{"id":58907,"title":"From photo to penguin design","description":"Go behind the scenes at Kind Penguins to discover how my original wildlife photographs become distinctive penguin illustrations, clothing and gifts.","content":"

\"Image<\/p>

Every Kind Penguins wildlife illustration begins with a photograph I\u2019ve taken. Before there\u2019s a T-shirt, a mug or an art print, there\u2019s a real bird in front of my camera.<\/strong><\/p>

Some of those photographs bring back a particular encounter. Others capture a look, a stance or a moment that makes me smile. Turning them into designs gives me another way to share the penguins I\u2019ve met.<\/p>

First, find the character<\/h2>

A photograph can hold plenty of detail. For a design, the question is which details make the bird recognisable and interesting.<\/p>

It might be the tilt of a head, the angle of a beak or the way a penguin holds its flippers. Those are the things I want to preserve when the photograph becomes an illustration.<\/p>

Penguins already provide plenty of character. There\u2019s rarely any need to add to that!<\/p>

From photograph to illustration<\/h2>

The detailed artwork takes its visual cues from old natural-history engravings: fine black lines, careful shading and distinctive silhouettes.<\/p>

The illustrations are based on original wildlife photography<\/strong>, with the bird\u2019s markings, proportions and pose guiding the result. The aim is to retain what caught my eye in the first place, while creating something that works beyond the photograph.<\/p>

\"The<\/u><\/a><\/p>

Then comes the product<\/h2>

An illustration needs to work on the thing you\u2019ll actually wear, use or display. That means considering its size, placement and contrast against the product colour.<\/p>

A lovely detail on screen can become rather less lovely if it disappears on a t-shirt.<\/p>

The finished design also needs to feel like something I\u2019d be pleased to own or give to someone.<\/p>

\"The<\/u><\/a><\/p>

A little of the story comes with it<\/h2>

My time volunteering with African penguins in South Africa helped bring Kind Penguins into being. The photographs from that experience, and the adventures that followed, are part of its foundations.<\/p>

So, now you can read our story<\/a> to discover how it began or explore the designs<\/u><\/a> with a little more knowledge of the birds behind them. Thank you for your support.<\/p>

10% of profits donated to penguin conservation.<\/strong><\/p>

Darren<\/strong>
Founder & Head Penguin<\/em><\/p>

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