Computer Art

Here are some examples of computer art used to illustrate the books referred to in my 'Writing' section. It was once the case that illustrations were invariably done by hand but these on this page were produced on a computer using a drawing program called Freehand MXa. On the face of it, computer art might seem like a rather mechanical process but this isn't the case. The images still have to be first imagined and then created — every bit as artistic an endeavour as wielding a pencil and paint brush.

The beauty of using a computer is that the graphic content can be adjusted at any time to suit the circumstances. For instance, a picture used very small can look messy if it contains too much detail. Conversely, a large picture looks 'empty' if it lacks detail. The flexibility a computer brings allows the illustrator to fine tune his work after the pages have been laid out by the designer or typesetter.

Most of my work is for the seagoing world, and here my design background and sailing experience comes in very useful. Of course, it always helps if illustrations are visually attractive, but that's not enough on its own. What is absolutely essential is that they be technically accurate — indeed believable. Plausibility is everything.

Here we have a basic AC electrical system (left) of the type you might find on a modern yacht. The illustration is from the RYA Electrical Handbook, published in 2009 and available from the RYA website (see 'Web Links'). The use of colours for the circuitry make it very easy to understand in conjunction with the accompanying text. Even electrical circuits can be made to look beautiful.

These drawings (right)  compare a Spitfire's wing shape with the sailplan on a modern catamaran. The drawing appears in the RYA Multihull Handbook released in September 2010.

Dick McClary's RYA Fishing Afloat book with its numerous references to colourful fishing lures provided me with a wonderful opportunity to be exuberant with the artwork.This 'smoke trail' of bubbles left by a 'jethead' lure is just one example, and I'm sure you will be glad to learn that I didn't create every bubble individually. It started with just one which I copied in different sizes until I had enough to form groups of them. From thereon, copying the groups and arranging them to form the trail finished the job.

This last illustration comes from Rob Gibson’s RYA Boat Handling for Sail and Power ­– a book that has since been translated into a number of languages. It shows the recommended manoeuvre for entering a berth starboard side to, against the flow of the stream.
This is another example where computer graphics allows the illustrator to create a single image – in this case the entering yacht – and then duplicate it in various positions and angles to form the completed artwork.

Putting them all together

Words or pictures? Which are the most important? Well, really there's no conflict. It's the way the two work in harmony that determines how good a publication is. For examples of how they can be made to work in harmony have a look at some of the articles in Books-for-Sail by clicking on the image left.