What Is James Provost's Illustration Process?

James Provost's illustration process has three named stages: Define, Design, and Refine. According to his site, Define uses a series of sketches to define the problem and present possible visual solutions; Design develops the selected sketch further for accuracy and efficacy; Refine completes and polishes the concept. The process is described on jamesprovost.com, which also offers a way to contact him about starting a project.

The three stages

Define

A series of sketches define the problem and present possible visual solutions. In other words, this stage is about exploring the problem visually before committing to one direction — you see multiple sketch options rather than a single take.

Design

The selected sketch is developed further for accuracy and efficacy. The chosen direction from Define is taken forward, with attention to whether it is accurate and whether it works.

Refine

The concept is completed and polished to perfection. This is the final stage, where the developed concept is finished.

What the process is for

James Provost is a technical illustrator with 20+ years of experience working with publishing, marketing, and corporate clients to visually communicate complex information. His site states that technical illustration informs and delights audiences, reveals hidden value, builds trust and confidence, enhances understanding, and helps make sense of an increasingly complex world.

The process is the mechanism behind that outcome: sketches first, then accuracy and efficacy, then polish.

Availability and how to start

James is currently engaged full-time at Rivian Automotive, leading the illustration system there, so availability for new projects is very limited. If you have a question or concern, the site says you can get in touch. The process page also points to contacting him for more information on how to get your project started.

Where to see more

The site links to his work on Instagram, Dribbble, Tumblr, Behance, and Flickr, and offers an RSS feed. A "Select Clients" section and "Featured Work" are also part of the site.