Good stuff happens on paper. I usually start there too.

Terry Thornhill

e-zign Design Group

Nothing beats the process of rapidly sketching ideas with a pencil and refining it with tracing paper before hammering out the final details on the computer.

For a great process overview everyone should check out 'Vonster's' latest illustration class. [Illustrative Lettering 2 - Vonster Brand] He actually draws on paper and then refines certain parts on post-its to assemble the final rough sketch.

His vector Safari Logo is another excellent view into the way he researches, sketches ideas and uses tracing paper to finalize the idea before hitting the computer. [Brillant stuff]

http://www.illustrationclass.com/

And check out the sweet bezier curves Von builds in Illustrator.

Thanks for the introduction.

Mara

Usually I'll do some thumbnail sketches. Nothing big, but just so I get the idea out of my mind onto something permanent. :)

On digital artwork involving pretty hefty illustrations, I will come up with a complete sketch and scan it in into illustrator or photoshop.

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Perfectly Lost Designs

trace paper all the way!
i have WAY too many sketches on trace paper that i've yet to even get into AI or PS... i go through rolls on end, sketch a few ideas, copy from one, copy from another, copy from yet another and then i have a new one, then i do it a bunch more times, copy a bunch more times, do a few new ones, one copy leads to another idea, which gets copied around, back to the first sketch, copy parts of that one to another one and so on and so on!! hahahaha..

i can't get that kind of comfort, style, ease, or creativity by just sitting at my comp...
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Architectural Technician - Multimedia Designer
www.ArchMedia.us

..I am in the phase of setting my pencel/brush tool in illustrator-and then sketching with my wacom tablet. But just listening to everyone makes me want to go back to drawing on tracing paper more. Using the computer is so...unnatural and limiting when I develop a concept.

Mmmm, thumbnails. I love drawing so I'm a sketcher by default. Sometimes I use my wacom if someone would like to see someone on-screen sooner than later, but I generally reserve the computer for vectoring tight sketches or just playing with color.

On the computer it's all too easy to not choose a design because there are too many options. Freehand drawing, though 'crude' by technological standards, is the only place you can commit your ideas to paper, so to speak.

I always draw something out first before I embark on a design. That also ensures I'm not directly copying someone else's design, at least not on purpose. :)

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Powerpoint is not a design application.

Well I love to draw anyways so it is only natural to crack open the moleskin to sketch out design/layout ideas. I've always felt a solid foundation in a traditional art sets you apart from graphic designers who dont have one ( IMO :)

How many of you guys are traditional artists anyways?

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http://www.nfxdesign.com

Definitely paper, but I sometimes switch back and force between paper and the screen. Sometimes it is just easier to try something with the Illustrator tools, like step and repeat or transparencies.

Always paper first. But sometimes I get inspiration when playing with a certain tool, and then I'll work on the illustration, logo, icon, whatever, right there on the computer. It's a circunstance thing.

Graphic & Interface Designer
http://www.devixdesign.com

I always like to sketch things out first and I do that in my sketch book. That way in the future when I am having one of those not so creative moments I can grab an old sketch book and look through old ideas that sometimes morph in to rad new ideas.

Sketch Away,

That Girl

I had always sketched everything out, usually to a quite finished degree before hand vectoring my illustration work, but with continued usage of the Wacom Intuos tablet, I am more and more finsihing up rough sketches in Photoshop, and sometimes even doing initial sketches in Photoshop.

Prior to this I was sketching on 8.5 x 11 sheets of laser paper and using a small lightbox to work through sketches for the illustration work. Working on 8.5 x 11 allowed me to scan easily later. If needed I would tape together a few sheets with drafting tape to extend the canvas. Many times the sketches on paper would be on many layered sheets while working on the lightbox, giving me a makeshift analog Photoshop layers palette of sorts.

Design work gets rough sketches occasionally, but for the most part I jump right in to the software to start cranking out ideas. At times the sketching comes after the computer brainstorming to break the pattern when I am trying to work through ideas.

Cartoon Illustration | CoghillCartooning.com

No, not a dinosaur. One of my instructors REALLY pushes sketches first. In fact, most of his projects REQUIRE that we submit a certain minimum of thumbnails, some roughs from those and even a couple of comps. He really discourages jumping immediately to the computer. Part of his reason is that hand sketching, even if it's just some quick thumbnails, may open up some directions for you that you wouldn't even think of if you go direct to the computer. On the computer, it's too easy to get locked into one idea.

Amy

Over the years I have found the best way to get interesting and strong design is to sketch the ideas first. The choices on the computer are way to varied to get much done without at least a simple road map. The more you can comp and develop on paper the fast things usually go. I'm not just being old fashioned. I teach this stuff, and have watched so many students spin their creative wheels at the mercy of the technology. People will end up with a lot of visual masterbation that often lacks any engaging ideas. Some can create effectively without paper, but most cannot. Nowadays very few people want to start with paper (me included sometimes). The ones that do, usually have stronger work.