The Magic Wand Tool

Especially for high contrast images the Magic Wand tool makes selection simple. A tool for daily use this example shows how to remove a background quickly and easily. A little like the Magnetic Lasso tool the Magic Wand does much of the hard work for you. It works by selecting pixels based on settings defined by you. Select the Magic Wand tool by pressing W.

Photoshop CS4 Magic Wand tool tutorial

A quick video tutorial on how to use the magic wand tool in Photoshop (works for many versions before CS4 as well)

Quick Selection & Refine Edge

Introduced in Photoshop CS3, the new Quick Selection Tool is a great way to quickly paint a selection around an object. As you create the selection it will automatically find and follow defined edges of you object you are trying to extract. The new Quick Selection tool is far superior to the Magic Wand. Refine edge is a time saver that will help you create the perfect selection.

Pros for Quick Selection With Refine Edge

• Great if the object you are trying to extract has defined edges
• Simple and Intuitive
• Plain Backgrounds work best with the Quick Selection Tool

Cons for Quick Selection With Refine Edge

• Can be difficult if your the object and the background colors blend

Tutorials:

Quality Selections Made Easy: The Quick Selection Tool

The ability to select an object in an image to either remove it from its background or isolate the object for specific correction/manipulation has certainly been available in earlier versions of Photoshop forever. The problem people seem to have has always been the quality of the selections.

Russell Brown Show – Quick Select

Start by using the Quick Select Tool and Marquee Tool for making a selection in Photoshop CS3. Then, easily modify the selection with the new Refine Edge feature.

Background Eraser Tool

The Background Eraser tool is another tool that is great if you want to quickly remove a background from your object. The background eraser simply erases background pixels from background with the same color while softening the edges of your object.

Pros for the Background Eraser Tool

• Easily removes a background if the color of the background is plain
• Fast and instant results
• Great with simple objects

Cons for the Background Eraser Tool

• Can create too soft of edges
• Does not work well with multi-colored or complicated backgrounds
• Terrible results with intricate of wispy hair or edges
• Occasionally leaves stray pixels

Tutorials:

Photo Retouching: Background Extraction and Color Manipulation

One of the most common uses of Photoshop is to extract images from their backgrounds, so that they can be introduced into various other projects. There are many ways to accomplish this task, whether through use of the pen tool, magic wand or magic lasso, however there is a tool that is both effective and easy to use which will erase This tutorial aims to educate the reader about the Background Eraser Tool, as well as how to manipulate colors and lighting in Photoshop.

The Erase Background Tool

The erase background tool is powerful, but good results are only possible if you understand how it works. In this tute, we will look at all the options in the tool and use them to extract backgrounds from our images.

The tool works best if the background is all a similar colour, for example, someone against a solid colour or a bright sky.

Magnetic Lasso Tool

The Magnetic Lasso Tool is another selection tool that is used primarily on simple background removals. When you use the tool, it will snap to defined edges of your object you are trying to extract. You have the ability to set feathering and anti-aliasing in the options bar which will make the extraction look a whole lot better.

Pros for the Magnetic Lasso Tool

• Easily remove a plain one color background
• Simple and easy

Cons for the Magnetic Lasso Tool

• Can be tricky if you don’t know shortcut keys to step backwards
• If the background and the subject have blending colors this is not the tool for you
• If the background is complex, the filter sometimes grabs areas of the background

Tutorials:

Select with the Magnetic Lasso Tool

The Magnetic Lasso tool is especially useful for quickly selecting objects with complex edges set against high-contrast backgrounds. When you use the Magnetic Lasso tool , the border snaps to the edges of defined areas in the image.

Removing the Background With the Magnetic Background

What this image has going for it is a very distinct edge, which makes it a perfect candidate for the magnetic lasso tool. I ruled out the background eraser because there were color variations in the background that were very similar in color to the leaf color.

Using the Magnetic Lasso Tool to Delete the Backgrounds of Your Images – Video Tutorial

Using the Magnetic Lasso Tool in Adobe Photoshop, you can quickly and easily delete the background from your images. In this screencast tutorial, we show you how by selecting the region of the image that you want to keep, and then deleting the inverse of your selection, you can delete the background from any image.

Extraction using Channels

Extracting using channels is by far the best way to extract an subject from the background. This technique however, does require a few more advanced steps and an eye for perfection.

Pros for using Channels

• Easily removes simple one color backgrounds
• Great for hair and other wispy subjects

Cons for using Channels

• Difficult to understand for beginners
• Requires knowledge of other tools
• Usually requires additional methods

Tutorials:

Difficult Background Removal

In this lesson we are going to explain all the required passages to isolate the main subject of a picture and isolate it from the rest. The goal is to remove the sky and the sea and leave the wave and the rocks. We are dealing with a pretty difficult main subject to cut away. The wave has a very irregular and not so sharp border in most of its length.

Removing the Background – Photoshop Channel Mask

It may seem like a real challenge to pull the fireworks out of this image. The selection tools won’t work, and the background eraser didn’t produce very good results either. I’m going to show you an amazingly simple technique for masking the fireworks in this image using the channels palette.

Handy Techniques for Cutting Out Hair in Photoshop

The best photos are those professional studio type shots that are taken against a plain white background. These shots make it much easier to find the edges of the subject, but trimming out fine hairs can still be a little tricky. In this example we’ll be using the common Channel technique to trim out this lovely lady.

Handy Techniques for Cutting Out Hair in Photoshop

Selecting fine strands of hair is one of the trickiest jobs in Photoshop, and it’s so hard to find bald models. Here Justin Maller shows you some clever techniques for making accurate selections of complex subjects. The crux of this process lies in using channels to make a detailed alpha mask for your image

Pen Tool Extraction

The Pen tool is a favorite method by most experienced designers. The reason it is a favorite is because you create the selection by hand! There is no magic to it, you judge where you want the selection. You create a path around the object you wish to extract and create a selection from it to remove the background. Although it does take some time to create the selection, it creates a crisp and clean outline. The more you use the Pen tool the better you will be at it.

Pros for the Pen Tool

• Creates very clean selections
• Great for backgrounds that blend in with the subject
• Precise lines, and is easily editable
• Works fantastic when used in conjunction with Refine Edge

Cons for the Pen Tool

• The Pen tool has a steep learning curve
• Bad for Hair or transparent objects
• Time consuming

Tutorials:

How to Use the Pen Tool in Photoshop: A Tutorial on Outlining Objects

The pen tool in Photoshop—ever use it? Using the pen tool can be kind of weird the first time (even downright confusing) but it’s a great tool for artists to know how to use. Using the pen tool, you can perfectly outline your artwork, and then delete everything else around it so that nothing detracts from your art.

Cutting Out An Image With the Pen Tool

In this Photoshop tutorial we will explore how to use the pen tool. First, we will look at the pen tool’s basic controls. We will examine creating paths, curvature modification and anchor point adjustments. Next, we will use our new pen tool skills to cut out an image. This skill is so essential to know when using Adobe Photoshop, and it really illustrates the power behind the pen tool.

3rd Party Filters & Programs

Not too happy with the results your getting from using the techniques above? Well, you’re in luck, there are some really innovative programs that are available to purchase. They aim at making extracting subjects from the background a lot easier than the built in tools in Photoshop. Here are the most popular filters out right now.

Mask Pro

Cost: $159.95
For removing unwanted backgrounds, Mask Pro 4.1 is the Photoshop plugin recommended by Advanced Photoshop magazine. Mask Pro 4.1 allows you to cut out a subject from the background by assigning keep and drop colors and simply painting away the background. Mask Pro 4.1 makes it easy to create masks, selections and clipping paths on difficult subjects like hair, glass and fog all in real-time.

Topaz ReMask

Cost: $69.99
Topaz ReMask is simply the fastest, easiest, and most effective way to create detailed masks and extractions. It is is specifically engineered to supercharge the masking and extraction workflow for photographers and designers within Photoshop. Other masking tools – both within Photoshop and other third party filters – require intricate brushing, sampling, and refining for a detailed mask. Topaz ReMask, on the other hand, does all the heavy lifting while requiring a minimum of user input.

Fluid Mask

Cost: $149
Fluid Mask 3 is the professionals choice. Fluid Mask 2 established itself as the market leader in still image cutting out – Fluid Mask 3 takes masking to the next level. Quick to pick up and intuitive to use, Fluid Mask 3 gets professional results fast. Now Professional results are more possible than ever before. Make super fine mask selections using new sampling and selecting tools. Check out the new edge blending algorithms. And the new complex hair blending that automatically gets great results from multi-colored wispy hair. No longer should hair be the cutting-out nightmare it is today.

Conclusion

Whether you use a 3rd party filter or the tools built within Photoshop, go with what looks best in your final design. Learn to use all the different methods – it will really pay off. I personally use a combination of the Pen tool and channels extraction methods almost all the time.

Let me know in the comments what methods or filters you use! I would love to know.

If you enjoyed this article, please help us out by retweeting or stumbling it.

I became a huge fan of generative art after I went to a presentation by Joshua Davis at Adobe Max. His presentation was on his new experimental work, titled “space”. It was a real treat to see how Joshua pushes himself and his work to the next level. He is by far a master in this area. You can watch the presentation here.

After the workshop, I was really inspired to find as many resources as I could on creating generative art. Listed below are some programs that you can download, as well as some tutorials and of course, inspiration to get you started. For better understanding about art, enroll at Art Institute Washington DC.

I personally like the idea of generating art inside of Flash with some ActionScript. It is a lot more versatile and cleaner in my opinion. But who’s to say you just have to use one program? Try them all out!

Applications

Processing

Processing is an open source programming language and environment for people who want to program images, animation, and interactions. It is created to teach fundamentals of computer programming within a visual context and to serve as a software sketchbook and professional production tool.

Processing is free to download and available for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows.

NodeBox

NodeBox is a Mac OS X application that lets you create 2D visuals (static, animated or interactive) using Python programming code and export them as a PDF or a QuickTime movie. NodeBox is free and well-documented.

Structure Synth

Structure Synth is a cross-platform application for generating 3D structures by specifying a design grammar. Even simple systems may generate surprising and complex structures.

Adobe Flash

We couldn’t leave this off the list! Flash is in my opinion one of the best programs to create generative art. Check out the tutorials below to get a jump start with using Flash to create some really impressive designs.

VVVV : A Multipurpose Toolkit

vvvv is a toolkit for real time video synthesis. It is designed to facilitate the handling of large media environments with physical interfaces, real-time motion graphics, audio and video that can interact with many users simultaneously.vvvv uses a visual programming interface. Therefore it provides a graphical programming language for easy prototyping and development.

Tutorials

Creating generative art with Flash

Generative art can be an intimidating topic, but with the guidance of Chad Udell in this step-by-step tutorial, you’ll be creating compositions in no time. With Adobe’s release of ActionScript 3.0, it’s possible to create beautiful generative pieces using tools you already have in your arsenal.

Code a Chaotic Composition Inspired by Joshua Davis

Ever wondered how design guru Joshua Davis makes those choatic images? I did. With his art as inspiration I grabbed a cup of coffee and set out to mimic his style. This tutorial is aimed at designers and flash beginners, and documents my process of achieving something similar to Joshua’s early compositions.

ActionScript Basics – Loops

Loops are very similar to conditional statements. However a loop will keep executing what is inside of it until its condition ceases to be true. Perhaps the most notorious ActionScript loop is the “for loop”.

Machine Art with Flash

This is an advanced tutorial but includes source files.The definition of art changes all the time depending on cultural and historical factors. Since computers got powerful enough for tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash and a lot of other graphics tools, digital art became the new big word. But what about digital art created by a script?Flash Art or Machine Art is if a script or machine creates art.

HYPE framework [Flash]

This video tutorial explores the HYPE framwework. The HYPE framework was reated by Branden Hall & Joshua Davis, It is a creative coding framework built on top of ActionScript 3. A major goal of HYPE is to allow newcomers to Flash and ActionScript to creatively play and express themselves while they are learning how to program.

Create unique kaleidoscope graphics

Matt Booth demonstrates how to create a drawing tool that enables you to generate your own kaleidoscopic images. You can use Flash and ActionScript to produce unique designs that can be used for a wide range of projects, whether that’s album artwork, posters, T-shirts or iPhone wallpapers.

Live Samples

Audio based generative art 2.0

Play around and experiment with audio based generative art. You select and image and a music track and it will use the spectrum of an audio file to move the ribbons around.You can save a snapshot any time during the process.

VariableVibration using HYPE

The HYPE framework is a collaborative visual framework developed in FDT and AS3 by Branden Hall and Joshua Davis. This is a sample of what you can get by using this framework. Source code included.

Substrate

Lines likes crystals grow on a computational substrate. A simple perpendicular growth rule creates intricate city-like structures. They also included the source code, so you can get under the hood and see how it was created.

Node . Garden

Created using Processing. Nodes are instantiated on irregular curving lines. When connected together, they form a Node Garden. The lines can be considered the substrate from which the nodes grow.

The linear arrangement of the substrate in these early images is mathematically simple and makes irrigation of resources easy.They also included the source code, so you can get under the hood and see how it was created.

Cooler Kreator

This is a live sample from the tutorial from Creative Arts Magazine, "Creating generative art with Flash"

Flash to the Core

These examples were created by Joshua Davis from his book Flash to the Core. A must read if you are serious about getting into generative art. The great thing about these samples, is you can download the source files! I think 19b is by far the most useful one you should download and check out.

Further Reading

Sound as object

Cylinder by Andy Huntington and Drew Allan is an elegant series of data sculpture based on sound analysis. A mapping of the frequency and time domains produces cylindrical forms representing the spatial characteristics of the sound input. Physical versions of the digital 3D models are then 3D printed using stereolithography.

Generative Art on Wikipedia

From Wikipedia, "Generative art is a system oriented art practice where the common denominator is the use of systems as a production method. To meet the definition of generative art, an artwork must be self-contained and operate with some degree of autonomy. The workings of systems in generative art might resemble, or rely on, various scientific theories such as Complexity science and Information theory."

ActionScript 3 to vector graphic

Mostly I use a bitmapdata for that and export this as a PNG-24. This works perfect in most cases. But sometimes I wish there was a simple way to export my art to a scalable vector graphic. This would save a lot of data, and I’ll be able to create unlimited large and sharp prints.

Inspiration

Created with NodeBox

Created with NodeBox

Created with NodeBox

Created with Structure Synth

Created with Flash/ActionScript

Created with Flash/ActionScript

Created with Flash/ActionScript

Created with Flash/ActionScript

Created with Flash/ActionScript

Created with Flash/ActionScript with a soundwave

Created with Flash/ActionScript + Other Various Programs

Created with Flash/ActionScript

Created with Flash/ActionScript

Created with Flash/ActionScript + Other Various Programs

Created with Flash/ActionScript + Other Various Programs

Created with Flash/ActionScript + Other Various Programs

Created with Flash/ActionScript + Other Various Programs

Created with Flash/ActionScript + Other Various Programs

Created with Flash/ActionScript