Swann Studio News http://swannstudio.com Illustration and graphic Design by Swann Smith Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:54:18 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 SwannStudiohttp://feedburner.google.com Flourish T-shirt http://swannstudio.com/illustration/flourish-t-shirt/ http://swannstudio.com/illustration/flourish-t-shirt/#comments Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:40:43 +0000 Swann http://swannstudio.com/?p=1241

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]]> For this t-shirt design I imagined showing a peacock-pen using the color from its feathers to draw the word “Flourish”, meaning “to grow vigorously, thrive” and “added ornamentation”. The illustration began as a combination of traditional pen drawing and digital inking, followed by colorization in Photoshop.

If you like the design, please click on the thumbnail link below to score it and help it get printed at Threadless.

Flourish - Threadless T-shirts, Nude No More

Flourish t-shirt design

the t-shirt design

details of Flourish t-shirt design

the t-shirt design shown on a model, alternate shirt styles, and a detail

© Copyright 2011 Swann Studio | Swann Smith. All rights reserved.

]]> http://swannstudio.com/illustration/flourish-t-shirt/feed/ 0 Sponsored Gladiator T-shirt http://swannstudio.com/illustration/sponsored-gladiator-t-shirt/ http://swannstudio.com/illustration/sponsored-gladiator-t-shirt/#comments Fri, 25 Nov 2011 21:05:01 +0000 Swann http://swannstudio.com/?p=1144

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]]> My concept for this t-shirt design was: what if gladiators were plastered with logos like today’s athletes (especially Nascar drivers). After creating a pencil drawing of a gladiator’s breastplate, I then had a blast imagining and creating the logos that would adorn it. The final design was composed in Photoshop.

If you like the design, please click on the thumbnail link below to score it and help it get printed at Threadless.

Sponsored Gladiator - Threadless T-shirts, Nude No More

Sponsored Gladiator t-shirt design

the t-shirt design

Model wearing t-shirt design

a model in the t-shirt posing against a detail from the design

As you can see from the original drawing of the breastplate below, I initially didn’t intend to include the lower flaps of the gladiator’s skirt and, therefore, bleed the design off the bottom edge. But without this change, there was too much contrast between the scalloped edge of the skirt and the t-shirt’s color, which was taking focus away from the breastplate and the logos on it.

To create the drawing, I taped together four sheets of 8 x 11-inch paper, so I could later separate the sheets and scan the drawing into my computer (alas, what a joy a large scanner would be!).

Pencil illustration of a breastplate

pencil drawing, heightened with white, on toned paper. 16 x 22.

I thought of the upper logos as being “premium logos” that would have been carefully designed and supplied by their companies. Alternatively, for the lower logos on the skirt, I imagined them as “spot ads’ — meaning, there would be a set format for the design and the companies would only supply logo images (of varying quality) to be inserted in the center circle area.

To design the logos, I used a combination of hand-drawing/scanning, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Photoshop.

Details of the logos

details of the logos I created to use in the t-shirt design

With the “Griffin Doors” logo, I couldn’t resist paying homage to one of my favorite fictional characters: Harry Potter.

© Copyright 2011 Swann Studio | Swann Smith. All rights reserved.

]]> http://swannstudio.com/illustration/sponsored-gladiator-t-shirt/feed/ 0 Tigers on the Edge http://swannstudio.com/illustration/tigers/ http://swannstudio.com/illustration/tigers/#comments Mon, 09 May 2011 13:53:41 +0000 Swann http://swannstudio.com/?p=1128

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]]> This illustration shows two tiger cubs on the edge of a cliff to communicate how tigers are an endangered species. The illustration began as a pen drawing, followed by digital colorization.
Pen illustration of two tiger cubs

pen drawing on paper. 7 x 10.5.


Pencil illustration of two tiger cubs

digital colorization of pen drawing

© Copyright 2011 Swann Studio | Swann Smith. All rights reserved.

]]> http://swannstudio.com/illustration/tigers/feed/ 0 Abraham Lincoln http://swannstudio.com/pencil/abraham-lincoln/ http://swannstudio.com/pencil/abraham-lincoln/#comments Wed, 09 Mar 2011 12:00:33 +0000 Swann http://localhost/swann_studio/?p=37

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© Copyright 2011 Swann Studio | Swann Smith. All rights reserved.

]]> For this illustration, I combined an Ingres-esque portrait of Honest Abe with the text from his famous Gettysburg Address. The illustration began as a pencil drawing, followed by two versions of digital colorization.
Pencil illustration of Abraham Lincoln

pencil drawing, heightened with white, on toned paper. 7.5 x 10.


Digital illustration of Abraham Lincoln: soft palette

digital colorization of pencil drawing (soft palette)


Digital illustration of Abraham Lincoln: patriotic palette

digital colorization of pencil drawing (patriotic palette)

© Copyright 2011 Swann Studio | Swann Smith. All rights reserved.

]]> http://swannstudio.com/pencil/abraham-lincoln/feed/ 0 Anakin/Darth http://swannstudio.com/pen/anakin-darth/ http://swannstudio.com/pen/anakin-darth/#comments Tue, 01 Mar 2011 19:37:32 +0000 Swann http://localhost/swann_studio/?p=42 geek fan, I had to create an illustration based on Star Wars.

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© Copyright 2011 Swann Studio | Swann Smith. All rights reserved.

]]> Being a huge geek fan, I had to create an illustration based on Star Wars. I chose to depict the duality of Anakin Skywalker and his alter ego Darth Vader within the ominous glow of the Death Star. The illustration began as a pen drawing, followed by digital colorization.
Pen illustration of Anakin/Darth

pen drawing on paper. 5.5 x 5.5.


Digitally illustration of Anakin/Darth

digital colorization of pen drawing

© Copyright 2011 Swann Studio | Swann Smith. All rights reserved.

]]> http://swannstudio.com/pen/anakin-darth/feed/ 0 Charlie http://swannstudio.com/pencil/charlie/ http://swannstudio.com/pencil/charlie/#comments Fri, 18 Feb 2011 16:18:44 +0000 Swann http://localhost/swannstudio/?p=459

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© Copyright 2011 Swann Studio | Swann Smith. All rights reserved.

]]> This illustration shows twelve-year-old Charlie from four different angles.
Pencil illustration of Charlie

pencil drawing, heightened with white, on toned paper. 10.5 x 7.

© Copyright 2011 Swann Studio | Swann Smith. All rights reserved.

]]> http://swannstudio.com/pencil/charlie/feed/ 0 Red Ruffed Lemur http://swannstudio.com/pen/lemur/ http://swannstudio.com/pen/lemur/#comments Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:38:07 +0000 Swann http://localhost/swann_studio/?p=44

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]]> An illustration of an agitated lemur. The illustration began as a pen drawing, followed by digital colorization.
Pen illustration of a lemur

pen drawing on paper. 7 x 9.5.


Digital illustration of a lemur

digital colorization of pen drawing

© Copyright 2011 Swann Studio | Swann Smith. All rights reserved.

]]> http://swannstudio.com/pen/lemur/feed/ 0 Portrait of Sunnyside http://swannstudio.com/pen/sunnyside/ http://swannstudio.com/pen/sunnyside/#comments Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:32:23 +0000 Swann http://localhost/swannstudio/?p=483

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© Copyright 2011 Swann Studio | Swann Smith. All rights reserved.

]]> This is an illustration of me in my New York City neighborhood of Sunnyside.
Pen illustration of Sunnyside

pen drawing on toned paper. 4 x 6.

© Copyright 2011 Swann Studio | Swann Smith. All rights reserved.

]]> http://swannstudio.com/pen/sunnyside/feed/ 0 Hercules http://swannstudio.com/pencil/hercules/ http://swannstudio.com/pencil/hercules/#comments Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:38:49 +0000 Swann http://localhost/swann_studio/?p=46

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© Copyright 2011 Swann Studio | Swann Smith. All rights reserved.

]]> An illustration of a Roman statue of young Hercules (drawn on location at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art). The illustration began as a pencil drawing, followed by digital colorization.
Pencil illustration of Hercules

pencil drawing, heightened with white, on toned paper. 6.3 x 10.25.


Digital illustration of Hercules

digital colorization of pencil drawing

© Copyright 2011 Swann Studio | Swann Smith. All rights reserved.

]]> http://swannstudio.com/pencil/hercules/feed/ 0 Suaveware http://swannstudio.com/design/suaveware/ http://swannstudio.com/design/suaveware/#comments Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:09:46 +0000 Swann http://localhost/swannstudio/?p=582

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© Copyright 2011 Swann Studio | Swann Smith. All rights reserved.

]]> Designed a logo, business card, and one-page website for an entrepreneurial software development company.
Logo design for Suaveware

logo design for Suaveware


Suaveware business card

business card design for Suaveware


Screenshot of Suaveware website

one-page website design for Suaveware

© Copyright 2011 Swann Studio | Swann Smith. All rights reserved.

]]> http://swannstudio.com/design/suaveware/feed/ 0