Digital Illustration

Explore & Discover

Look up professional illustrators on Instagram or ArtStation and spend 20 minutes just studying their work — notice how they handle edges, lighting, and composition differently than casual drawings. Search "illustration styles" on YouTube and watch how artists like Marco Bucci or Ahmed Aldoori explain their thinking. Save 10 images that inspire you into a folder on your computer — this is your mood board. Browse Domestika or Skillshare for free previews of illustration courses. You don't need to sign up yet; the previews alone show you what's possible. You're ready for the next step when you can describe three different illustration styles and point to a specific example of each.

Learn the Basics

Two foundational skills separate illustration from casual drawing: value control and shape design. Watch Marco Bucci's "10 Minutes to Better Painting" series on YouTube — it's free and packed with professional-level thinking explained simply. In Krita or Procreate, practice the "grayscale first" method: draw your subject in black and white only, getting the light and shadow right before adding any color. Do this with three simple objects — a mug, a shoe, a piece of fruit. Value is what makes things look three-dimensional. You're ready for the next step when you can paint a simple object in grayscale that clearly shows a light source, midtones, and shadow.

Build Your First Project

Create your first complete illustration: a character or scene with a clear focal point, intentional lighting, and at least a simple background. Start with a thumbnail sketch — a tiny rough version — before committing to the full piece. This is what professional illustrators do to solve composition problems cheaply. Use the grayscale method first, then add color using Color or Multiply layers over your values. Reference photos are allowed and encouraged — search Unsplash for free reference images. Aim for a finished piece that tells a small story or creates a mood. You're ready for the next step when you have one complete illustration with a foreground subject, light source, and background, however simple.

Experiment & Iterate

Take your first illustration and rebuild it in two different styles. Style one: a flat graphic style with clean lines and solid colors, similar to what you see in app icons or editorial work. Style two: a painterly style with visible brushwork and soft edges. Watch the YouTube channel "Sinix Design" for breakdowns of both approaches. Study how Utah-based companies like Adobe (which has a big office in Lehi) use illustration in their marketing — notice how clean and intentional professional work looks. Compare your three versions and write down what each style communicates differently. You're ready for the next step when you have the same subject rendered in two clearly distinct illustration styles.

Advanced Techniques

Learn perspective drawing and color theory at a deeper level — these are the two skills that most clearly separate amateur and professional illustrators. Watch "How to Draw in Perspective" by Draws Like a Pro on YouTube, then practice drawing a simple room or outdoor scene in one-point and two-point perspective. For color, study "simultaneous contrast" — how colors change depending on what surrounds them. Apply both skills in one new illustration. If you want to go further, explore the free color tools at Coolors.co and Paletton.com to build intentional palettes. You're ready for the next step when you can draw a scene in two-point perspective and explain why you chose the colors in your palette.

Final Project Showcase

Produce a two-piece portfolio series — two illustrations that share a visual theme, consistent color palette, and recognizable style. Think of this as the beginning of your personal style. Your theme could be Utah landscapes (the Bonneville Salt Flats, Bryce Canyon hoodoos), local wildlife, a fictional world, or anything you care about. Both pieces should show everything you have learned: perspective, value control, intentional color, and clean or painterly technique. Post both to ArtStation with a short description of your concept and process. You're ready for the next step when both illustrations are posted online and you can walk someone through your creative decisions for each one.