QUICK

ILLUSTRATIVE
DESIGN
GUIDE
 VECTOR MASTERY
To become a master at vector design you have to
know your tools and software well. The best software
to use is the adobe creative cloud. It is affordable
and has all the features you need to create great
design.

When doing this type of illustrative design, you

always want to work in Illustrator. The good thing
about using vectors is that you can scale your work
to any size. Many young designers use photoshop
which is a bad idea because it uses pixels.

Vector Pixels (Raster)

Show up everyday and practice using illustrator at

least 2 hours a day. When you become profiencent
with it, you can focus time on developing ideas
instead of wondering what tools to use.

Illustrators workflow can be customized to suit you

and your projects. Create custom shortcuts and
workspaces, this will make your design process a lot
more smoother.

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 PENCIL VS PIXEL
A common mistake beginners make, is never
sketching their ideas first. Here are the tools I use:

• A4/A5 Moleskine notebook

• A4 Canson tracing paper
• HB Staedtler Mars Technico
• Derwent eraser, tombow mono zero eraser
• Copic multi liner, sakura pigma micron pen

Never jump into illustrator straight away. Build your

idea and shapes on paper first. Once you have solid
ideas you can import them into illustrator and begin
designing.

Research and sketching should always be first in the

design process. It allows your hand and mind to be
free. You can develop ideas quicker compared to the
computer. It gives you a chance to be rough and not
worry about finer details.

Focus on quantity and sketch small thumbnails. You

can always refine your sketches and make them
bigger later. The design process becomes more
efficient and gives you a clear direction before
creating in illustrator.

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 DESIGN KNOWLEDGE
My work was so bad when I first started designing.
Sometimes I look back at old work and just laugh at
how bad it was. It took hours of learning and
consuming the right knowledge.

Read design books, watch tutorials, listen to

podcasts, take a course and learn new techniques.
Invest time to learn a new skill each week. Dedicate
at least an hour a day for growth.

Good sources to learn from:

• Lynda
• Skillshare
• Youtube
• Envato tuts+
• Seanwes

The more design knowledge you have, the more

value you can provide to your client. Gaining
knowledge allows you to upskill, expand your craft
and creativity. If you do this you will become an
expert.

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 THE PORTFOLIO
Your portfolio is the first thing potential clients will
see. Put out the work you want to do more of. Only
show one thing, it can be icons, illustration, identities
or whatever you want. Whatever it is make sure you
have both quality and quantity. Don’t put everything
on there because it will confuse your audience and
potential clients.

If you lack projects then do personal projects. It’s the

best way to build your portfolio. Ensure you design a
website that is your own platform. Customise it and
keep it consistent with your branding. Show your
portfolio in a way that is easy to navigate through
and see your images clearly.

Great sites for creating portfolios:

• Wordpress
• Squarespace
• XPRS
• Format

Good portfolios have case studies. Any client project

or personal project you do, show the results. Put the
project in context (great mockups), have detailed
descriptions and show your process. This will attract
more clients and build trust.

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 DEVELOP A STYLE
To stand out you need to have your own voice. It
won’t happen immediately, it takes time.
Experiement, practice and produce many projects.
Create personal projects and complete design
challenges in the specific field of design you want to
get into.

Focus and niche down on one thing. Don’t be a jack

of all trades, be a master of something.

Avoid looking at other designers work all the time.

Seek inspiration away from the internet if you can. If
you look at too much of other designers work you will
end up copying them and not designing something
unique. This is ok if you’re just practicing.

Life’s expereiences, mixed with your thoughts will

have an impact on the way you express ideas.
Watching movies, playing video games, listening to
music, going to events and traveling the world are
some great ways to develop your mind.

Be consistent with your work every week and you will

notice yourself designing things in a certain way.
Your style will eventually be revealed in time.

jeremymura.com
 LINKS
Thanks for reading these 5 easy ways to be an
illustrative designer. I appreciate your attention. It’s
cool that are interested in design and illustration, it
is both fun and rewarding. If you found this resource
useful or if you hated it let me know. Shoot me an
email at hello@jeremymura.com.

My Website: www.jeremymura.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/jeremy_mura/

Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/jeremymura

Twitter: www.twitter.com/jeremyMura