This brief tutorial describes how to create realist looking illustration in Adobe Illustrator. Screen shots have been added for reference. I have also included the source jpg and final eps files at the end of the example. So let’s get started shall we.

Import the photo you are going to render, (Menu item File > Place) the higher the resolution the better. For this example we will be using a beautiful 67′ Shelby Cobra. Once you have the file imported, lock and reduce the layers opacity to 50%. This helps subtle details in the shading to stand out. Double-click on the intended layer within the layers palette will access the dialogue box for this.

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How come agencies that talk about the importance of social marketing, communication, building a voice online, etc don’t always practice what they preach? As the official “publisher” of this blog, Launch Box, I realize that I have not focused enough attention on this effort. We have been inconsistently posting for five months now.  No wonder our clients hire us to do their social marketing work. It takes time, effort, dedication and discipline. Our clients look to our social marketing expertise to plan content, draft posts, shoot and edit videos, take photos, publish, monitor other blogs, keep social networks up-to-date, link to relevant content, and more. We typically spend at least 8 hours a week per client on these efforts, yet I can’t seem to find 15 minutes to publish my own thoughts and opinions. I case we tend to put our client work first, well because that’s what pays the bills. And forget about marketing ourselves. Well, I plan to start practicing what we preach and making sure we have good information to publish each week. So stay tuned — also stay tuned for our new quarterly newsletter that will be coming out this Fall. Launch Interactive will not be another agency that falls victim to the blogging blues.