In Design we took the symbols from our personal statements and created an illustration in Adobe Illustrator. In our illustrations we had to use a the pen tool, a gradient, a drop shadow and the mesh tool so that they look three dimensional. An illustration is different from a photo because a photo graph is an image taken by the person who saw it, while an illustration is a recreation of the image.
Rising from Darkness
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The main symbol I chose was a bald eagle. It symbolizes strength and freedom. The second symbol, the cage, represents containment and frustration. The eagle has his wing extended to show that he is flying out of the darkness and into the light. He is carrying the cage to show that he is not confined to it, and will determine what he wants to do. The background is to show the gradual change from dark and uncertainty to light and clarity.
To create this illustration I first imported a picture of an eagle onto my art board in Adobe Illustrator. I then traced the entire outline using the pen tool. I added the feather details and drew the cage with the pen tool as well. I think that the biggest challenge was getting the feathers and the cage just right with the tool. The feathers had to curve and be placed perfectly in order for them to look like feathers and not a mess. Same goes for when I was constructing the cage. Finding out where to put the mesh tool was also difficult. I ended up putting it on the edge of the cage and the eagle’s shoulders. Overall, I am really proud of the final outcome and I hope you enjoy it!