Dad and Me Hike
I don't always get to do an illustration for a design project, but I take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself. The Dad and Me Hike is an upcoming church event where a group of fathers take their kids on a hike. What better way to encourage people to sign up for a group hike than with an illustration of the Pacific Northwest? The goal of this illustration was to inspire nostalgia for the dads and wonder for the kids. After much sketching and editing, I believe I have arrived at a finished product that achieves the goals I had in mind.
Below is the version with the information that will be marketed on social media.
Instagram Version
Finding type that complements an illustration can be tricky. Using the wrong font will make the type look like an afterthought. Thankfully, I knew exactly which font I'd be using. Planning ahead helped me seamlessly integrate the font into the finished illustration.
Below I've highlighted some of the sketching process for the Dad and Me Hike.
Thumbnail Sketch
I always begin a project by sketching. I try and keep the thumbnail sketch extremely simple. The goal for a thumbnail is to figure out the the main elements and the composition. I really try not to spend to much time in the stage; an original sketch like the one featured above could take less than five minutes.
The Refined Sketch
as soon as I get a feel for the composition on the thumbnail sketch, I begin working on my detailed sketch. The purpose of the detailed sketch is to define specific shapes, add some depth, and even start to flesh out some of the textures. This is the final step before I move to color.
Color
After I complete my refined sketch, I move everything over to Adobe Illustrator. Using Illustrator at this point in the process helps me define each element as its own shape/layer. Using Illustrator also helps me think about what details are absolutely necessary to keep, and what details could be taken away.
Once the colors are added I bring the color version of the graphic back into Photoshop where I add the shadows and texture.
