Album Cover Illustration process - from sketch to print!

Summary

In this process video, Maria, a London-based illustrator, takes us through her journey of designing an album cover for musician Scott. The cover, inspired by Scott's memories of growing up in a Jewish family and migrating to the United States, evolves from initial sketches to a detailed watercolor painting. Maria shares her unique techniques, from using watercolor outlines in red to building up layers of warm colors and adding fine details. She emphasizes the importance of reflection and refining the work in the final stages to ensure it reaches its full potential. The video offers a glimpse into Maria's creative process and passion for illustration.

Takeaways

• 😀 Maria is a London-based illustrator who is sharing her process for designing an album cover in her first process video voiceover.
• 😀 The album cover design is based on the client's, Scott's, memories of growing up in a Jewish family and his family’s migration to the U.S.
• 😀 The process began with Scott sending his sketches, and Maria created alternative versions before choosing a design featuring circular, split heads and floating objects.
• 😀 Maria prefers outlining with watercolor instead of ink, specifically using red watercolor for the outlines, which has been a personal choice for years.
• 😀 The illustration includes symbols representing Scott’s heritage, such as books, stamps, letters, and luggage, reflecting the family’s migration story.
• 😀 After outlining, Maria starts the color layers with a light wash of yellow, gradually building up the base color layer by layer.
• 😀 The process is time-consuming, requiring a lot of patience, but is crucial to establish a solid foundation for the painting.
• 😀 Maria's favorite part of the process is adding intricate details, where the illustration starts to come together and truly take shape.
• 😀 For the detailing stage, Maria mixes a dark magenta (rotten plum) color with brown and carefully adds depth and highlights to the design.
• 😀 The final stage involves stepping back and reflecting on whether any improvements can be made, such as adding extra details or adjusting colors.
• 😀 Maria emphasizes the importance of making last-minute changes to ensure the artwork is something she never tires of looking at and that feels fully complete.

Q & A

What was the inspiration behind the album cover design?

The album cover was inspired by Scott's memories of growing up in a Jewish family and their migration to the United States.

How did Maria and Scott choose the final design for the album cover?

Maria created a few different versions, and they decided to go with a design featuring two split heads in a circular motion, surrounded by floating objects that symbolize a never-ending loop of time and memories.

Why does Maria prefer to use watercolor for outlining instead of ink?

Maria prefers watercolor for outlines, a personal preference she has developed over the years, though she doesn't have a specific reason for choosing it over ink.

What symbolic objects are included in the design?

The design features books, stamps, letters, and luggage, which represent Scott's family history and their migration. Additionally, split human heads are incorporated, a recurring motif in Maria's work.

What type of paper did Maria use for the painting, and why?

Maria used a very thick watercolor sheet to trace the design. The thickness helps in absorbing the watercolor and creating the desired texture and depth.

What was the first step in the painting process?

Maria began the painting process by creating watercolor outlines. She uses a red color for the outlines, which is a characteristic part of her style.

How did Maria approach the use of colors in the illustration?

Maria and Scott decided on a warm color palette for the illustration. Maria started with a thin layer of yellow paint, gradually building up the colors, and focused on controlling where the paint smudges for added depth.

What was Maria’s favorite part of the process?

Maria’s favorite part of the process is adding the details, as it’s when the drawing truly starts to come together and the results of the long hours of work become visible.

Why does Maria take a moment to reflect on the work at the end of the process?

At the end of the process, Maria takes a moment to reflect on the work to determine if there are any final improvements or details that could make the piece even better before it is considered finished.

What kind of last-minute changes might Maria make to improve the painting?

Last-minute changes might include adding extra details, using sparkly watercolor, or adjusting the colors in the digital phase, all of which can significantly alter the final look of the painting.