Over the next few pages we take you through the process of creating a 'real life' character using Illustrator CS2. The main character in this illustration is John C McGinley, from the TV show Scrubs. He was originally drawn for a feature in a magazine in which readers submit their real-life questions to a different celebrity each month. To save money on photoshoots, publishers often commission designers to illustrate celebrities. What follows is a step-by-step guide showing you how to do just that.
The tutorial begins by explaining the importance of good, proper preparation when drawing a real-life character and how sourcing strong reference material is crucial to starting off as you mean to go on. And (obvious as it may sound) we address the importance of drawing what you see in this reference material, rather than what you think you see.