Perfect These 3 Illustration Skills

Summary

Illustrator Tim McBurney demonstrates how a single portrait-cover exercise can build three core professional illustration skills: understanding a brief, planning and presenting ideas, and carrying an approved sketch through to a polished finish. His example is a cover-style portrait of the pirate Jack Hyde from the graphic novel The Seven Pirates.

1. Understand and interpret the brief

• Separate the core idea from the techniques used to depict it. The brief for this portrait is a pirate captain who seems to contain barely controlled rage.
• Use that idea to judge sketches, poses, expressions, colors, and details. A visually appealing choice is not necessarily right if it weakens the brief.
• Generate and compare multiple thumbnails. Reject ideas that do not communicate the intended character or mood.
• Explore alternatives to strengthen the concept. McBurney considers different angles, then develops a direct, aggressive portrait. He adds smoke and fire to make the image more dynamic and symbolically connect the character with danger.
• Treat the brief as a guide throughout the work while bringing your own style and interpretation to it.

2. Plan and communicate options

• Decide whether to work in black and white or color based on what best carries the idea. For this image, red fire and contrasting blue are central, so color sketches are important.
• Select the strongest ideas and prepare three distinct concepts to show a client or editor. Options help stakeholders compare directions, feel involved in the decision, and approve the design before the final stage.
• Get approval on a detailed color sketch before creating the finished illustration. This reduces the risk of major late-stage changes or a final image that differs from what people expected.
• Preserve layers and make variants by duplicating files, toggling elements, and adjusting details such as smoke, lighting, and color. This makes it easier to explore alternatives and present choices without rebuilding the image.

3. Carry the sketch through to a polished illustration

• Build a reliable process with intermediate stages instead of jumping directly from rough sketch to final art.
• Refine the face, anatomy, expression, and tonal structure before focusing on final linework. In McBurney’s example, he works to make the character appear cruel and unbalanced, with suppressed rage.
• Do not automatically “correct” every irregularity. Asymmetrical features or rough sketch marks can contribute to a character’s personality; making everything perfectly symmetrical may reduce the effect.
• Develop the final lines and shapes deliberately to create a graphic, considered style. McBurney combines linework, color, and a painting effect.
• Expect an “ugly phase,” especially when adding flat color. A strong, approved sketch can help maintain confidence while the image is still developing.
• Experiment during the finishing stages, but keep returning to the original concept and approved sketch to check that the image still serves the brief. Some elements can change if they work better in the final illustration.

McBurney emphasizes that the exact workflow can vary by artist and medium—digital or traditional—but confidence comes from understanding the stages, allowing time for iteration, and knowing how each stage supports the final result.

Creator featured: Tim McBurney.