Illustration has a powerful role to play in design, capturing the essence of its subject in a heartbeat, yet providing a world of information for its intended audience. The popularity of Manga (Japanese comics) is testament to this fact. The images of these graphic novels are meant to be "read", not glanced at, giving them the same depth of meaning as the printed word.
The love of illustration began with a vector for Stephen. Having always drawn with traditional media such as pencil and marker pen, it was an introduction to Adobe Illustrator that set his creativity free. Being able to experiment without restriction, as is characteristic of digital illustration, opened up many artistic possibilities.
When a client presents a brief that can benefit from a graphic illustration it is important to remember the support role it plays. Presenting visual keys to complex data with information graphics or bringing form to abstract ideas through stylised artwork. Map illustration, technical illustration, scientific illustration, even fantasy illustration all have the same task, providing a visual representation of a creative concept.
Working to find the most succinct way to present your creative concept is Stephen's driving aim when approaching a piece of graphic artwork. This is evident in the illustration portfolio examples presented above. Please take some time to let him know what you think of his work. ![]()