illustration = tracing
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- ********0
i am a cow, hear me moo
- dopepope0
Brooke. Brooke. Brooke.
There is no doubt that you are insanely skilled. I wouldn't label you a tracer. But tracing is a huge part of your technique. I feel this does not define you as a tracer however. Even a comic book inker is more than a tracer. Tracing is a technique. Not an occupation. Tracing is something you have to do to realise your desired effect. I would hope that, whom ever is tracing, understands that it will LOOK traced when they are finished. And that that fact is part of the desired effect. Right?
- dopepope0
maybe that artists technique deserves less respect...but thats a little judgemental. If the image is good then whats the problem?
- ovalle0
for example i see the following as illustration:
http://nowgocreate.com/2/showcas…
as opposed to the stuff you would find for example on :
but both i find attractive in their own way
- arlo0
The problem is sometimes that the photographer should get the compositional credit. If I were to hire an artist based on their 'illustration' skills in their portfolio, and then found out they need an existing image in order to 'illustrate,' I would feel misled.
- dopepope0
nice demonstration of your point ovalle. but for the sake of arguement lets say a great deal of tracing was required for that artist to achieve that piece. Is it still good illustration?
- dopepope0
that pre existing image wouldn't be your problem Arlo, it would be the artists. And it shoiuldn't make a difference to you what he does to execute his images. You hired him based on his book right? You must have felt something positive upon seeing his work.
- ovalle0
see no i dont care about the source. i mean i think the difference is that an illustrator doesnt necessarily need a source to do a drawing they tend to invent, while obviously tracers need something tangible like a photograph, in order to get an end product.. i thinik both are fine ways to achieve a product but i tend to think there is alot more skill involved in those who illustrate v. those who trace.. plus i know those who render brooke, are really amazingly talented.. i worked with many renderers in my architecture offices, and they have mad skills.
- ovalle0
ture dope.. well i think whether something is good or bad is all subjective anyways.. i think that is another issue that i really dont feel like getting into.. but anyways.. i just wanted to see a discussion of why so many porfolios claim with no hesitation, that they are illustrators, but maybe in fact they really arent.. maybe ther term illustrator has lost its meaning has become too loose now.. i dont know.. i just found it interesting thats all.... anwyays thanks for your responses..
- quamb0
Agreed, if tracing, the photographer has to come into importance.
just as 'sound' needs to become noticed in web design these days- not just a throw away media. (ie, "its fine to rip music, though who dares to rip my design!")
brooke IS an illustrator, as she obviously has the skills to pay the bills (not just a few traced pieces).
as for Inkers- I believe they still aren't tracers as there is a HUGE amount of skill required to ink comic books, not just a matter of learning a vector prog.
In fact, some inkers develop the pencilers style far beyond the original drawings. Which I think is a pretty cool concept.
- dopepope0
We are all making valid points here.
And Quamb. I know a few pro inkers and you are right. They possess amazing skills of illustration.
We all agree Brooke is no joke.
And I have seen sites saying 'awesome illustration' and find it is all traced vectors or resemble that. Regardless of what I felt for the images, I felt cheated by their use of the word 'illustrator' being one myself.
- paulrand0
vector art in the hands of a highly skilled practioner sometimes becomes almost like good old "bad" realistic illustration
- arlo0
Say you wanted someone to illustrate something you didn't have a photo or existing image of. The person with the skills would pony up and illustrate and have it look good, where someone used to tracing would be at a loss. That was my point.
- ovalle0
dopr, exactly... know what you mean... i feel cheated as well.. i go to these site they have a section called illustrations... and bam... they are all traced vector images... that is what i was talking about.. i feel cheated and insulted not just for myself.. but for other illustrators, casue i understand the amount of skill and dedication it take to master a discipline like that. and for someone to easily write illustration as a heading for their work.. really is bothering..
- chilaquil0
Recently I had a client that wanted a vector style illustration of a pin up girl, but he had very specific things he wanted (he's that kind of client). He wanted the girl to be wearing a cowboy hat and cowboy boots and to be buck naked.
I thought "no prob" and had a few illustrators in mind. But the client had no budget for hiring an illustrator... So I had to do the illustration myself... and I'd never tried to do it. I still took the job and I looked for an image that was similar, because yes, I was going to trace. However, I found an old pin up illustration (not vector but airbrush) of a girl in the right position and with the right hat and boots. But problem is that she also had clothes. The client wanted her ass bare. Well, I went ahead and traced the outline and some basic facial features. Everything else, I had to make up and actually I was kind of nervous I wouldn't pull it off because I'd never tried it. A few hours later, to my own surprise, it came out really well. All those life drawing classes actually paid off... Oddly enough, I think I discovered a talent I didn't have. I also enjoyed the project more than I thought I would...
I'm by no means an illustrator and have never thought of myself as one, but does that make me a tracer?
- Seph0
All just words to me.
Obviously claiming you are a Doctor when you are a in fact a cleaner can have detrimental effects on others but in the world of creativity, no lives are at risk, just judge by performance.
- f1point70
Sit a bunch of these illustrators, tracers wotever in a room and get them to do a life-class session.
If they can draw from life, they got skillz. If they can draw from memory, then even better. If they can create interesting abstractions of what they see in their 'minds eye' then they got mad skillzz.. So, my opinion: show me someone who can draw life-class and you've shown me an illustrator/artist. If a 'tracer' can do this, then he too has some mark-making skills.
i have supreme respect for people who can draw from their mind and imagination. and not to mention those who can distort/abstract what they see into a piece of art.