Traditional and Digital Illustrations

by Carey R. Drake
(Atlanta Metro)

Professionally, I am an illustrator and graphic designer. Secretly, I'm a kid with a box of crayons and a big, blank, freshly painted wall.

My style is inspired by the likes of Bill Watterson and Phillipe Fix. I love the kinetic power of the cartoon, but I try to tame it with the stately beauty of classic illustration.

The illustration above is from my own children's story, "Safe and Sound". In this book, I used a technique that I have been favoring recently. I skipped the inking stage altogether and scanned the pencils directly into Photoshop, where I digitally painted it. I love the grit and grain under the soft, luminous colors. Somehow it feels raw and polished at the same time.

My prices are negotiable. An illustration like the one above will command around $100.00. Simpler illo's are less, more complex ones are more. You end up with a high-resolution digital image and a written agreement granting you publication rights. I retain credit and portfolio rights.

Visit Carey's dA gallery or email him.