Concept Of Creation: Creating Digital Illustrations For Clients

Written by: Wacom.com

Dale Bigeni is a graphic designer and illustrator from Sydney, Australia and the artist behind Art By Dale. He has been drawing and creating ever since he could hold a pencil. A long-time Wacom user, Dale was approached to create artwork for the new Wacom Australia and New Zealand eStore.

Dale takes us through the process of creating artwork for his clients using his Wacom Cintiq Pro 32 and gives us some hints on what to do when approaching an open brief.

You were given a relatively open brief for this project. Where did you start?

Open briefs are like a mythical beast, we always hear of them, but we rarely get our hands on them. So, when it is an open brief, I feel like it’s the time for me to really stretch my creative wings.

I usually think of ideas that I’ve always wanted to make public, styles and content some may not expect from me. It’s a good time to explore my creative side.

What was the influence for these designs?

The major influence in both these pieces is the custom / alternative culture that I love so much. I’m always creating and being inspired and influenced from the custom culture world. Whether it be cars and bikes, or tattoos.

When you’re working on a concept, how far do you go with each idea?

I usually would just rough out concepts because most clients know what the end result will be, based on the Instagram feed or website. However, in this case it was something more bespoke, so I wanted to make sure the vision was clear, so I took it to colour to sell the dream which I never really do.

How did you pick a palette for the pieces?

I tried to use tones relative to the artwork itself. The blues were used for the beach piece, and I just really eye drop colours until I’m happy, but I knew the overall piece had to be blue.

Then the red piece was obviously red to coincide with the desert vibe! I like to think I don’t overthink the colour choices…. but I’m sure I changed it a million times before I was truly “DONE” haha.

The style of these artworks is a different to what you usually post on social media. Is using a different style something you find intimidating or are you usually hanging out for an opportunity to showcase something different?

Yeah, I agree, they are not very classic Art By Dale. However, the content and the concepts still hold some very Dale vibes. I do look for opportunities to do stuff like this, and I felt like this was a really nice platform to show case art like this.

Do you have any advice for artists on how to step out of their comfort zone and try out different styles?

Yeah sure, I think the main thing is put your ego aside. You’re an artist first and foremost. I think people are so focused on having their “look” or their “brand style” that they feel like if they try something different it can look like you’re selling out or not true to your style.
Have fun with art, create art that makes you happy and that you love. Focus less on followers and likes and focus more of that energy into making cool art all the time!

Do you use any references in your workflow, where do these fit into the process?

Aside from the photographic elements. I tend to use a lot of books as references for shading and lighting techniques. Comics are a great source of reference and inspiration throughout the process.

Do you have any advice on finding clients?

Yeah, I think people should not be scared to reach out and talk to businesses. Social media has made it a lot easier to get in touch with people.
You can just drop a little folio to brands you like. They might not open it or read your messages or emails right away, but there’s always hope and a chance that from one success, it will lead to continuous work, right?

How does Wacom fit into your workflow?

Wacom is literally my everything. I just got rid of my iMac to run a Wacom Cintiq Pro 32 as my primary display with a Mac mini. It is the primary source of my business and the greatest time saver in what I do.
From concept to final art 2020, Art by Dale is all digital. Sorry traditional art purist, but this is who I am! I love you all still!

What’s one piece of advice you would give to anyone wanting to start a career as a digital artist?

My one piece of advice is to have the right tools from the start, there’s a chance that if you’re using the wrong product (software or hardware) it can really affect the way you create and change your perspective on the art form.
Yes, it might cost a lot of money, yes it may take time to get it. But invest in yourself and your passion. IT WILL PAY OFF!!