Using Blender’s Grease Pencil tool to illustrate a children’s book

Abstract

There are numerous methods to create illustrations for children’s books ranging from traditional techniques to digital painting. Digital illustration methods have a range of flexibility in work methods and there are numerous software and apps available for computers and mobile devices. Digital methods excel in non-destructive ways to edit and create variations of images. This thesis explores a less conventional method to digitally illustrate a children’s book project by utilising a 3D software Blender's Grease Pencil tool to create 2D illustrations.

By examining the advantages and disadvantages of Grease Pencil while working on the illustrations for a children's book project, this thesis aimed to discover the potential of Grease Pencil as a digital illustrative tool and provide insight for artist interested in discovering new ways to illustrate and, more importantly, what there is to consider when choosing Grease Pencil for a creative endeavour.

This thesis found that Grease Pencil has potential as a digital illustration tool and could be used to illustrate a children’s book. In the end, this thesis wanted to discuss and inspire artists to try new and different creative methods to illustrate be innovative.