Keyframe Illustration: These Work When You Run Out Of Ideas...

Check out my Free Illustration Mini Workshop where I share my journey from Amateur to Pro: www.thedrawingcodex.com/illus...
You will get some simple advice on how to get more detail and polish in your work. How to think about composition. And my thoughts on how to prepare for professional work.
This is Part 2
Part 1 is here: • Keyframe Illustration ...
Being able to create a lot of thumbnails based on a single idea is an important skill. Not only for professional jobs, but also for coming up with ideas that are actually interesting.
To get beyond the initial generic concepts that are often floating on the surface of our mind.
One of the key ideas I often recommend is to set a quantity goal to help take the pressure off each individual idea.
And 20 is a good quantity to start with!
In creating these 20 thumbnails, here are some good frameworks: Let’s think of them in sets of five:
First Five - Generic Ideas: These are your initial thoughts, the most obvious concepts that first come to mind.
Next Five - Creativity Emerges: Here, you'll push past the obvious to explore more unique ideas as you start to run out of the easy options.
Third Set of Five - Exploring Further: At this stage, dive deeper into creativity, brainstorming to uncover ideas you haven't considered before. Think about using writing or other tools to explore things you might not have considered.
-Final Five - Pushing Boundaries: This is where true creativity is tested. Explore the most unconventional or 'art-house' ideas to fill these slots.
Remember, Quantity is a tool for creativity. Setting a goal of creating 20 thumbnails pushes you beyond the initial ideas. This approach can unearth more unique and varied concepts.
When presenting these thumbnails to to others (in professional environments, especially with clients), consider the following categories:
Generic Options: Start with familiar, recognizable designs that align with proven concepts.
Generic Plus 20% Spin: Mix generic concepts with a unique twist, adding about a 20% deviation from the norm.
Crazy, Out-of-the-Box Ideas: Finally, push for innovative and unusual concepts that showcase your full creative potential.
The principals of composition and picture making are time honoured and well understood. But figuring out how to apply them to your work right now is a challenge! Often we need to focus on the types of images we want to create and understand how things like compositional principals will help us specifically!
Happy Drawing!
Tim Mcburnie
Learn Drawing and Illustration from me: www.thedrawingcodex.com
Portfolio: www.timmcburnie.com
www.artstation.com/tim-mcburnie
timmcburnie
timmcburnie

[@TheDrawingCodex]

Here is the Last 10 of our 20 Thumbnails! I feel like I could have gone even crazier with some of the last ones! I hope you enjoy this journey into thumbnailing madness :) More composition and process videos coming soon!

[@thomasfuller6433]

Don't apologize for the length of this video or that it was "15min till you started drawing." This was a great amount of info and a lot of interesting perspective. Thank you for this video.

[@TheDrawingCodex]

Thanks!!

[@amethyststarwillow9944]

I also love that you film in real time, it makes it so much more relatable for a self taught fledgling artist. Many of my self doubts are laid to rest by your candor and has helped me to keep moving forward exploring and flowing with much less fear. Thank you again for sharing your time, thoughts and your art of being an artist.🌠😊💫

[@SketchPLAY1]

The nuance it takes to do these are important to learn and you don't find much info on how to do them, its mostly just "Yeah do some thumbnails" and that's about it. Thanks for going more into depth, much appreciated.

[@hanskrill5625]

You're an inspiration, man. Every time I hear you talk about your process, I'm struck by how well thought out it is. By that I mean, you take the time to think about it. As a professional artist I'm so often working under time pressure that there's little time to think. But that's OK because most of the time the briefs are already there and done. I just need to visualize them. And then when I finally have an idea that I want to draw out for myself, I'm so in the habit of working under pressure, that I jump right in and I don't take any time to solidify the idea that I had. It's so whispy that when I encounter my first set-back, I'm immediately dissuaded and dissatisfied and more often than not feel like I've wasted an opportunity to do something meaningful with that rare moment of being able to draw for myself. Hearing you talk about it, I realise I should exercise some restraint whenever I get into such a situation again, and take the time to plan it out. Do these thumbnails so see what works and what doesn't. I just wonder why I'm able to do these things professionally, but not for my personal work. Oh, well, always something to strive for, eh? Cheers for your wonderful content. keep it up!

[@miyagi_draws]

Biggest help for me was seeing that small overhead three-quarter view at 13:38. That just clicked and I realized I can start with all my characters in their positions using that view, then swing the camera all around in my head to establish the different thumbnails. Also, at my 9 to 5 at Razer and now at PDP, for every one design that gets approved, there were 10-15 designs proposed, each of those having about 5 'thumbs' that my art director never sees, just part of the process. So this excercise is perfect training for real-world illustration and graphic design jobs.

[@DanielWillardson]

Another great video, Tim. I definitely think taking time to explain how to think about this process is one of the major reasons these videos are so full of good information. Obviously watching you draw is important in a video about drawing, but taking the time to explain not only your thought process, but how you frame your thinking process and give yourself written notes and rules and guidelines to refer back to is incredibly valuable. Everything on those little side pieces of paper not in the sketchbook is so wonderfully helpful to see. It's like its setting up a framework for your mind before you've even started drawing. I actually went back to the first 20 minutes after I finished to make sure I got as much info as I could. Your insight and expertise is hard to come by because it only comes from doing this as long as you have. How-to-draw videos are a dime a dozen, but how to think, how to study, how to probe your own mind for good ideas, and how to critically assess those ideas is in very short supply. In short, I love this format and please keep doing it!

[@mitchellsink2584]

This is my favorite session yet. I love the insight on thumb-nailing and preparing a project.

[@domeddome]

Love these long drawing and thinking out loud videos, Tim!

[@STFUppercut69]

10k more subscribers until the 100.000 and the silver KZbin button, LET'S GOOOOOO!!!

[@amethyststarwillow9944]

Yes, all your extra information helps😊 I recently came across your channel and love all your demos and thought processes. Thank you 🥰🌠💫

[@sebastiancabrol2014]

Great video and class! (I haven´t watched it complete because I have to work but still) I agree with you when you say that this is the stage when all the magic happens, all the main ideas and basically the guide to complete the full piece is already laid out. Greetings.

[@mikoybnz]

Thank you Tim! Im confident with my rendering, color theories etc. However, when it comes to story telling and composition, it is something i struggle with greatly and your videos have help me so much

[@trotterhorsewatsonjr.6668]

Wow. I just discovered you and I cannot believe I sat through your two hour course with intense interest! Something that I have never done! I’m usually bored less than ten minutes! But you have kept my interest for 2 hours! Dude, that has never been done! I don’t like a lot of talking but you sir with your low tone one has to concentrate on the art in progress! I look forward to watching all 151 lessons! And yes I will be donating!

[@Buddhabellie]

20:34 it totally helps. Though I didn't get it the first ti,e through. It helped this time....

[@hommeburgersupreme]

thank you for explaining the thought process and intention behind your thumbnailing process! It's tremendously helpful to hear you describe every step as I develop my own workflow

[@BlakcSheep6342]

Finally, iv been waiting for a new video. I got all the loomis books. Artists told me for years not to use them. I regret not using the method sooner

[@evertonveras498]

Very nice! It helped me, thanks!

[@user-do2eh2il6m]

HEY MR MCBURNIE, TODAY IS FRIDAY, AND I GOT UP TODAY TO DRAW. I HAVE BECOME ENCOURAGED. TO GET BACK TO WORK ON SOME SKETCHES. I USE PASTELS, CRAYOLA CRAYONS. COLORED PENCILS. OH , AND I HAVE A COMPUTER!! I JUST HAVE TO HAVE MY WORK BROUGHT. I TELL PEOPLE ABOUT ALL THE ART VIDEOS, THEY ARE GREAT. WELL BACK TO WORK

[@harveytolibao3533]

Awesome!

[@meryemrochdi9585]

I am here to thank you for your content it has been extremely helpful. Although i find myself good at sketching but very bad at picking colors for a piece and i would love it if you could give some insight or advice for colors and light. Thank you tim! You are a wonderful teacher.

[@dallasfallows2973]

I've been working with a friend, storyboarding an app he's developing. And, to be honest, he's he's a bit bit of smooth talking tightwad. I think, if I can sit down with him and do some thumbnails with him, it would make the project go much easier. Maybe then he'll appreciate the work that goes into this kind of thing, and how draining it can be. If you have any advice on dealing with cheapskate employers, I'd love to hear it!

[@Ahlra]

Id like to see you address in long form how to use thumbnailing to learn from other artists, because of what happens when your at the end of this 'more ideas' exercise and 'your work isnt meeting your expectations', mostly because of missing the mark on style, inspiration or direction.

[@dpelpal]

This was released 2 days ago, and I just got the notification today🤷‍♀️

[@mr.babichslessons7279]

Tim, are you going to do another series of character builds? Like you did with Street Fighter? I’d love to see you build He-Man characters. Love your work mate!

[@Babaquice]

great job guy

[@leviolson1979]

Does a portfolio for this type of work consist of just pencil sketches? Also, it helped me to hear you say “Where am I what am I doing (paraphrase).” I’m doing that often and thought maybe e there was something wrong with me 😊

[@JerryLecor]

"What is that thing?" "Well...idk" 😂 idk why but that made me laugh so hard, but yea I completely agree. My thumbnails look like hyrogphylics sometimes, which is kinda cool cause it's like artists have their own language but obviously not good to hand off to a director or client.

[@Father_Lucifer]

my girlfriend says my thumbnail is the perfect size

[@te9591]

Wot?

[@littlestbroccoli]

​@@te9591 😂 it's a joke and a riff on the typical thing guys say about their johnsons.

[@Frst2nxt]

Shaddup

[@beunothatyouknow]

😅

[@BlakcSheep6342]

Can we get a discord so we can start a community around your work and method recommendations

[@user-do2eh2il6m]

when people see a sketch, they want to see how you made the sketches. it becomes show. So i do agree with you. because they may not know what the rough sketch is. Then they may ask"what is that?" It is a little embarrassing to start to explain the rough sketch. i have a lot of concept sketches, so in my sketch book i may do a finished work.

[@hirsutuscanis]

What's the big deal with not finishing pieces in sketchbooks?

[@M1647KS]

is there a book you recommend on this?

[@iannnavas]

Can you give me the name of your microfone that you are using in your ear?

[@keenanwalker-mr2co]

I never understood why we would draw so small..I make my thumbnails as large as I need them..

[@sebastiancabrol2014]

it makes it easier to visualize, and to plan the composition. Doing comics I make absolutely tiny miniature sketches before the actual thumbnails.

[@user-xq8mk5qu8n]

Seriously? 2 hours 30 minutes to draw thumbnails? Get a LIFE!

[@TheDrawingCodex]

Technically it was 5 hours if you count the first 10 from the first vid! This is literally my whole life ;)

[@user-xq8mk5qu8n]

Interesting. Perhaps you should think about that?@@TheDrawingCodex

[@jamiecuba]

it is soooo distracting when you say... "right? or boom" so many times... the same way jim lee does on his videos!!!!!!!! which is a shame because your videos are good and instructive!!!!!

[@artwhat..]

Hi Codex, don't stop talking,ha..great stuff thanks for your efforts 🥸