SketchCrazed – Turning a pen and ink drawing into a color vector
Deciding what to draw
Abstracting a wetland setting into a design involves capturing the essence and key elements of the wetland while simplifying and stylizing them.
To begin with I greatly reduce the elements into simple shapes and forms, and look for ones that have good contrast like shadows, or well-defined shapes. I started this ink drawing by identifying the key elements that make up a wetland setting – water, vegetation such as reeds, cattails, flowers, seed pods, and the interaction of light and reflections on the water surface. I use lines, shapes, and patterns to create a sense of movement and rhythm within the design, mirroring the dynamic and ever-changing nature of a wetland ecosystem.
Transitioning to color
I begin by scanning the ink drawing and creating a vector map of all the shapes. This takes interpretation, as the ink drawing does not use filled shapes like the color version does. See the blueline image for my conversion to vector shapes.
Once that is completed, I begin developing a color palette, and apply it to all the shapes. I go back and forth a lot, changing the colors to get a balance that feels good.
The photos show me sketching in the wetlands of the Skagit Valley, Washington. Mt. Baker is seen in the distant background.
SketchCrazed
