Redesign

Every graphic designer or artist usually has a go-to medium they feel most comfortable with or even excel at when creating an image. Some, of course, are versatile and develop skills across many mediums. I’ve always fallen into the second category. Since I was young, I’ve had a deep appreciation for all kinds of art and the different tools and techniques used to bring it to life.

One habit of mine maybe unique, maybe not is that whenever I look at an image, my mind automatically starts breaking it down. I picture how I would draw it, design it, or reimagine it in my own style, even if I have no intention of actually recreating it. It’s just a default way my brain processes visuals.

Back in grade school, one of my favorite things to do was try to recreate images exactly as I saw them. It didn’t matter what it was cartoons, realistic portraits, landscapes, architecture anything my eyes landed on became a challenge. Over time, I grew to not only focus on accuracy but also on pushing myself to add something new: a unique interpretation, an artistic twist, or just a subtle shift in tone that made the work feel like mine.

Below, you’ll see an example of this process. On the left is the original piece, a collection of colored-pencil drawings scanned into digital format and edited in Canva or Photoshop. On the right is my re-creation where the entire image was produced in procreate on an iPad Pro. Having worked in both methods, I respect the value of each approach.

I’d love to hear your thoughts what do you like or dislike about either version? Drop a comment below and let me know.