Illustration: Creative Problem-Solving

Illustration: Creative Problem-Solving
Visual Communication of a Concept
•Methodology for Creating New Ideas
From Nate Williams, Articles for Illustrators
Step 1 – Important Words
Try and think of the most important words related to your project … usually 2 to 4 words.
So for this project the creative brief was rather easy because it basically spelled it out: “Empowering Teachers with Technology”
… but from experience it’s usually not too hard to think of 2 or 3 words.
So we now have our words: Empower, Teacher, Technology
Step 2 – Word Association
Next, for each of these 3 words .. think of other things associated with them … if you need help with this you can consult a Thesaurus or
see what images are associated by searching Google Images or Flickr. These are the “notes” you will rearrange into “songs” … or ideas.
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Empower
Bridge
Helping Hand
Ladder
Crane
Super Hero/Cape
Power
Electricity
Motor
Spark
Ignite
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Teachers/Education
Teacher
Desk
Books
Brain
Chalk Board
World Map
Apple
Class room
Graduation Cap
Diploma
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Technology
Computer
Computer Chip
Satellite
Space Travel
Math Formulas
Schematics
Rockets
Molecules
DNA
Petri Dishes
Telescopes
Microscopes
Light Bulb
These words can be expanded. For example: Books - pages, words, book mark or Computer - mouse,
keyboard, monitor, cables, flash drive etc
Step 3 – “make a song”
Now that you have your “notes” think of ways you can rearrange them to convey meaning. Pick a word from each column
and see if you can create an interesting idea. There are a number of ways to do this … change their size, their physical
relationship to one another, their properties/material (metal=strong, ice=cold), etc.
Let’s see … what can we do? Maybe …
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A crane driven by a teacher lowering a light-bulb into a student’s head.
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A student climbing a DNA ladder to draw a light-bulb on a chalkboard
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Students and a teacher crossing a bridge of computers to the moon
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etc
“A Bridge to places out of this world”
“Super Teacher”
“Knowledge Explosion”
Students and a teacher crossing a
bridge of computers to the moon
Teacher in a heroric position
(foot on computer) a cape
inspiring students
Leveraging the window/portal
metaphor
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Bridge
Helping Hand
Ladder
Crane
Super Hero/Cape
Power
Electricity
Motor
Spark
Ignite
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Teacher
Desk
Books
Brain
Chalk Board
World Map
Apple
Class room
Graduation Cap
Diploma
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Computer
Computer Chip
Satellite
Space Travel
Math Formulas
Schematics
Rockets
Molecules
DNA
Petri Dishes
Telescopes
Microscopes
Light Bulb
“Ride The Brain Train”
The teacher’s brain is a
vehicle that takes students to
new places via technology/
computer
Here is the idea the client decided to go with …
Images
can be
combined
in different
ways.
Here are
some
examples.
Preliminary Drawing samples
Preliminary Drawing samples
Rafal Olbinski
Yuko Shimizu
Brad Holland
Steve Adams
Some women feel they're losing a privilege after
their uterus removed: power of giving life.
Publishing Company: Coup de pouce Magazine
Scott Bakal
The Arrival, one from a series showing the
arrival of a new life form to this planet,
October 2009.
Publication: The Arrival
Dan Bejar One for "Backstabbed,"
Wesley Allsbrook
An article about hope for those who suffer from
borderline personality disorder. Publishing
Company: LA Times Health Section
November 15 2009, an article about the
poor service to U.S. veterans returning
from Iraq & Afghanistan.
Publication: Reader's Digest
Art Director: Victoria Nightingale
Vivienne Flesher,
“Mommy Brain”, Plum Magazine
Vivienne Flesher, Columbia Magazine
Vivienne Flesher, Time Magazine
Juliette Borda, “Bodily Embarrassments, Femina Magazine
Juliette Borda, “Food Motif Overload”, Oprah at Home Magazine
Juliette Borda, “Beauty Treatments”, New York Magazine
Marco Wagner, “Joachim Low”, Gala Men magazine
Marco Wagner, The New York Times
Marco Wagner,”Arthur Schopenhauer
Marco Wagner, Dog magazine
Chris Buzelli
Barry Bruner
Stock market uncertainty and immobility of the
past year Publishing Company: Technical
Analysis of STOCKS & COMMODITIES
One for the article "Squirrel Glow," April 2009, an article
about choosing the right financial provider for future
insights.
Publication: PLANSPONSOR magazine Creative
Chris Buzelli
One for "Aging Tiger," August 1 2009, an
article about Singapore's aging population
and crumbling economy.
Publication: ai5000 Company: Asset Intl.
Yuko Shimizu
One for the article "Shock
Treatment - Dealing With
Participant Fear Factors," a story
on how you need to take risks to
make more profit.
Publication: PLAN ADVISER
You Byun
Editorial Illustration. Story about 'Showing the
transition'.
Publishing Company: PLAN SPONSOR
Harry Campbell article on
balancing pay structures
Publishing Company: Plan Sponsor
Emiliano Ponzi
Sara Tyson
Neil Brigham
London Telegraph
On Wall Street magazine
Outdoor Life magazine
Maria Rendon
llustration for the article "Ft Mutual Funds,"
about paying attention to financial goals and
money allocation.
On Investing magazine
Jason Holley
One Year After Hurricane Katrina
The New Republic magazine
l
Polly Becker
For an article about gender stereotyping in the
workplace.
Editorial: full page
and spot illustrations
Editorial layouts: full page and spot illustrations
Student Examples
Good and Evil
Creativity
Student: Kirsten Ushijima
American Influence on Czech Culture
• 3 x 3 No. 8 Student winner
• American Illustration Annual 30 winner
Student: Kirsten Ushijima
Anatomy and Mental Illness
Americans Struggle with their Weight
Isolation and Animals
Violence in Schools
Summer Reading
Chemical Warfare
Summer Reading
Cosmetic Surgery
Happiness and the Brain
Environmentalism
Environmental Destruction
Environmentalism
Environmentalism
The Frustrations of ESL school children
Chemical warfare
Environmentalism
Publisher: Northridge Magazine
• Garden Project
• DNA Cloning Research
Inspired
Deep
Tentative
Dream
Church Corruption
Child Exploitation
Abortion
Illustrations for the words “accidental” and “zeitgeist”
Zeitgeist is "the spirit of the times" or "the spirit of the age." Zeitgeist is the general cultural, intellectual, ethical, spiritual, and/or political climate within a nation or even
specific groups, along with the general ambiance, morals, sociocultural direction, and mood associated with an era.
Karine Karykarian, Mr. Perfect
Philip Koscak,
Plethora Placebo
Katrina Castillo, Secret Worship
Austin Smith, Shocking Secret
Shihori, Placebo Plethora
Ilyse Kullman, Stoic Passion