A photograph of a hand holding an illustrated acrylic ornament in front of a large brick building.

Behind the Scenes: My Illustration Process

I love when small businesses, non-profits, or individuals commission an illustration! Each project gives me the chance to draw something new and interesting that I might not have thought of on my own. Every piece feels like a creative puzzle, and when it’s finished, it gets to go out into the world to take on a life of its own. Sometimes a designer adapts it for a website or brochure; other times it’s printed on products or used to promote an event.

I want to demystify my process a bit, especially in the age of AI. People sometimes assume that because I draw digitally, an app must be doing the work, as if I just push a button and a finished piece appears! In reality, my process is much closer to traditional watercolor or colored pencil illustration. My iPad, Apple Pencil, and Procreate app are simply my tools; my hand (and plenty of patience) do the rest.

A graphic showing the three steps in my illustration process: rough sketch, color blocking, and detail & texture. The background is a purple mosaic, and includes three graphics illustrating each step. The graphics are from my illustration of the facade of The Nest Egg, a shop in Penn Yan, NY.

Here’s how a typical commissioned piece comes together:

0.0 Gathering references and goals

Before I start sketching, I ask for reference photos and a bit of context: how will the artwork be used— online, in print, or on a product? These details affect how I set up the file and plan the composition.

A graphic showing the rough sketch stage of my illustration process. There is an image of a line drawing of the facade of The Nest Egg, a shop in Penn Yan, NY. Text reads: "1. Rough Sketch. The rough sketch is the foundation of every illustration I create. This is a simple line drawing that helps me plan the composition and make sure we're aligned before I dive into color and detail."

1. Rough sketch

The first stage is a simple pencil-style sketch to map out composition, perspective, and proportions. This is the first thing clients see, and it’s probably the most important step! Sometimes people are surprised when they get this loose outline, but it’s meant to invite feedback before I move forward. At this stage, I’m checking things like:

  • Are the proportions and angles correct?
  • Should the piece be vertical, horizontal, or cropped into a shape?
  • Are there key details you want added or simplified?

Changes to composition and perspective are easiest to make now, before I start refining and add color and texture.

A graphic showing the color blocking stage of my illustration process. There is a graphic showing the front of The Nest Egg in flat fields of color, including brown, reddish brown, green, blue, and cream. Text reads: "2. Color Blocking. Color blocking is where the illustration starts to come to life. I fill in big shapes with flat color to plan the overall palette and balance before adding texture and detail."

2. Color blocking

Once the sketch is approved, I fill in broad areas of flat color to plan the overall palette and balance. This is where I also separate the artwork into layers for foreground, midground, and background, which helps keep me organized when I do the detail work later on. Clients don't usually see this step unless they specifically request to.

A graphic illustrating the third step in my illustration process, Detail and texture. The graphic shows the finished illustration of The Nest Egg, a three-storey brick building with a green awning and two rainbow-colored Adirondack chairs placed in front of the windows. There is a tree on the left. The text reads: "3. Detail and texture. This is where the magic happens! I add texture, shadows, and little details that make the illustration feel rich, dimensional, and full of life."

3. Adding detail and texture

After the color foundations are in place, I gradually build in the textures, shadows, and highlights that bring the piece to life. This stage takes the longest but is also the most satisfying. This is when everything finally comes together!

By the time you see the finished illustration, it’s the result of many small creative decisions and a lot of hand-drawn care. My goal is always to create artwork that feels warm, personal, and true to your vision — something you’ll be excited to share and use in your own work.

If you’ve been dreaming up an illustration for your business, product, or project, I’d love to bring it to life with you! Whether it’s a cozy storefront scene, a set of custom icons, or a product illustration that captures your brand’s personality, I’ll guide you through every step of the process — pencil sketch and all. You can reach out through my contact page or learn more about commissions here.

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