Editorial Illustration: Sharpen Your Conceptual Skills

Begin the course by getting to know award-winning illustrator Nicholas Blechman. He talks through the creative journey which led him to illustrate for some of the U.S.’s biggest publications, along with the influences which inspire him as an artist.

Dive into the editorial world and how it works. Nicholas takes you behind the scenes of working with art directors and using a text as your starting point. Discover conceptual tools for coming up with ideas, from metaphors to association. Then practice a series of warm-up exercises designed to inspire you creatively.

Time to start sketching! Start by highlighting relevant passages in the text, and use them to come up with different ideas for your drawings. Decide on the strongest ideas before developing the chosen sketches in Adobe Illustrator, first by tracing them with the Pen Tool and then adding color, ready for the editor’s approval.

Finally, hear Nicholas’ advice for a career in editorial illustration, from looking at your work objectively, to building a good working relationship with an art director. To finish the course, he guides you through how to promote yourself as an artist and land your dream projects.