Following up on the previously shared How to Draw Hands, it seems illustrator Joumana Medlej has a slew of tutorials including Human Anatomy, Feet, Movement & Flexibility and more! Joumana has even compiled them into a book for off-line reference. Really great summary of anatomy and life drawing executed in clean, confident lines that make it very applicable for technical illustrators.
Linch Pin Droid by Kevin Tong
Illustrator Kevin Tong created this great exploded R2-D2 poster for an ongoing Star Wars Art Print series by Mondo Tees. He did a thorough post on his creative process and even made a time-lapse video showing his technique:
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta5TBGzqijk&feature=player_embedded
Linch Pin Droid goes on sale Friday.
I can’t remember how or when I came across this tutorial on drawing hands by illustrator Joumana Medlej, but it’s been an invaluable resource. It neatly summarizes everything I’ve ever learned from anatomy books and life drawing lessons on the construction and depiction of a palm & five digits. The style is clean, concise and technical, and the examples explore the hand’s full range of motion and various viewing angles.
Bookmark it. You’ll find that it’s handy.
Google Patent Search "Toy Robot"
Looking for some lineart to practice your rendering? Or maybe some plans and elevations to practice a perspective or axonometric drawing system? Check out Google Patent Search, a searchable database of patent applications including the supporting technical drawings.
Quality of the drawings varies, but some digging may save you some drawing if all you really want to do is paint.
[via Boing Boing]This came to me via a guy at my work. You can download the psd files and see how they were created. There are some nice looking files on here, tons of buttons, icons, web stuff and some nice examples of creating illustrations in photoshop. Dig in people.
Presentation Techniques by Dick Powell
The second of Marc Gellen‘s book recommendations is Presentation Techniques by Dick Powell, first published in 1985. Whereas Technical Illustration – Techniques and Applications was more of a textbook of tools and techniques, this book is a practical guide to accurately drawing and rendering for the purpose of communicating design ideas. While both books are reminders of how much illustration has changed in 20 years in terms of media and style, I think this book’s techniques are well presented and still relevant today.
Happy Friday [via Adafruit]
Technical Illustration: Techniques and Applications
Marc Gellen was looking for recommendations for books on technical illustration on Twitter, but ended up providing me with the recommendations. Fortunately, all three books he suggested were available from my local library. I thought I’d give them a brief review here for the benefit of anyone whose public (or private) library might be lacking on the subject.
The 13th edition of The Graphic Artist’s Guild Handbook of Pricing and Ethical Guidelines is now available [Amazon]. The 2010 edition includes an updated pricing survey, legal information and sample forms & contracts. As in previous versions, there is a section dedicated to standard trade practices and rates for technical illustration.
If this book isn’t on your shelf now is a great time to get it. If your copy, like mine, is out of date it might be time to update.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQSq0UXNFUw
A quick run through some new features in Adobe Illustrator CS5. See also Steve’s review of the new perspective tool.
Did I miss your favorite new feature? Let me know in the comments!