Photoshop to a Brief

A successful illustration isn't just visually appealing; it makes a strong visual statement which clearly expresses the artist's intentions. Aside from colour and composition - two fundamental properties of the visual arts - the individual style of the artist is also extremely important. But when working commercially, an additional requirement comes to the fore: content. When an art director hires an illustrator, they choose him or her as much on their ability to convey a message as on individual style.

First off, consider what the illustration needs to say. Will the viewer be able to pick up on the concept at a glance? Are there secondary elements that will support the primary visual elements and help communicate the concept more clearly? Keep all of this in mind when presenting your idea to a potential client. And don't forget about those fundamental rules of colour and composition.

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The Creative Bloq team is made up of a group of design fans, and has changed and evolved since Creative Bloq began back in 2012. The current website team consists of eight full-time members of staff: Editor Georgia Coggan, Deputy Editor Rosie Hilder, Ecommerce Editor Beren Neale, Senior News Editor Daniel Piper, Editor, Digital Art and 3D Ian Dean, Tech Reviews Editor Erlingur Einarsson and Ecommerce Writer Beth Nicholls and Staff Writer Natalie Fear, as well as a roster of freelancers from around the world. The 3D World and ImagineFX magazine teams also pitch in, ensuring that content from 3D World and ImagineFX is represented on Creative Bloq.