Visualization EPSS -- Drawing

Drawings may be created or obtained in a number of ways. However you decide to work, be sure you have the rights to use each drawing. Clip art libraries typically offer liberal use, but read the license agreement carefully before you buy. An artist who works for you or your organization is creating "work-for-hire" and, while the artist is always the artist, the work is actually owned by whoever pays for it. Assume that everything is copyrighted. Public domain and other free archives exist, but be certain you clearly understand--and document--the status of each and every work of art you include in your project.

Specify or suggest a source for the drawing by typing it in the text box. For ideas and suggestions, roll your mouse over the options listed below.

Archival drawings

Here are some some sources from which you can obtain existing drawings

Library of Congress
Commercial archives
Your own or your client's artwork files
Clip art collections

Archival Drawings

You may be able to commission an artist to create a drawing to your specifications. Be as explicit as possible and work closely with the artist to be sure the end result works the way you want it to work.

Original Drawings

Animation is far more expensive than still pictures. Multimedia animation runs anywhere from 1 to 30 separate frames per second, and, depending on the complexity of the images and how they are generated, that can start to add up. It's worth it, though, if motion is critical to visualizing the idea. Clip animation libraries exist, but you will likely need to create original material for most projects. Modulate between photorealistic 3D and simple 2D line drawings, depending on audience, content, and budget.

Animation

Many instructional designers like to draw their own pictures, and it's not as difficult as you may at first think. There are a number of systems for helping non-artists create original artwork good enough at least for storyboards and prototypes. Among them are:

Lynn Kearny invented Star People, and other simple drawing techniques, specifically for trainers and educators. See Kearny, L. (1996). Graphics for presenters: Getting your ideas across. Menlo Park, CA: Crisp Publications, Inc.
Mark Kistler's Draw Squad and Drawing in 3D (published in 1988 and 1998, respectively, by Fireside) is a good system, particularly for drawing cartoon figures and objects.
Mona Brookes' Drawing with Children (published by J.P. Tarcher, 1996), also uses an easy-to-understand "basic elements" (shape, color, texture) approach to more realistic style drawing.
Try simply tracing photographs and perhaps coloring the resulting line drawing. It's a great way to simplify overly-detailed photographic images.

Homemade Drawings