Our Friends the
Cephalopods
Illustrated Alphabet Book
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always loved cephalopods—squid, octopuses, cuttlefish, and, of course, the humble nautilus. Unfortunately, I seem to be in a minority when it comes to appreciation of the creatures beyond the photogenic Jumbo Octopus and Bobtail Squid. When I was asked to make an educational alphabet book, I knew exactly what subject to make it on!
The book itself is illustrated with both digital and traditional techniques. It features clean graphics made in Adobe Illustrator alongside colorful watercolor blotches, which were each made on paper before being transferred in digitally. I wanted that playful, watery feel to come through, and clouds of color was the ideal method to achieving it. Additionally, it recalls many cephalopod’s ability to squirt clouds of ink!
The illustrated type of the book used for each of the large letters is hand drawn as well, and the base type is a custom typeface. The cephalopod illustrations were all rendered in Adobe Illustrator after being sketched out on paper, and are simplified versions of their real-life counterparts.
