I’m tired of working on this project I’m just going to share it! I’m not super happy with the end result, but I’m happy with the improvement and some of the steps :) I could critique the current version, and I’ll probably redraw it down the line, but atm, this is the result. I like the sketch of the redraw above the end result xD my success rate with art is probably 20% ;; and that’s okay, part of the artist struggle ^^; Made in PROCREATE, I include examples of my brushes, but they can be done with any similar brush really. I tried to explain my process, not sure how skilled I am at that. Ask any questions you have, I’ll try to answer! How I improved/tips: For me, studies and consistency. Training your eye to observe values, colors, anatomy, etc is a necessary skill, and studies help me with that! I also do them a lot, in some months, I’ve done 40+ digitally. I do a lot of traditional studies as well. However, doing a ton of studies can create burnout, so it’s important to set your goals straight, figure out what you want to improve. For me, it’s values, anatomy and color! Some weeks I dedicate one more than the other. Variation is also important to keep it interesting. As seen in my example, I do a variety. Top left is a small thumbnail color study, top right is a value study using a round brush in dark grey and a blender. Both took around 20-30 minutes. Bottom left is a stylistic study that took a couple hours. Just had fun with colors. Bottom right is a quick stylistic sketch that I colored (yes it’s felix) Which took 30 minutes, but a stylistic sketch study that I usually do that’s not colored takes less. I just do what I’m in the mood for, I choose different brushes, different techniques, etc. I also consume a lot of art, I scour Pinterest to save inspiration, references, and I save a lot of photos, both old and new. I have 3k or so save photos of art on my camera roll alone xD looking closely at art can teach you a lot, and can train your eye to catch small details in values, anatomy, color, technique, etc! And of course, don’t forget the fundamentals of art! (Shape/form, Perspective, light/cooor, texture, composition). There’s a lot of resources out there to help, pursue knowledge and keep learning :) So in conclusion, practice helps tons, but do what feels right to you. Practicing/studying art against your will doesn’t feel great, so you have to be in the right mindset to improve. Hopefully my rambling makes sense xD As I mentioned, the original work had an issue with values and anatomy. If I had a reference, it might have been better, but at the time of creating it, I didn’t do many studies and didn’t pay too much attention to values as I do now. In color, while I did do a palette and stuck to it, it makes the skin look grayish and sucks life out of the character. While the additions of red light are a fun idea, they’re a little too strong. I also didn’t like the flower drawings, so I removed them. The neck/shoulder anatomy is messed up in both versions, but more so in the original. Also, side note, this is probably my last scratch project on this account, at least for the next half year or so. Credits Art - / Music - 夏色のナンシー by Yu Hayami (always puts me in a upbeat mood, a great summer song)
