affinity designer Realistic vector of Rum & Coke with ice in a glass

[burntwoodbobby]

One of my recent works. I enjoy doing realistic pieces and this one took quite a while. It's all vector, not sure what the drink is inside the glass but suspect it's Rum & Coke, and the reference pic was one from Pixabay.

[VectorWhiz]

Excellent drawing. Makes me thirsty.

[GarryP]

@burntwoodbobby Since many people post to this area of the forums it might be helpful, both to yourself and to others, if you give these threads a name which tells people what the subject is, rather than “Latest work”.
In this instance, something like “Vector Rum & Coke in a Glass” would be much better.
(Remember that threads are, by default, listed by ‘last post order – most recent first’ so “latest” doesn’t really have much meaning after a couple of days.)

[Wosven]

1 hour ago, GarryP said:

rather than “Latest work”

...and supposing there'll be a next one, that'll be the lastest in the futur

[burntwoodbobby]

9 hours ago, GarryP said:

@burntwoodbobby Since many people post to this area of the forums it might be helpful, both to yourself and to others, if you give these threads a name which tells people what the subject is, rather than “Latest work”.
In this instance, something like “Vector Rum & Coke in a Glass” would be much better.
(Remember that threads are, by default, listed by ‘last post order – most recent first’ so “latest” doesn’t really have much meaning after a couple of days.)

Thanks for that, I wasn't thinking. I have changed the titles now.

[burntwoodbobby]

Thanks for that, I wasn't thinking. I have changed the titles now.

[sacboi]

Nice, you've certainly an eye for detail.

Plus I'd even go out on a limb too confirm that its indeed a "Black Rat"....ahem, may have downed a few over the years hence my assertion 😝

 

[dannyg9]

Brilliant work there. As I'm not much of a vector artist, this question goes out to all vector artists. Is there a line that you cross from obsessive to madness? That's not intended as a joke. There has to be some sort of methodology to the craft that helps you all keep focused and not get lost "down the rabbit hole" of minute detail. I'm an old fashioned pencil and pen on paper illustrator and there's always erasure and such, but the infinite possibilities of vector illustration is both enticing and and overwhelming. When, if ever, do you decide if the piece is done?

[burntwoodbobby]

6 hours ago, dannyg9 said:

Brilliant work there. As I'm not much of a vector artist, this question goes out to all vector artists. Is there a line that you cross from obsessive to madness? That's not intended as a joke. There has to be some sort of methodology to the craft that helps you all keep focused and not get lost "down the rabbit hole" of minute detail. I'm an old fashioned pencil and pen on paper illustrator and there's always erasure and such, but the infinite possibilities of vector illustration is both enticing and and overwhelming. When, if ever, do you decide if the piece is done?

Thank you @dannyg9 and an excellent question about 'line between obsession and madness' and I think as long as you can stay on the obsessive side of that line your ok, incidentally I'm quite obsessive and totally mad. I'm not sure what would count as madness in doing realistic vector work, I know a friend once said "if you want to be that realistic just get your camera out." My reply to that is "I could but that's the same as saying to a mountaineer if you want to get to the top use a helicopter". As to methodology all I can say is I try to incorporate as much detail as possible and regularly zoom in and out to make sure what I have put down makes a difference, if not I'll remove it or change it. I usually spend around an hour studying a reference pic before I start to draw planning what I am going to do, the hierarchy of layers and roughly how much detail I think needs to go in. I will also at that point work out how I am going to achieve various textures and highlights/shadows. To give you an idea of what I consider essential detail I have include two pics of a Fountain pen I did a while ago. I did it Inkscape before I found the joys of working with Affinity (I am sure If I was to repeat this project I would save a lot of time doing it in Affinity over Inkscape and I would make a better job of it) You can see in the close up pic (450% zoom) the detail of the lettering on the pen nib is merely a bunch of rough shapes but that it really matters in the final 1 to 1  vector. On saying all of that, I now try to always remember something a good friend and the brilliant artist @IsabelAracama put in a tutorial I did a while ago "draw what you see in the reference image and not what you know is actually there in reality". As to when the decision is made when a piece is done..... I put my work side by side with the reference image to see how close the match is and then post it in an FB group to see what response I get but, I very often go back to a piece of work days, weeks, even months after and make the odd alteration. You say that the possibilities of vector work is "both enticing and overwhelming" and to that I would say I envy your traditional art skills (I have none) but certainly give vector work a bash; nothing to lose and a lot to gain.

[burntwoodbobby]

10 hours ago, sacboi said:

Nice, you've certainly an eye for detail.

Plus I'd even go out on a limb too confirm that its indeed a "Black Rat"....ahem, may have downed a few over the years hence my assertion 😝

 

Thank you @sacboiI have to admit being T Total I had to google what a Black Rat was

[dannyg9]

1 hour ago, burntwoodbobby said:

Thank you @dannyg9 and an excellent question about 'line between obsession and madness' and I think as long as you can stay on the obsessive side of that line your ok, incidentally I'm quite obsessive and totally mad. I'm not sure what would count as madness in doing realistic vector work, I know a friend once said "if you want to be that realistic just get your camera out." My reply to that is "I could but that's the same as saying to a mountaineer if you want to get to the top use a helicopter". As to methodology all I can say is I try to incorporate as much detail as possible and regularly zoom in and out to make sure what I have put down makes a difference, if not I'll remove it or change it. I usually spend around an hour studying a reference pic before I start to draw planning what I am going to do, the hierarchy of layers and roughly how much detail I think needs to go in. I will also at that point work out how I am going to achieve various textures and highlights/shadows. To give you an idea of what I consider essential detail I have include two pics of a Fountain pen I did a while ago. I did it Inkscape before I found the joys of working with Affinity (I am sure If I was to repeat this project I would save a lot of time doing it in Affinity over Inkscape and I would make a better job of it) You can see in the close up pic (450% zoom) the detail of the lettering on the pen nib is merely a bunch of rough shapes but that it really matters in the final 1 to 1  vector. On saying all of that, I now try to always remember something a good friend and the brilliant artist @IsabelAracama put in a tutorial I did a while ago "draw what you see in the reference image and not what you know is actually there in reality". As to when the decision is made when a piece is done..... I put my work side by side with the reference image to see how close the match is and then post it in an FB group to see what response I get but, I very often go back to a piece of work days, weeks, even months after and make the odd alteration. You say that the possibilities of vector work is "both enticing and overwhelming" and to that I would say I envy your traditional art skills (I have none) but certainly give vector work a bash; nothing to lose and a lot to gain.

Wow! Thanks for the explanation/insight. Vector artists like yourself are craftsmen (craftswomen). 

[StuartRc]

Excellent work...I like your point about shapes and textures.. came to that conclusion some time ago. The trick is to analyse what you see. most images are just arranged coloured polygons with a little help from light and direction. Spend most of my time working out how to create the texture for effect!

[ESEA]

Ooh! Aha! I like a glass of Rum & Coke. Refreshing work.