By Leanne Kroll - Technical Illustrator

04/17/2009 Leanne Kroll is really a woman in a man’s world. A recent graduate of Sheridan College’s illustration program, her specialty of choice is technical illustration. While most of us shudder at the thought of realistic perspective alone, Leanne relishes the challenge of arduously putting together screws, nuts and bolts to create the perfect engine. We caught up with her to find out more about her creative choices:

Hi Leanne! How are you today?
I’m great Charlene! Thanks for this opportunity to chat!

Your specialty seems to be technical illustration, which I think is safe to say, not a popular choice with female illustrators. Why does it appeal to you?
In the beginning, I selected technical illustration because I am a very logical person and I have a background in marketing. I figured it would be a safe bet in securing full time employment illustrating subjects that I could legitimately draw. Then, on the side, I would spend my evenings and weekends doing freelance or personal work of the kind that I would rather enjoy.
But, it’s funny how we are all on a path in life and we don’t know if the path we are on is the one for us. I enjoy mathematics, learning about new devices and figuring out how things work and are made. We live in a technical mecca with devices that are far more complex and are moving at such a fast rate that trying to keep up with information is the exciting part!
I have also been blessed with the talent of drawing and have never felt compelled to be pushed along just any old path in life. Mine was always for the taking. Technical subject matter has now become a passion! With technical illustration being a niche market and as a female, I am lucky enough to be apart of it! This path is the one for me!

Well, you certainly have a flair for your chosen niche! That said, while I’m pretty sure no employer would flat out admit it, have you ever felt that a project or client was hesitant to work with you because you’re not a ‘guy drawing guy things’?
Not at all. I would like to believe that my portfolio is a testament to illustrating detailed subject matters regardless of the information required to complete the illustration. As a technical illustrator, it is my job to become an expert on any subject matter that I am illustrating in order to properly conceptualize and inform the public. Luckily, I am not one to hesitate in asking questions if I am unsure of technical details. That is why technical illustration is so appealing to me. I am always learning!

Since, to the casual observer, much technical illustration looks similar, do you think that technical illustrators can successfully differentiate themselves from one another?
Although it is challenging, I do believe that technical illustrators can successfully stand out from each other. Personally, I believe it is my competitive nature that allows me to thrive by pushing myself to stand out from “the crowd” as well as pushing myself to surpass my previous accomplishments.
Currently, the trend with technical illustration has moved into the digital realm, which makes this more of a challenge. A basic line drawing would not necessarily give a drawing more “edge” or a different style. It is when technical drawings are brought to life with colour to further convey meaning, that a simple rendering has it’s own unique style, thus allowing the illustrator to push their own differentiation.
You can give 50 technical illustrators a spec for a job and they will tackle the problem of illustrating that concept 50 different ways. Very simply, the direction that each technical illustrator chooses to inform its audience through their own style is what makes each technical illustration so very different in my eyes.
That’s true, you’ll never get the same results from two different illustrators, regardless of the project. Have you currently developed anything you could consider a signature of your style? Some kind of finishing, color scheme etc that makes your technical pieces different?
Currently I am trying to develop that part of my portfolio through personal experimentation. Little things such as colour palettes I use always seem to have a less-saturated, colourful feel and using lineweight hierarchy with consistency in my digital line drawings allows all my illustrations to flow together. Yet, I do not consider either to directly reflect my signature style, but they are minimal features that help everything come together visually.
Depending on the subject matter, certain techniques in technical illustration are dictated by the industry norm. For example, you can see a lot of phantom views of vehicles highlighting interior components of the vehicle with the exterior also showcased. The majority of this type of illustrating utilizes one medium for both the interior and exterior components. I have previously experimented with creating the exterior as a traditional watercolour painting and the interior as 3-D modelled components. The lesson I learned is that it just won’t work, but it was worth it to try. The watercolour exterior was very bold and took away from the main message, which were the interior components. The only way to knock back the exterior was through similar media style. As a conclusion, I worked on the vehicle exterior digitally and with filters managed to match a digital watercolour effect that allowed the interior components to become the main focal point of the illustration (the final art is the image shown above).
What is the easiest, and conversely, the hardest part about technical illustration?

The easiest part of technical illustration has evolved with technology. Creating drawings digitally has allowed for quicker process through the re-use of parts. For example, a technical drawing that contains 20 screws. Each screw is easily duplicated and put into place. We can now work faster and hit the undo button endless times, where we previously were not blessed with the privilege of it in the traditional realm.
The most difficult part of technical illustration is ellipses. Drawing them properly is always a challenge until you can begin to see them in your sleep and pick up a pencil and accurately draw. Getting them precise is a challenge. Not overworking your pencil line so it looks like a chewed up tire track is even more difficult. But, when you get there – miracles can happen! Indeed it is not the overall detail in a large technical illustration that is difficult, as you can always break that down into smaller pieces. Rather, it is the little things that we take for granted that cause the largest headaches. And if ellipses are not drawn correctly, the whole axis of the illustration is literally off kilter!

Tell us a bit about your normal work day

Currently I am working full time weekdays at the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). My mornings begin early at 5:30 am with a commute into Toronto from Oakville. I begin work at 7:30 am with a large cup of coffee in hand.
I work in the Training Department at the TTC where I am currently illustrating for two major programs at the moment. The illustrating for the first program is all about streetcars. From component location to using devices, the purpose is to inform new employees how to repair streetcars and do regular inspection. To give you an overview to the scope of the project, the manual is roughly 1,700 pages long with approximately 800 illustrations.
Secondly, I am working on a program for D-Class trucks. This includes vehicles that any employee would require a D-Class licence to drive. Starting from scratch and working with technical writers to complete this manual, I am putting together illustrations to visually complement their written documentation.
A main goal of both program manuals that I am currently working on is to maintain consistency in illustration style. I ensure that they flow together in order to create a more visually interesting document. All illustrations I create are tackled the same way, from start to finish. They are all line drawings created in Adobe Illustrator.
My personal benefit to working at the TTC has been the privilege of working with knowledgeable individuals in their subject matter who are able to easily look at one of my illustrations and inform me as to what may be slightly inaccurate, if anything. Previously, I have always had to reference my own information either through research or photo documentation which I have taken of the subject matter.
I end work at 3:00 pm everyday and that is when I have evenings and weekends to myself. In that time, I am currently working on self-promotional pieces and focusing my efforts on updating my website, portfolio and all documentation that will eventually provide an avenue to full-time freelance illustrating. I am content to work full time at the moment and build up my own expertise on the side and slowly begin a client database that will eventually become a self-sustaining business for myself in the future!
What tools and/or programs do you use for your illustrations?
My tech pencil is my life! Currently, all of my technical illustrations always begin in the sketchbook, then move their way into the digital realm. I use Adobe Illustrator for the line components and then Photoshop for the digital painting aspect. I am equipped with a Wacom tablet, which saves my wrists from utter pain from hours of mouse clicking and gives me the pressure sensitivity and speed to paint digitally. This is my main way for completing technical illustrations.
To get back to my roots in the traditional world, I am trying to experiment right now with bringing a digital line drawing, and transferring the line weights onto a canvas to create a traditional acrylic painting of my technical pieces. In my spare time I am working on a VW engine view in this style. It could take a couple of months to complete, but check back on my website (www.leannekroll.com) for finished results in the future.

If you could pick a client, who would you choose and why?
The perfect client for me would be someone who gives me the control to use my creative powers to decide on the look for the job. Someone who respects my talent as an illustrator enough to trust my judgement with the little decisions. Of course a nice paying job is always welcome, but in my mind it is also a job that I can have fun with. Something that I have never had a chance to illustrate before, instead of the same old view of an automobile. Give me something that will make me very proud to have been given the opportunity to do the job and both the client and I will win!
If you were an illustration, you would be….
A painting of a still lake set in the mountains with a beautiful sunset in the background. That way, not only would the sunset and mountains reflect into the still lake, but also the reactions of the viewers as they divulge in the beauty of the painting.
I know as a technical illustrator I should have said a shiny chrome exhaust pipe instead, but I like to think there is still beauty reflected within the detail of my technical illustrations.