Long time no posts from me here, guys! Having some issues with health and being too weak and busy with more priority tasks these days. But right now I'm sitting in the plane writing this article about one of my illustrations which had been ordered by Russian Bank Promsvyazbank.
Tools used for this post
I am using awesome markdown editor for Android which I really like because it has everything needed to post here. It even supports adding local images to check the post without internet connection. So I've prepared all the images needed for that post on my small tablet PC in between two flights sitting in airport cafe and now writing right on the phone using iA Writer which I would really recommend to you.
Once we will land, I'll upload all the images, change the links and then post it via eSteem mobile application.
Those guys are pretty progressive so they are using my illustrations from time to time. Usually banks are too conservative to use anything rather than serious business stock photos but not this bank.
Order details from the Bank
They've just opened new modern office with different clients zones, coffee machine, place for kids to play while their parents are busy with the banking staff etc. I've got the photos which I was inspired a lot. Wow, I don't mind to draw such a colorful office!
Draft scheme from the client
They knew how their Facebook Cover should look like. I had to draw that office with all the zones showing some clients and bankers interactions there. This cute scheme is the sketch they sent me with apologies they can't draw better. I find this really nice when the client have a vision providing such a details. This will minimize amounts of corrections from their side and working process goes much faster.
My new way of working
I've made fast pencil sketch with all the main objects and situations needed but without applying them on the layout first.
Then I've opened this sketch photo in Adobe Photoshop, gave proper dimensions to the layout so it could fit the Facebook Cover which is long enough and added few more details and started to check the color gamma, sketching few colored shapes.
I've stuck with the colors and found out that I will not be able to show the sketch to my client and will mess with the comments and corrections if they will ask to change something. This time I was ready to try new way of working. Made everything black and white so colors will not bother my eyes and started with the shapes once again.
Still I was not able to show this for approval because I thought bank workers might have different mind. More logical. So they might need more detailed sketch to understand. While completing details I've found some few improvements to make it look more interactive: like intentions in between mother and son...
Coloring
Black sketch had been approved and everything was ready for coloring. Usually I just draw colored shapes and then add details inside but here I was drawing different way for the first time and it was hard to understand and decide what should I do next. All the objects in the sketch was done in one flattened layer so I've ended up with cutting all the main figures out of it pasting it into new separate layers and then used layer effects such as Color, Soft Light and Overlay for coloring.
This is how I've finished that and sent for approval. I was satisfied with all the things done though this illustration cost me more time than I've expected because of these sketching experiments. But I find it is really helpful to use this method further when I am stuck with colors.
Guys was really happy. They've just asked me to remove that glass box from the left side. It was real box they had in the office but they told me it looked strange in cover. I am not sure about that but I was looking at this work for a long time so my perception of it must be blurred. I've get used to it. So it's okay, here is the final version with their comments.
Then we cut it into pieces for their instagram, Twitter and other social profiles. Hope you like it.
❤️ Thanks a lot to Promsvyazbank and Timur Zulkarnaev for the order!
freelance illustrator Fil Dunsky
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