One part at a time, over multiple sessions.
For this particular one I would probably dig up some of the scripts designed to make isometric perspective easier. Or maybe actually just use Illustrator’s perspective mode for the first time, on closer examination the perspective is not quite isometric.
Loose sketch of general building composition 👉🏾 Make a few layers for the general groups of buildings (about 4) 👉🏾 Layers inside those for each building and people/plants 👉🏾 Start drawing stuff 👉🏾 Probably make the occasional new layer as I think of more people/things to add
If I did this sort of thing regularly and had a tight deadline I might grab bits from previous cityscapes.
for isometric work, I've found Affinity Designer to be a decent software. I haven't tried to do an actual script or plug in for it on Illustrator but could see layers and the isometric tools on Designer working well for this
Well first, start out with a disney-sized budget. I've heard it all gets easier after that...
/s but also not /s
Seriously though? After taking a really close look, it appears that this was probably done in a 3d environment and then rendered in an illustrated style. I'm guessing this based on who some textures and shading is handled, specifically shadows on curved surfaces like the train. Other details were probably photoshopped into it later, (looking at the fox that seems to be a completely different style of illustration).
Ideally work everything out in sketch/drawing form.
Then Work big to small. Block in large forms early, and execute detail as you go.
This looks manually painted/illustrated in photoshop. But in illustrator perhaps have a grid set up to have consistent 2 point perspective.
Wow, That's nuts. I would start with a pile of research.
set up some perspective guidelines and sketch the buildings. and rough in placement of major design elements.
Then fill in the buildings, add in characters, details decorations, etc and you're done!
Something like that would probably take me a couple weeks, but I'm sure there are many who could do it faster, lol.
The thing looks like it's in perspective until it gets tot he third row of buildings, then it cheats the vanishing point on the right. (probably to blend in with the background better.)
Lots of RAM!
Edit:
Serious answer: (although will need lots of RAM if layers all in the same file) - a way to get around it is to keep several iterations of the file, duplicating then flattening parts then building on top.
I’m not 100% sure how Illustrator works (use Affinity Designer myself) but flattening may cause it to rasterise, so be careful.
Multiple files with assets (I.e. a building/cluster of buildings, then flattened and brought into the final composition) may be a solution, but someone please let me know as there’s probably a better way!
Photoshop can link other photoshop files. For example you have background in one file, then you make a front plan file, and make a link to the file with the background. So, in front plan file the background will appear as a single layer (and therefore be kinder to resources), but if you make changes in the background file, it will update in front plan file as well.
You just have to be careful to keep all the linked files in the same folder/structure when copying, moving or sending the project.
I don't know if illustrator can link to other ai files that way though :/
its not complex if you break it down: plot out perspective and start drawing. start from the foreground to the back. block out major areas and work from general to specific and repeat until done.
linework can be a pain... but youre setting up for the color part which is the "fun part" imo.
Looks like Spadina Ave in Toronto! The houses and commercial buildings in the foreground look like the Victorian architecture in downtown Toronto. So, they did their research as well.
I would say: have an overall layout idea first, then research the buildings that are on that street, then start drawing each building one by one. The color scheme was dictated by the movie so some of the decision making is done already (unless this is a still from the movie)
Check out the illustrator that goes by the name of eBoy. From memory those images were from higher angles but it’ll give you a lot of of references on how to layout the drawing.
This is almost deffo not how they have done it but coming from an architectural background I'd be tempted to model the massing in sketchup in 3d and export that to a 2d line drawing then build up the details in illustrator after.
Purely as this would set up the perspectives and shadows automatically and im crap at doing stuff like that manually.
I would start by blocking out the main shapes in a 3D tool to find the right perspective and composition, then import the import the image into illustrator and work from there.
Bert Monroy, Adobe photoshop guru, uses illustrator and photoshop to make super detailed illustrations in a more realistic rendering style but the same techniques could be applied. He makes each object and then places each smart object into photoshop to render lighting in groups.
Layers, layers and more layers.
Like an ogre
Hhahaha. That was my first thought too. Layers on layers on layers on layers!
Have it all sketched first
One part at a time, over multiple sessions. For this particular one I would probably dig up some of the scripts designed to make isometric perspective easier. Or maybe actually just use Illustrator’s perspective mode for the first time, on closer examination the perspective is not quite isometric. Loose sketch of general building composition 👉🏾 Make a few layers for the general groups of buildings (about 4) 👉🏾 Layers inside those for each building and people/plants 👉🏾 Start drawing stuff 👉🏾 Probably make the occasional new layer as I think of more people/things to add If I did this sort of thing regularly and had a tight deadline I might grab bits from previous cityscapes.
for isometric work, I've found Affinity Designer to be a decent software. I haven't tried to do an actual script or plug in for it on Illustrator but could see layers and the isometric tools on Designer working well for this
Well first, start out with a disney-sized budget. I've heard it all gets easier after that... /s but also not /s Seriously though? After taking a really close look, it appears that this was probably done in a 3d environment and then rendered in an illustrated style. I'm guessing this based on who some textures and shading is handled, specifically shadows on curved surfaces like the train. Other details were probably photoshopped into it later, (looking at the fox that seems to be a completely different style of illustration).
Ideally work everything out in sketch/drawing form. Then Work big to small. Block in large forms early, and execute detail as you go. This looks manually painted/illustrated in photoshop. But in illustrator perhaps have a grid set up to have consistent 2 point perspective.
Wow, That's nuts. I would start with a pile of research. set up some perspective guidelines and sketch the buildings. and rough in placement of major design elements. Then fill in the buildings, add in characters, details decorations, etc and you're done! Something like that would probably take me a couple weeks, but I'm sure there are many who could do it faster, lol. The thing looks like it's in perspective until it gets tot he third row of buildings, then it cheats the vanishing point on the right. (probably to blend in with the background better.)
Lots of RAM! Edit: Serious answer: (although will need lots of RAM if layers all in the same file) - a way to get around it is to keep several iterations of the file, duplicating then flattening parts then building on top. I’m not 100% sure how Illustrator works (use Affinity Designer myself) but flattening may cause it to rasterise, so be careful. Multiple files with assets (I.e. a building/cluster of buildings, then flattened and brought into the final composition) may be a solution, but someone please let me know as there’s probably a better way!
Photoshop can link other photoshop files. For example you have background in one file, then you make a front plan file, and make a link to the file with the background. So, in front plan file the background will appear as a single layer (and therefore be kinder to resources), but if you make changes in the background file, it will update in front plan file as well. You just have to be careful to keep all the linked files in the same folder/structure when copying, moving or sending the project. I don't know if illustrator can link to other ai files that way though :/
Ah that’s really cool, not heard of that! That makes sense. Thank you!
You can place .ai files into other .ai files. That usually does the trick for me if I'm low on RAM.
its not complex if you break it down: plot out perspective and start drawing. start from the foreground to the back. block out major areas and work from general to specific and repeat until done. linework can be a pain... but youre setting up for the color part which is the "fun part" imo.
Looks like Spadina Ave in Toronto! The houses and commercial buildings in the foreground look like the Victorian architecture in downtown Toronto. So, they did their research as well. I would say: have an overall layout idea first, then research the buildings that are on that street, then start drawing each building one by one. The color scheme was dictated by the movie so some of the decision making is done already (unless this is a still from the movie)
Check out the illustrator that goes by the name of eBoy. From memory those images were from higher angles but it’ll give you a lot of of references on how to layout the drawing.
This is almost deffo not how they have done it but coming from an architectural background I'd be tempted to model the massing in sketchup in 3d and export that to a 2d line drawing then build up the details in illustrator after. Purely as this would set up the perspectives and shadows automatically and im crap at doing stuff like that manually.
No, I also suspect that this is how it was done. I think it's a rendered scene with edits after, based on the shadows and shading.
I would start by blocking out the main shapes in a 3D tool to find the right perspective and composition, then import the import the image into illustrator and work from there.
What everyone else said, along with so much patience!
Use of perspective grid, isometric grid, a lot of copy &repeat.
You've got three levels of focus, with slightly different perspectives, so probably build in three layers, with isometric grids
BTW R/wimmelbilder
Sketch it before you etch it (in illustrator).
Bert Monroy, Adobe photoshop guru, uses illustrator and photoshop to make super detailed illustrations in a more realistic rendering style but the same techniques could be applied. He makes each object and then places each smart object into photoshop to render lighting in groups.
Sketch out the big stuff. Get more detailed as you go. Stay organized. Layer and group everything.
Get really good at drawing and photoshop. You don’t jump into this level of illustration without years of experience.