This biological illustration depicting behaviors of roly-polies (Armadillium vulgare) was created using both pencil drawings and rendering in Photoshop. I combined my own observations of roly-polies under the microscope and a literature review to depict the tiny crustaceans.
Sketches and Thumbnails
The creation process began with thumbnails – above are only a few iterations. Thumbnailing helped me work through different ways to depict information about role-poly behaviors and how the information can fit on the page dynamically. After a group discussion, I chose the bottom right thumbnail to push further into more sophisticated sketches.
This more refined design stage involved arranging my pencil drawings alongside text that I authored for the illustration. I tested multiple arrangements at this stage to see how information would flow. At this stage, I decided what information I wanted the viewer to see first and how to break up behaviors.
Traditional Pencil Drawings
I developed the roly-polies and the background leaf litter with traditional graphite pencil work. This allowed me to create precise linework and hatching with a fine touch. These pencil drawings were scanned and cleaned up for rendering in Adobe Photoshop.
Rendering Process
Once the pencil drawings were ready, I began rendering in Adobe Photoshop and edited text with Adobe Illustrator. I completed multiple drafts at this stage, checking in with peers and faculty as I developed my illustration. Below is an example of my work in progress.
