Digital illustration is my pandemic upskill

Over the pandemic, I’ve been using some of my extra free time to work on my digital illustration skills. I’m most of the way through a 10-week Illustration for Motion course by the School of Motion.

The course is designed for illustrators who work with motion graphics artists to better understand how to design with motion graphics in mind, but I figured it might be a good class to take as a motion designer looking to improve my illustration skills. 

It kind of feels like jumping into the deep end of the pool while only knowing how to doggy paddle but with a lot of work I’m managing to stay afloat.

So far this is my favorite illustration from the class projects. The assignment was to do an illustrations for a story about the perils of binge streaming digital content.

When I think about streaming content my first thought is Netflix and the opening animation they have before each show where the lines of color fly by the camera. I wanted to use recreate those lines of color to represent the idea of streaming content. To illustrate the perils I thought a base jumper thinking about making the plunge might communicate that idea.

When I get some time I’m going to pull the pieces into After Effects and animate the lines. 

I don’t think I’ll be making any abrupt turns into becoming an illustrator but I certainly am learning a lot more about the illustration process. I think this will help me work more effectively art directing with illustrators on future projects.