Creative industry changes rapidly these days. Keeping an eye on design trends will help a lot when generating ideas for your projects. However, whatever's new today become old tomorrow. And if we're always chasing after trends, we can never lead the market. In this articles, I've summed up 05 illustration styles that never get old for your references:
Hand-drawing illustrations
Line art illustrations
3D illustrations
Geometric illustrations
Flat illustrations
05 timeless illustration styles to follow
1. Hand-drawn illustrations
Hand-drawn illustrations can surely differentiate your designs from many of the others thanks to their individuality. Artists can turn traditional sketches on paper into vector digital content easily in the following steps:
Sketch on paper
Scan the sketches
Image trace or trace by the pen tool on Illustrators
How to trace an image by Adobe Illustrator?
Place the image to an artboard
Select Object > Image Trace > Make
Figuring out where to begin and what to draw can be challenging. First, get yourself a sketchbook, take it with you wherever you go, and sketch your immediate surroundings whenever you can. Emulating the work of other illustrators is also a great way to practice and learn. Above all, remember, the more you practice, the closer you are to finding your style—or something that sets you apart.
Some websites also offer hand-drawn illustrations and vector graphics for free download such as illustAC, Freepik, Vecteezy. There might be some limitations in use, so make sure you read their terms and conditions carefully.
Some hand-drawn illustrations on illustAC
2. Line art illustrations
Line art or line drawing, is somehow the same like hand-drawn style above. Line art used to be the standard illustration format in print publications.
However, in this article, I would like to mention one-line drawing or continuous line drawing illustrations specifically.
So what are one-line drawing illustrations? Exactly as what they're called, one-line drawing illustrations are the illustrations drawn using one line only.
Tips to practice and create unique one-line drawing illustrations for beginners:
Brainstorming what you want to create
Start sketching
Find a way to finish the sketches by one line only
Try, fail and try - Patience is the key
What can one-line drawing illustrations be used for?
You can use one-line drawing in designing different types of products such as T-shirt, tote bags, wallpapers, blanket covers, etc.
Check line art posters from matteroflife
3. 3D illustrations
If hand-drawn and line art illustrations bring traditional, old-but-gold feelings, 3D is like an up-to-date modern touch of art.
I've rounded up 05 best websites where you can find 3D illustrations in no time:
4. Geometric illustrations
By using geometric shapes to create distinctive artworks, geometric illustrations will be listed as the fourth timeless illustration style that you can consider when it comes to design. You can also focus on simple 2D shapes or work on multi-dimensional shapes with this kind of illustrations.
Types of geometric illustrations:
Multi-dimensional geometric shapes
Geometric pop art
Abstract geometric art
5. Flat illustrations
Last bit not least, flat illustrations complete the list with its simplicity and focus-to-usability characteristics. “Flat Illustration” means minimalist design that features clean, open space, crisp edges, bright colors and two-dimensional/flat illustrations.
Where to sell your illustrations and earn extra money
You can upload your illustrations to different platforms and websites to earn extra money.
I've rounded up some of them for your reference:
1. Freepik
There are several requirements when uploading illustrations and vector graphics to Freepik.
File format: EPS in CC
Color mode: RGB
Size: up to 80 MB
Title and tags: They must be integrated in the metadata.
Check the brand's submission guidelines.
You will get paid based on the number of downloads and the number of subscribers.
Payment methods accepted by Freepik are Paypal and Payoneer.
2. Shutterstock
There are several requirements when uploading illustrations and vector graphics to Shutterstock too.
For example:
You must be 18 years of age to create a Shutterstock account.
File format: EPS files that are up to 100 MB and no less than 4 MP and no greater than 25 MP
Title and tags: Vector files can be identified by the file extension and are automatically tagged as illustrations at upload. Once your vector illustrations have successfully uploaded you will need to enter titles (description), 7-50 keywords, and at least 1 category.
Check the brand's submission guidelines
3. illustAC
There are several requirements when uploading illustrations and vector graphics to illustAC too.
File format: EPS in CC
Color mode: RGB
Size: up to 80 MB
illustAC is different from the two sites above in the way of calculating points and payment for creators.
The Creator who verified your identity will receive 2 points for every download of your published Content.
One point is equal to 0.01USD and can be redeemed when the specified number of redeemable points has been reached.
Extra points are awarded for the Creator on illustAC in the following cases:
Newly registered creators: 20 points
Verified creators: 40 points for the first time
The first published content: 60 points
The first 10 published content: 80 points
The first 30 published content: 100 points
Extra points are awarded for the Creator on photoAC in the following cases:
Newly registered creators: 20 points
Verified creators: 40 points for the first time
The first published content: 60 points
When the first published content gets 80 downloads: 30 points
When the first published content gets 150 downloads: 70 points
When an Extra License of the Content uploaded by the Creator is purchased: 2000 points
The Creator can use your points to obtain money and other benefits through services provided by ACworks or third parties designated by us.
Conclusion
Following the graphic trends every year is a good practice for your design tastes and creative minds. There are some timeless, old-but-gold illustration styles, however, that you can get inspired from including hand-drawn, line art, 3D, geometry and flat illustrations.
Keep practicing on a regular basic, build up an impressive portfolio, share your artwork online and earn extra money from selling them to increase your incomes. Why not?
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