Illustrated Map for Wedding Invitation and Bag
I had the honor to create a super fun illustration for an upcoming June wedding. The mother of a bride contacted me with some fun ideas, wanting a map to feature the places wedding guests would visit. The map would be screened onto a bag as a wedding favor AND used as a directions card for the invite. The process required 3 separate artworks and some diligence in Photoshop and Illustrator.
- First I drew the map out with tracing paper. Each revision, I sliced up the tracing paper until I had the final paper.
- Second, I laid the tracing paper over a sheet of Saral transfer paper over Arches Cold Press paper and then traced the tracing paper. This left a light line on the paper.
- I then used India Ink to ink the first set of lines.
- Once that was done, I scanned in the images into Illustrator and using Live trace, I was able to outline the images. I had to go in and clean up many of the curves that didn't transfer.
- Separately, I started another artwork using the same technique outlined in step 2. When the lines were laid in, I started in with a background wash of quinacridone sienna acrylics.
- When that was dry, I worked in about 3 other layers of greens, tans, and blues. When done, I scanned in that image.
- I brought that image into Photoshop and then, brought in the inked lined image. I locked that image and started messing around with the colors, blotching them and touching them up so they would match up with the landmarks.
- In another document, I used Live Trace to outline some lined drawings of the structures. Once those were brought into Illustrator and traced with Live Trace, I then used Live Paint to fill the structures in.
- I merged all the files together in Illustrator for the final product.
