My vectors are too clean

[Sweatman]

I really LOVE this guy's work.     To me it doesn't even look vector - which is a look I'm going for....raster look.    But everything I do still looks like crisp, sterile old Illustrator work.   Is there some step I'm missing when I export my image?   Is it possible to soften a stroke?   I've been fighting with this for years going from AI to PSD to try to find that silver bullet.

I know some ppl will ask "why not just paint then?".     Because I love working with vector tools.   Period.

The lemon attachment is mine, the other one IS THE COOL ONE!

Thanks in advance.

[iconoclast]

Hi Sweatman!

You can blur strokes by using layer effects ("Gaußian Blur").

[R C-R]

Also maybe use strokes sparingly, like not around the lemon head.

[Sweatman]

1 minute ago, R C-R said:

Also maybe use strokes sparingly, like not around the lemon head.

I agree about the strong strokes - the lemon was the first example I grabbed.   But that's a design choice, not a technique.    There's DEFINITELY something else that Danilo is doing that I'm not.    I see in his videos he's using a lot of gaussian blurs.    I've tried several tests using that technique, but again - it looks just like Illustrator.   =[

[solved]

Just guessing...

It looks like he uses texture, grain and some airbrush brushes in pixel layers overlaying the actual vectors to achieve that look. At some parts the vectors could be rasterised and then further edited (blurred, smudged etc.) as pixel layers to get rid of that "vector look" you mention. 

[StuartRc]

There are a few methods that you could experiment with:

1. Have a play around with the layer effects especially outer and inner glow and mixing darker and lighter colours to get a blurred edge effect
2. Roughen up the edges vector lines (lines in nature are rarely straight!)
3. Apply a base texture of repeating vectors (Seamless pattern or manual adjustment)
4. Mix rough edge vectors using transparency and colours with low opacity
5. Add detail with transparent vector textures
6. Apply a fill to lines/edges and adjust the transparency
7. Move away from using solid flat lines (use the pressure options!)..apply as style or save results
8. Create Vector based meshes that you can overlay onto graduated or transparent colours (clean vectors are not always best!)
9. Use the new outline tool to create additional coloured edges....or the the appearance panel to get a similar result
10. Create vector textures that blend together