In this project for my Vector Graphics class we were asked to create a vector bike. It could be either a bicycle or a motorcycle. All of our images and designs had to be vector made in Adobe Illustrator. We were given the option to make it as either photorealistic or as a flat design. I wanted to push myself and see how detailed I could get so I initially set out to do a photorealistic motorcycle.
I began with some thumbnail drafts of how some of the components of a bike could look. The subject that I was basing my design off of was the Ducati Streetfighter.
I knew that there was a lot of detail in this project and was willing to set aside the time to dedicate to it. Here were some of my initial sketches for the project.
Once I had done some sketching I proceeded to move into Illustrator. However, it wasn’t long before I was quickly overwhelmed by the amount of work that I knew was ahead of me. And after some miserable attempts I knew that my goals and ambitions were a little too high for the amount of time that I had at my disposal to learn. I still wanted to push myself with this project so I decided to keep on with the motorcycle idea, but to make it as a flat design instead.
Having been forced to scrap my early attempts I started over and took a different approach from how I would have normally completed this project. Normally I would focus on designing the basics of what I was looking for and then go back to complete the different components once I had my general idea down. Instead what I did focus on completing each component to the best of my ability and then move on to the next component as if it were an assembly line.
I got mixed results with this tactic. At times I would be forced to go back and adjust some of my components so that they would work together as they should. But most of the time these were just minor adjustments and it worked out pretty well.
In the end I was still a little scrapped for time. But I feel like I really stretched my skills with the amount of detail that I was able to put into some of the components, especially with the wheels and brakes.
craigjrider 