Randal Birkey Illustration Portfolio
Aerial Perspective Illustration
Milltown Aerial Perspective
This aerial perspective of a typical mill was done for a textbook publisher to illustrate how at a certain point in history, towns and villages would often start and develop around a river and a mill.
Michigan Avenue Bank Aerial Location Map
This aerial perspective of the Chicago area was done for VSA Partners, a well-known Chicago area design firm that designed an annual report for a local area banking system. The base art was done with pencil on illustration board, then inked in with sepia ink loaded in...
Memphis Arts Council Aerial Map
The Assignment This forced aerial perspective of Memphis, TN was done for the Memphis Area Arts Council, to promote its Community Fund for the Arts, which was used to support various art venues and activities for people living in or visiting the Memphis area. Each...
1996 Summer Olympics Aerial Perspective Map
The Assignment This forced aerial perspective of the Atlanta area was done for an ad agency whose client was Kodak, one of the sponsors of the 1996 Summer Olympics. It was used in a visitor map to help attendees locate restaurants and other points of interest to...
Spanish Mission
This aerial perspective of a Spanish style mission was done for a textbook publisher. The ideas came from furnished historical references. The original digital art was done using Corel Painter, a Wacom tablet and a Macintosh computer.
Aerial Map of Charleston, S.C.
This aerial perspective map of Charleston, S.C. was done for educational textbook use. It demonstrates how the town looked and developed earlier in its history. The art was done in Corel (Fractal) Painter software, with a line art layer, and a watercolor art layer...
Architectural Illustration
Aerial Map of Charleston, S.C.
This aerial perspective map of Charleston, S.C. was done for educational textbook use. It demonstrates how the town looked and developed earlier in its history. The art was done in Corel (Fractal) Painter software, with a line art layer, and a watercolor art layer...
1997 Black Book Ad
Randal Birkey put together this self-promotional ad for the 1997 Black Book. It features: Pharmaceutical Product Logo Globe - Product Illustration Retouched and digitally altered 5 dollar bill with 2 Abe Lincoln's Close-up diagram of a chain product used in a road...
1998 Black Book Ad
Randal Birkey put together this self-promotional ad for the 1998 Black Book. It features: A series of vector line art icons A Nuclear Fission Reactor Core Vessel An Atomic Level Fission Nuclear Reaction Diagram A Medical Doctor Digital Vector Illustration Youth...
1985 Chicago Creative Sourcebook Ad
Randal Birkey created this ad for the 1985 Chicago Creative Sourcebook, to promote his architectural and technical line art illustration styles and services primarily in the Chicago area. The ad features: Drinking Fountain - stipple style A Commercial Office Building...
555 W. Jackson Isometric Cutaway
Randal Birkey created this pen and ink line drawing in an isometric layout in order to show an office building floor plan in a three dimensional yet true to scale fashion. This image was used for self-promotion as an architectural illustration portfolio piece in the...
Aerial Perspective of a Mission
Randal did this aerial perspective of a mission for an educational textbook through Design Associates for Scot Foresman, the publisher. The idea was to illustrate a typical mission as it was usually organized and built. The book designers added labels and captions to...
Automotive Illustration
Renault Elf Formula 1 Race Car
This pen and ink cutaway technical illustration was done by the illustrator based on his personal knowledge of the Renault Elf Formula 1 race car. The color version was done with color pencil on drafting vellum at approx. 24" x 36"
1972 Datsun 240z Cutaway Diagram
This pen and ink cutaway technical illustration was done by the illustrator based on his personal experience and knowledge in owning, driving, and rebuilding a 1972 Datsun 240z.
Automotive Engine Piston Pin Sketch
This quick pen & ink sketch was completed in the process of generating illustration and layout ideas for an automotive aftermarket manufacturer. This is often the first step in the creative illustration process to just get quick ideas down on paper. Sometimes,...
Amtech Automotive Cutaway
This is a pen & ink illustration of a generic auto that was completed for an automotive aftermarket manufacturer. The designer was going to add some photos of auto parts around the diagram, and then the artwork turned into countertop mats for use in auto parts...
1955 Ford F-100 Pickup
This is a pen & ink illustration of a 1955 Ford F-100 owned by the illustrator. It was composed and conceived from reference photographs and first-hand knowledge of the truck from the restoration process. The original was done on 20" x 30" cold press illustration...
4-Cylinder Ford Engine
This is a cutaway illustration of a Ford 4-Cylinder engine back in the days of the Ford Pinto (circa 1970's). It was done by hand with pen and ink on illustration board from technical references.
Cartoon Illustration
Ameritech Mobile Cartoons
The Assignment The illustrator did many simple cartoon-style line illustrations for ComCorp, a Chicago design firm that had Ameritech Mobile as a client in the 1980s when mobile phones were first appearing in the marketplace. These early phones were large, bulky,...
Man and Woman Cartoon
A line and watercolor cartoon illustration of a man and woman.
Crazy Car
A quick sketch of a crazy car by the illustrator using a standard pencil on sketchbook paper.
Cutaway Illustration
4-Cylinder Ford Engine
This is a cutaway illustration of a Ford 4-Cylinder engine back in the days of the Ford Pinto (circa 1970's). It was done by hand with pen and ink on illustration board from technical references.
1997 Black Book Ad
Randal Birkey put together this self-promotional ad for the 1997 Black Book. It features: Pharmaceutical Product Logo Globe - Product Illustration Retouched and digitally altered 5 dollar bill with 2 Abe Lincoln's Close-up diagram of a chain product used in a road...
1998 Black Book Ad
Randal Birkey put together this self-promotional ad for the 1998 Black Book. It features: A series of vector line art icons A Nuclear Fission Reactor Core Vessel An Atomic Level Fission Nuclear Reaction Diagram A Medical Doctor Digital Vector Illustration Youth...
555 W. Jackson Isometric Cutaway
Randal Birkey created this pen and ink line drawing in an isometric layout in order to show an office building floor plan in a three dimensional yet true to scale fashion. This image was used for self-promotion as an architectural illustration portfolio piece in the...
Ameritech “Signals” Magazine
Randal did this vector digital illustration in Adobe Illustrator for Ameritech's "Signals" magazine in the 1980's. It demonstrates how their wireless technology can penetrate walls and windows in buildings giving customers better cell signal reception.
Abloy Lock Technical Illustration
The Customer's Need The manufacturer of Abloy Locks required an illustration to reveal the unique tumbler technology used in their locks for a trade advertisement. Randal's Solution Randal was contacted by the manufacturer's ad agency in the 1980's and contracted to...
Digital Illustration
A House in the Woods
This is a croquil pen and ink illustration of a house in a wooded setting completed in 1988.
A Home is a Castle
This pen and ink illustration of a house casting a shadow in the shape of a castle was created for a newspaper ad.
1997 Black Book Ad
Randal Birkey put together this self-promotional ad for the 1997 Black Book. It features: Pharmaceutical Product Logo Globe - Product Illustration Retouched and digitally altered 5 dollar bill with 2 Abe Lincoln's Close-up diagram of a chain product used in a road...
“The Item Catalog” for Caterpillar, Inc.
Caterpillar, Inc. desired to explore moving a portion of their extensive parts catalog from a paper only, to an interactive CD-ROM computer-based solution back in the early 1990's. Randal Birkey worked with Lou Morelli in producing an interactive CD-ROM demo for...
Ameritech “Signals” Magazine
Randal did this vector digital illustration in Adobe Illustrator for Ameritech's "Signals" magazine in the 1980's. It demonstrates how their wireless technology can penetrate walls and windows in buildings giving customers better cell signal reception.
Atlantic City, New Jersey, Map Illustration
This preliminary city map was illustrated in Adobe Illustrator by Randal Birkey and intended for use to sell advertising to the businesses in that city. It featured all the major casinos, and shopping spots as a means to attract additional businesses to advertise on...
Editorial Illustration
Minneapolis Magazine Cover
The Assignment This illustration was done for a Minneapolis design firm and used for a Corporate Report Minnesota magazine cover to feature an editorial article on "Citybuilding - Minneapolis in the Making". The Medium The original art was done using Prismacolor...
Aerial Map of Charleston, S.C.
This aerial perspective map of Charleston, S.C. was done for educational textbook use. It demonstrates how the town looked and developed earlier in its history. The art was done in Corel (Fractal) Painter software, with a line art layer, and a watercolor art layer...
Cityscape Facade
This illustration was done for a magazine cover to illustrate an editorial article on city management. It was done in pencil first, then finished with color pencil shading for a sketchy look.
Graphs | Charts | Diagrams
Financial Report Graph
This financial report graph was done in Adobe Illustrator for a Chicago-based financial institution annual report.
Financial Growth Graph
This financial growth graph was done in Adobe Illustrator for a Chicago-based financial institution annual report.
Business Solution Map
This hand-drawn sketch was done with sepia Sharpie markers on white tracing paper, as part of a business architecture consulting project for a major healthcare insurance provider. Laster, these sketches were turned into Adobe Illustrator digital diagram artwork....
1997 Black Book Ad
Randal Birkey put together this self-promotional ad for the 1997 Black Book. It features: Pharmaceutical Product Logo Globe - Product Illustration Retouched and digitally altered 5 dollar bill with 2 Abe Lincoln's Close-up diagram of a chain product used in a road...
1998 Black Book Ad
Randal Birkey put together this self-promotional ad for the 1998 Black Book. It features: A series of vector line art icons A Nuclear Fission Reactor Core Vessel An Atomic Level Fission Nuclear Reaction Diagram A Medical Doctor Digital Vector Illustration Youth...
Ameritech “Signals” Magazine
Randal did this vector digital illustration in Adobe Illustrator for Ameritech's "Signals" magazine in the 1980's. It demonstrates how their wireless technology can penetrate walls and windows in buildings giving customers better cell signal reception.
Map Illustration
Aerial Map of Charleston, S.C.
This aerial perspective map of Charleston, S.C. was done for educational textbook use. It demonstrates how the town looked and developed earlier in its history. The art was done in Corel (Fractal) Painter software, with a line art layer, and a watercolor art layer...
Atlantic City, New Jersey, Map Illustration
This preliminary city map was illustrated in Adobe Illustrator by Randal Birkey and intended for use to sell advertising to the businesses in that city. It featured all the major casinos, and shopping spots as a means to attract additional businesses to advertise on...
Ameritech Mobile Paging Services Coverage Map
Ameritech Mobile and Ameritech Paging were major wireless carriers headquartered in Chicago during the 1980's as the cellular-mobile-paging market was in its infancy. These firms were an outgrowth and result of the old Bell Telco system before deregulation. Randal did...
Aerial Perspective of a Mission
Randal did this aerial perspective of a mission for an educational textbook through Design Associates for Scot Foresman, the publisher. The idea was to illustrate a typical mission as it was usually organized and built. The book designers added labels and captions to...
Base Maps
OBJECTIVE To create a number of Chicago area base maps in Adobe Illustrator (Postscript - vector) format, to enable a wide range of customization and personalization by RANDAL BIRKEY clients. SOLUTION Randal Birkey has created a number of such base maps that can be...
American Invsco – Delaware Place – Chicago, Illinois
OBJECTIVE A leading US condominium developer, American Invsco, required a marketing map and new condo building illustration of a new development in Chicago called Delaware Place. SOLUTION Randal Birkey created a street level detail map of the neighborhood around the...
US Swine Flu Map Animation
The team at Headstand Media produced a US Swine Flu Map Animation which was online at http://www.swine-flu-map-animation.com This tool was used on a daily basis to track the spread of the disease over time from state to state in a visual and animated manner. It...
Corporate Site Plan Illustration
Randal Birkey created this site plan of what eventually became an insurance office campus in the northern suburbs of Chicago in the 1980’s. The developer was Homart, and the project called Riverwoods. The original art was done with pen and ink line work, and color...
Rand McNally CityFlash Maps
OBJECTIVE As the recognized premier global map company, Rand McNally was exploring the possible transition from traditional cartography techniques to digital map production in the late 1980s. A new map product line called "CityFlash" maps was their first test case map...
Falling Water Master Site Plan
This site plan map was done for Lipman-Hearne, a Chicago design firm that was designing print materials for a residential housing development by Pacific-Sakata, in the 1980s. The development was called Falling Water, similar to the name of a famous Frank Lloyd Wright...
Chicago Area Map Illustrations
I've done so many map illustrations in my career, I've lost count. Many of them are of the Chicago area. The one on the left I did in 1995 of the Chicago area, featuring all the main Interstate highways, Lake Michigan, the outline of Chicago and border counties. It...
Master Plan Drawings
Falling Water Master Site Plan
This site plan map was done for Lipman-Hearne, a Chicago design firm that was designing print materials for a residential housing development by Pacific-Sakata, in the 1980s. The development was called Falling Water, similar to the name of a famous Frank Lloyd Wright...
Pen & Ink Drawings
Madman
This sketch was done for potential use in a Lenten sermon series based on a biblical passage found in Luke 8:26-39.
John Franke House Illustration – Ft. Wayne, Indiana
Francis Barry Byrne designed this home in the Prairie School style of architectural design for John B. Franke of Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Randal did this line illustration of the home-based upon a visit to the site in the early 1980's.
Conceptual Globe Line Illustration Series
A business story-parable was written by a client of Randal Birkey's in the 1980's. Randal sketched a series of globes in various circumstances to visually illustrate the story. The story and illustrations were used in a brochure promoting the client's design firm and...
Corinthian Column Diagram
Randal Birkey created this line drawing of a Corinthian-style Greek column, as a diagram for a book on architecture. The original was done by hand with Rapidograph ink pens on drafting mylar film using architectural drafting techniques.
Old Man with Beard
Randal was looking through some "pen and ink" art books and decided to try his hand sketching a man in one of the books. This sketch was done 20 to 25 years ago and probably took about 2-3 minutes to complete. That's really the whole idea. Just do it - quick, sketchy,...
Frank Thomas House, Oak Park, Illinois
Deb and I got married in 1980, and settled in Oak Park quite by chance. We really did not know much about the community and its history at the time. In those early years, we discovered the Frank Lloyd Wright connection and became fascinated by his designs. This is a...
Pencil Illustration
Falling Water Master Site Plan
This site plan map was done for Lipman-Hearne, a Chicago design firm that was designing print materials for a residential housing development by Pacific-Sakata, in the 1980s. The development was called Falling Water, similar to the name of a famous Frank Lloyd Wright...
Chicago Area Map Illustrations
I've done so many map illustrations in my career, I've lost count. Many of them are of the Chicago area. The one on the left I did in 1995 of the Chicago area, featuring all the main Interstate highways, Lake Michigan, the outline of Chicago and border counties. It...
Network Architecture Diagram
Seems like I am always making these little sketches to show people I am talking with, some of the ideas and concepts behind the type of websites we build at BIRKEY.COM. I made this sketch recently when explaining the difference between a typical classic Microsoft...
Product Illustration
1997 Black Book Ad
Randal Birkey put together this self-promotional ad for the 1997 Black Book. It features: Pharmaceutical Product Logo Globe - Product Illustration Retouched and digitally altered 5 dollar bill with 2 Abe Lincoln's Close-up diagram of a chain product used in a road...
1998 Black Book Ad
Randal Birkey put together this self-promotional ad for the 1998 Black Book. It features: A series of vector line art icons A Nuclear Fission Reactor Core Vessel An Atomic Level Fission Nuclear Reaction Diagram A Medical Doctor Digital Vector Illustration Youth...
Pampered Chef Products
Randal had the privilege of designing one of The Pampered Chef's earliest printed brochures featuring the kitchen products they were selling in the early 1980's. This line illustration was done by hand based on photos the illustrator took of the kitchen products. It...
Aiwa Car Stereo
Randal Birkey illustrated this Aiwa car stereo unit for an ad agency in the early 1980’s.
Abloy Lock Technical Illustration
The Customer's Need The manufacturer of Abloy Locks required an illustration to reveal the unique tumbler technology used in their locks for a trade advertisement. Randal's Solution Randal was contacted by the manufacturer's ad agency in the 1980's and contracted to...
Mita Copier Technical Product Illustration
Chicago is a very commercial, product-driven town when it comes to advertising and design work. Randal did this product illustration in Adobe Illustrator for an ad featuring a Mita copier. This technical line art style lends itself well to newspaper and magazine...
Technical Illustration
4-Cylinder Ford Engine
This is a cutaway illustration of a Ford 4-Cylinder engine back in the days of the Ford Pinto (circa 1970's). It was done by hand with pen and ink on illustration board from technical references.
1997 Black Book Ad
Randal Birkey put together this self-promotional ad for the 1997 Black Book. It features: Pharmaceutical Product Logo Globe - Product Illustration Retouched and digitally altered 5 dollar bill with 2 Abe Lincoln's Close-up diagram of a chain product used in a road...
1998 Black Book Ad
Randal Birkey put together this self-promotional ad for the 1998 Black Book. It features: A series of vector line art icons A Nuclear Fission Reactor Core Vessel An Atomic Level Fission Nuclear Reaction Diagram A Medical Doctor Digital Vector Illustration Youth...
1985 Chicago Creative Sourcebook Ad
Randal Birkey created this ad for the 1985 Chicago Creative Sourcebook, to promote his architectural and technical line art illustration styles and services primarily in the Chicago area. The ad features: Drinking Fountain - stipple style A Commercial Office Building...
“The Item Catalog” for Caterpillar, Inc.
Caterpillar, Inc. desired to explore moving a portion of their extensive parts catalog from a paper only, to an interactive CD-ROM computer-based solution back in the early 1990's. Randal Birkey worked with Lou Morelli in producing an interactive CD-ROM demo for...
Aiwa Car Stereo
Randal Birkey illustrated this Aiwa car stereo unit for an ad agency in the early 1980’s.
Vector Illustration
Concept Car
Description A vector-based concept car illustration by the illustrator, just for fun. The Medium This illustration was done in Adobe Illustrator on a Mac.
1997 Black Book Ad
Randal Birkey put together this self-promotional ad for the 1997 Black Book. It features: Pharmaceutical Product Logo Globe - Product Illustration Retouched and digitally altered 5 dollar bill with 2 Abe Lincoln's Close-up diagram of a chain product used in a road...
1998 Black Book Ad
Randal Birkey put together this self-promotional ad for the 1998 Black Book. It features: A series of vector line art icons A Nuclear Fission Reactor Core Vessel An Atomic Level Fission Nuclear Reaction Diagram A Medical Doctor Digital Vector Illustration Youth...
“The Item Catalog” for Caterpillar, Inc.
Caterpillar, Inc. desired to explore moving a portion of their extensive parts catalog from a paper only, to an interactive CD-ROM computer-based solution back in the early 1990's. Randal Birkey worked with Lou Morelli in producing an interactive CD-ROM demo for...
Ameritech “Signals” Magazine
Randal did this vector digital illustration in Adobe Illustrator for Ameritech's "Signals" magazine in the 1980's. It demonstrates how their wireless technology can penetrate walls and windows in buildings giving customers better cell signal reception.
Atlantic City, New Jersey, Map Illustration
This preliminary city map was illustrated in Adobe Illustrator by Randal Birkey and intended for use to sell advertising to the businesses in that city. It featured all the major casinos, and shopping spots as a means to attract additional businesses to advertise on...
Ameritech Mobile Paging Services Coverage Map
Ameritech Mobile and Ameritech Paging were major wireless carriers headquartered in Chicago during the 1980's as the cellular-mobile-paging market was in its infancy. These firms were an outgrowth and result of the old Bell Telco system before deregulation. Randal did...
3D Perspective Wireframes
Randal purchased his first Macintosh computer in 1996 after seeing a simple 3D wireframe software running on one at a trade show. He realized how much time could be saved by building his 3D perspectives on a computer, rather than by the painstaking and time-consuming...
US Swine Flu Map Animation
The team at Headstand Media produced a US Swine Flu Map Animation which was online at http://www.swine-flu-map-animation.com This tool was used on a daily basis to track the spread of the disease over time from state to state in a visual and animated manner. It...
Chicago Bears Stadium Rendered Elevation
In the 1980's, Randal Birkey was commissioned to assist in the production of large 40" x 60" presentation boards of a proposed architectural design for a new Chicago Bears stadium competition. The architect and engineering design team were able to export their CAD...
Rand McNally CityFlash Maps
OBJECTIVE As the recognized premier global map company, Rand McNally was exploring the possible transition from traditional cartography techniques to digital map production in the late 1980s. A new map product line called "CityFlash" maps was their first test case map...
Exelon Corporate Communications
Back in the 1990's, I did a series of illustrations for a designer friend of mine, who was designing some print brochures for Exelon, the energy company. The illustrations had to communicate about business, energy, technology, manufacturing, building relationships,...
Watercolor Painting
1960’s Chevy
I took a watercolor class in the 1980's at the American Academy of Art in Chicago and Irving Shapiro was the instructor. I did this watercolor painting for that class. I had the honor of having it featured in his book on Watercolor.
Deep Tunnel Project Entrance Rendering
Randal Birkey was contracted by an architect to prepare a rendering of a proposed entrance structure design near a Chicago "Deep Tunnel Project" location. Randal went on-site and took reference photos. He then inserted the architect's entrance design--based upon scale...
Citibank Center Bank Entrance
Randal Birkey was commissioned to render an updated design for the Citibank branch location in Oakbrook, Illinois. The perspective view below was developed from architectural blueprints using 3D modeling software on an Apple Macintosh computer. The perspective view...
Dearborn Street Mansion, Chicago, Illinois
This is a watercolor architectural illustration of a renovation project on N. Dearborn Street in Chicago. It was commissioned early in the 1980s as Randal was starting his freelance illustration career. A real estate developer was rehabbing this mansion into a...
Chicago Board of Trade, Chicago, Illinois
I have a friend named Linda VanderWeele, who did a lot of graphic design in the 1980s for various Chicago area firms. One of her clients was the Chicago Board of Trade. They commissioned her to design a coffee table piece on the architectural history and interest of...