IllustrationClass.com » Creative Exercises http://www.illustrationclass.com Documenting The Illustrative Design Process Wed, 21 Jul 2010 05:29:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Circle Exercise http://www.illustrationclass.com/2010/01/28/circle-exercise/ http://www.illustrationclass.com/2010/01/28/circle-exercise/#comments Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:44:52 +0000 admin http://www.illustrationclass.com/?p=245

This creative exercise isn’t anything new, it’s actually a test often done in creativity courses. It forces you to look at the mundane “Two Circles” and see what you can visually make from them. There is no right or wrong approach to this, cut loose and push yourself.

Keywords: Circles, Exercise, Doodle

File Size: 244 KB

]]> http://www.illustrationclass.com/2010/01/28/circle-exercise/feed/ 3 Creativity on a Dime http://www.illustrationclass.com/2009/06/02/creativity-on-a-dime/ http://www.illustrationclass.com/2009/06/02/creativity-on-a-dime/#comments Tue, 02 Jun 2009 22:03:08 +0000 admin http://www.illustrationclass.com/?p=196

This helpful PDF produced by “The Creative Group” contains “20″ cost-effective ways to keep you creatively focused and inspired in an uncertain economy.

Several of Illustrationclass.com creative exercises are included in the PDF under “Drawing People Together”, along with other fun practical content to help you push yourself creatively.

Keywords: Creative, Exercise, PDF, Group

File Size: 3.1 MB

]]> http://www.illustrationclass.com/2009/06/02/creativity-on-a-dime/feed/ 1 Shading Exercise http://www.illustrationclass.com/2009/04/23/shading-exercise/ http://www.illustrationclass.com/2009/04/23/shading-exercise/#comments Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:16:53 +0000 admin http://www.illustrationclass.com/?p=181

Just like physical exercise, creative exercise will help you develop and strengthen your illustrative and design ability over time. If you make a habit of doing small simple daily exercises you’ll see a remarkable improvement in your work as you progress through your creative career.

Knowing your lighting sources when illustrating is a must. This simple exercise provides a blank canvas “the faces” and you have to draw in how the shading would look on each face based off the light source defined for each. The more you can train your mind and eye to think through lighting and the resulting shading the easier it gets to handle it on your own projects regardless of the theme or style.

Keywords: Shading, Exercise, Drawing, Creative

File Size: 320KB

]]> http://www.illustrationclass.com/2009/04/23/shading-exercise/feed/ 11 What Do You See? 2 http://www.illustrationclass.com/2009/02/05/what-do-you-see-2/ http://www.illustrationclass.com/2009/02/05/what-do-you-see-2/#comments Thu, 05 Feb 2009 07:47:21 +0000 admin http://www.illustrationclass.com/?p=129

We’ve all done this at some point. Laying on our back in the grass looking up into the sky trying to see things in the clouds. The art of being able to take an abstract shape and use it to see what it was not intended to be. This exercise works off the same principle. Using the negative spaces provided on the templete sheet, you’ll draw what isn’t there. Be creative, push yourself and have fun.

Note: These exercises were developed for a class setting but can easily work for the individual. If you use this for a group of people make sure to share everyones work at the end, it fun to see how each others character comes out and is usually good for a few laughs as well.

Keywords: Creative, Exercise, See, Hidden, Doodle, Shapes

File Size: 720KB

]]> http://www.illustrationclass.com/2009/02/05/what-do-you-see-2/feed/ 5 Creative Exercise: Doodle Book Worm http://www.illustrationclass.com/2008/07/21/creative-exercise-doodle-book-worm/ http://www.illustrationclass.com/2008/07/21/creative-exercise-doodle-book-worm/#comments Tue, 22 Jul 2008 05:18:14 +0000 admin http://www.illustrationclass.com/?p=109

At times when I work or just go about doing something non-creative I stumble upon something that sparks my creative curiosity. This usually ends up being an artistic rabbit trail of sorts as I pursue it to see where it might lead.

Such was the case with this creative exercise. It was birthed from mere happenstance and led to a fun little side project.

(Tutorial Includes Notes in both ‘English’ and ‘Español’.)

Keywords: Doodle, Book, Worm, Creative Exercise

File Size: 13.5 MB

]]> http://www.illustrationclass.com/2008/07/21/creative-exercise-doodle-book-worm/feed/ 6 Creative Exercise: Doodle Dog http://www.illustrationclass.com/2007/12/13/creative-exercise-doodle-dog/ http://www.illustrationclass.com/2007/12/13/creative-exercise-doodle-dog/#comments Fri, 14 Dec 2007 06:41:19 +0000 admin http://www.illustrationclass.com/?p=102

Sometimes I get inspired on the spur of the moment. When this happens I tend to put aside what ever I am working on and just pursue the creative rabbit trail to see where it leads.

This creative exercise captures this momentary inspiration and shows you how you can build your creative muscle and have some unique fun doing so.

(Tutorial Includes Notes in both ‘English’ and ‘Español’.)

Keywords: Doodle, Creative, Exercise, Dog

File Size: 5 MB

]]> http://www.illustrationclass.com/2007/12/13/creative-exercise-doodle-dog/feed/ 2 Doodle Sheet 4 http://www.illustrationclass.com/2007/04/13/doodle-sheet-4/ http://www.illustrationclass.com/2007/04/13/doodle-sheet-4/#comments Sat, 14 Apr 2007 05:15:11 +0000 admin http://www.illustrationclass.com/?p=84

Same as ‘Doodle Sheet 1, 2 & 3′ just a new template and sample images included.

Exercise your creative muscle. There are eight wiggly lines in the ‘Doodle_Sheet4.pdf’ included in this download. Your assignment is to draw a doodle incorporating the pre-existing line into your doodle. What you’ll end up with is eight individual doodles in all. There is no right or wrong, good or bad just have fun and allow yourself to be creative.

Don’t look for the easy way out, force your mind to explore other possibilities. Any orientation whether vertical, horizontal, upside down or side ways is acceptable.

Note: These exercises were developed for a class setting but can easily work for the individual. If you use this for a group of people make sure to share everyones work at the end, it fun to see how everyone interpreted the same themes and is usually good for a few laughs as well.

Keywords: Creative, Exercise, Doodle, Wiggly

File Size: 1 MB

]]> http://www.illustrationclass.com/2007/04/13/doodle-sheet-4/feed/ 1 Doodle Sheet 3 http://www.illustrationclass.com/2007/01/14/doodle-sheet-3/ http://www.illustrationclass.com/2007/01/14/doodle-sheet-3/#comments Mon, 15 Jan 2007 03:51:10 +0000 admin http://www.illustrationclass.com/?p=74

Same as ‘Doodle Sheet 1 & 2′ just a new template and sample images included.

Exercise your creative muscle. There are eight wiggly lines in the ‘Doodle_Sheets.pdf’ included in this download. Your assignment is to draw a doodle incorporating the pre-existing line into your doodle. What you’ll end up with is eight individual doodles in all. There is no right or wrong, good or bad just have fun and allow yourself to be creative.

Don’t look for the easy way out, force your mind to explore other possibilities. Any orientation whether vertical, horizontal, upside down or side ways is acceptable.

Note: These exercises were developed for a class setting but can easily work for the individual. If you use this for a group of people make sure to share everyones work at the end, it fun to see how everyone interpreted the same themes and is usually good for a few laughs as well.

Keywords: Creative, Exercise, Doodle, Wiggly

File Size: 908 K

]]> http://www.illustrationclass.com/2007/01/14/doodle-sheet-3/feed/ 1 Why Doodle http://www.illustrationclass.com/2007/01/14/why-doodle/ http://www.illustrationclass.com/2007/01/14/why-doodle/#comments Mon, 15 Jan 2007 03:50:54 +0000 admin http://www.illustrationclass.com/?p=73

This simple download will remind you how doodles can be used in a variety of creative ways and serve as final art even. Whether you want to become a full blown illustrator or not every creative should doodle.

Keywords: Doodle, Drawing, Exercise

File Size: 4.1 MB

]]> http://www.illustrationclass.com/2007/01/14/why-doodle/feed/ 2 Styrofoam Doodles http://www.illustrationclass.com/2006/07/25/styrofoam-doodles/ http://www.illustrationclass.com/2006/07/25/styrofoam-doodles/#comments Tue, 25 Jul 2006 09:07:23 +0000 admin http://www.illustrationclass.com/?p=55

This little exercise came about one night when me and my wife ate out. We got our left-overs put in a styrofoam container and I proceeded to write my name on mine. I noticed how silky smooth the ball point pen wrote on the surface of the styrofoam and continued to draw on it until I had doodled a completed piece of artwork.

Your assignment is to take a styrofoam cup or container and completely cover the surface with an illustrative design. Anything goes, get creative, be unique and have fun.

Note: These exercises were developed for a class setting but can easily work for the individual. If you use this for a group of people make sure to share everyones work at the end, it fun to see how each others character comes out and is usually good for a few laughs as well.

Keywords: Creative, Exercise, Styrofoam, Cup

File Size: 370KB

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