BY LAWRENCE ZEEGEN
Rotovision
ISBN 978-2-940361-56-4
Review by Mike Stone
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The title of Lawrence Zeegen’s latest book, ‘Secrets of Digital Illustration’ is a little misleading. I expected a swath of Adobe walkthroughs coherently and neatly set out so as to explore digital techniques. Instead the book attempts to break down the various characteristics that a career as an illustrator entails, reinforced by a colourful collection of images from a range of digital-based disciplines. Added to this is a selection of spotlight articles that focus on individual established illustrators.The book is geared towards beginner illustrators who are just embarking out on their careers, and as the name implies, whom specialise in digital mediums. Whereas these beginner illustrators would benefit from some of the articles inside, veteran illustrators will probably find that the information isn’t really advanced enough for their tastes.
Zeegen begins by breaking down the challengers all illustrators face – generating ideas, creating striking images, and most importantly, creating an individual style. No matter what topic is explored, comments and commentary from professional illustrators are used to reinforce all the assembled theory. The benefit of this is that it provides the contents with a real-life context, giving the information a greater sense of accessibility. Each page is littered with illustrations, ensuring the visual element of the book emphasises the diversity of illustration as a field whilst empowering this concept of creative individuality. The book rounds off with Professional Practise tips that provide further nibbles of information.
Designer and Studio profiles are spread out throughout the book. Here the spotlight falls upon one particular illustrator as he or she explains his or her own methods and techniques providing slightly different outlook on the Illustration business. The fact that the professionals themselves struggle with the same problems challenging young illustrators acts to anchor the advice somewhat in the realities of the industry.
The book also makes use of the occasional tutorial, where an established illustrator will demonstrate how they created a particular piece in stages. This is the closest you really get to learning the technical secrets behind digital illustration methods, and whilst there are perhaps too few of these tutorials, they are still coherently set out and easy to follow, and will undoubtedly encourage and open minds to brand new possibilities in illustration techniques.
Despite all the positives, there is one major flaw. Whilst the contents do cover a large number of topics, they simply do not cover an appropriate level of depth that this subject matter commands. Zeegen often darts from one point to the next, shifting focus far too quickly rather than taking the time to thoroughly explore the ideas he is raising. There is an eagerness to highlight the problems and stresses that illustrators’ face, but potential solutions are rarely explored in any nitty-gritty detail. Considering this is a book aimed at beginners, who need all the help they can get, this is obviously a flaw that undermines the positives, and dampens the overall impression.
In retrospect, the heart of the book is in the right place, and gives an impression akin to an uncut diamond – slightly lacking, but with frustrating glimmers of brilliance beneath the faults.
