Through his New York artist rep, Randal was commissioned to illustrate this Godiva Chocolate Easter gift basket for use in a newspaper ad, by a New York City ad agency. The illustration was done by hand using a Rapid-o-graph ink pen on illustration board in a “stipple” style, which reproduces very well in newsprint.
Godiva Chocolate Easter Gift Basket
Branch Bank - Architectural Illustration
Randal Birkey was contracted by a Chicago area architectural design firm to create an illustration of one of their branch bank designs to present to their customer.
Randal worked from the architect’s scale blueprint drawings to create this perspective view. Once the view was approved, it was rendered in a pen and ink stipple style using Rapid-o-graph ink pens on 20″ x 30″ cold press illustration board.
Randal was contracted by the Gas Research Institute in 1997 to illustrate a typical business scene of two business people communicating in a board room, for use in one of their print publications. Randal chose to place the people in front of a massive conference room window in silhouette, with the window light reflecting off of the surface of a glossy wood conference table. This illustration was done by hand using Rapidograph ink pens, placing individual dots of ink all over the illustration board in a style called “stipple.”
Gas Research Institute - Conference Room
Here is a detail inset of part of the illustration to view the stipple technique.
Gas Research Institute - Conference Room Detail
Randal did many illustrations using a “stipple” ink line style in the early 1980′s before the Macintosh computer came along and changed the way business and print communications were done… the so-called “desktop publishing” revolution. This is an example of a real estate development site plan done by hand in stipple style, primarily because the style lends itself very well for newsprint and magazine reproduction.
A Real Estate Development Site Plan in Stipple Style
A Closet Maid closet rendered in black & white "Stipple" style
Randal was contracted by an ad agency to illustrate the Closet Maid system of closet organizing products in a line art style suitable for newspaper print ad use. Randal generated a number of closet views rendered in black & white “stipple” style. This illustration method involves creating a thin ink line outline, the filling in the shading with thousands of small dots, made by hand placing a Rapidograph ink pen down and then up for each dot. Stipple is quite time consuming, however, it reproduces exceptionally well in newsprint.
Closet Maid product illustration - detail of Stipple style
Mercedes Benz Prototype C-111 Gullwing
Randal did this drawing of a Mercedez Benz Prototype Model C-111 in the 1980′s. Based upon a photo of this experimental, Wankel-powered automobile, the illustration was done by hand with ink lines and black wax pencil shading on croquill board. Croquill board has a bumpy surface that when certain types of dark pencils are rubbed across, it creates a “stipple” effect.
Photo of a similar model to one in the illustration