I've been wanting to complete a full/complex illustration for awhile...ever since graduating It's been hard to find time or patience. I've also wanted to use and document the FULL creation process since I've learned several GREAT methods that make the whole process fun and controlable. Sorry if it seems that my blog has become more of my ART JOURNAL than anything else.
1.Underdrawing (1.5 hours at work on my lunch and breaks)
a Concept exploration
b Thumb and strings
c enlarge and redraw (grid thumb and map to larger size)
d Trace and finalize drawing (flip pages back and forth like animators)
a Concept exploration
2.Final Drawing (a - g: 4 hours h: 45 min at work)
a scan underdrawing. Warp/adjust in Photoshop
b color comp
c Turn colors greyscale (desaturate)
d build value up, off of desaturated color layer
e carve into line and value layer
f Colorize and lighten everything (Hue/Saturation). Make new layer and
finalize character lines.
g finalize value
h Colorize and lighten everything (Hue/Saturation) print and draw final BG
a Scan underdrawing. Warp/adjust in Photoshop
3."Final" value and Colors (false start) 4.5 hours
a Scan final BG lines. hue/sat red away. finalize value
b mask layer (only paint color using masks)
c Lighten everything a lot (preparing for colors part 2)
d colors part 1-soft light layer (make a good base for colors part 2)
e colors part 2-multiply
f final colors
a Scan final BG lines. hue/sat red away. finalize value
d colors part 1-soft light layer (make a good base for colors part 2)
e colors part 2-multiply
At this point I hit a wall. The colors were misbehaving and out of control, and the value structure was chaotic. I was about to say, "I'ts good enough" and just move onto my next step of Paint, Paint, Paint (where I spend 5 or so hours syncing everything up), but I wanted to get this illustration right, and push through the wall I've been stuck behind for awhile now. (I am starting to learn that walls aren't meant to hinder, but to make you grow and show how hard you want your goals.) There were several parts of the painting I loved, but I knew that small sacrifices must be made for the greater good...so I took matter back into my own hands and did a 5 hour redo.
4. REDO Final value and colors step (a: 20-30 min at wok. b - e : 5 hours)
a value structure thumbnails
b turn color greyscale (desaturate)
c Rework value (based on thumbs). Do a very detailed rendering of value. Finish Value
d Lighten Value ALOT (preparing for colors part 2)
e Colors part 1- Last time I did a soft light layer, this time I made individual Hue/
Saturation masks (colorize) for each portion of the drawing. Gets the
same results. (make a good base for colors part 2)
f Colors part 2- layer set on multiply. Paint colors in. (use 3f as a guide. Also
tried to keep colors in control and natural.)
a value structure thumbnails
Saturation masks (colorize) for each portion of the drawing. Gets the
same results. (make a good base for colors part 2)
tried to keep colors in control and natural.)
5. Paint, Paint, Paint. Finale (6 hours)
a Final colors (sync multiply layer)
b Finalize values and contrast. (using auto and levels features)
c Paint, paint, paint over value and color layers. no masks used. While painting
add pure colors from swatches…conforming as needed. (discovered
these last week: winsor and newton 107 Pigmented Colors. )
d FINISH. (do whatever is needed to make it complete.)
a Final colors (sync multiply layer)
add pure colors from swatches…conforming as needed. (discovered
these last week: winsor and newton 107 Pigmented Colors. )
d FINISH. (do whatever is needed to make it complete.)
Approx. TOTAL creation time: 22 1/2 hours
Unique aspects I learned:
Do color comp. then convert to greyscale use as value base.
Expore BG digitally. Print and do final lines of BG with pencil and paper
Lighten value layer ALOT, soft light layer, multiply layer. add final color, add pure color.
Here is a short movie I threw together of 73 screenshots over the course of creating the illustration. Sorry that it's not bigger... Blogger wouldn't upload anything larger. 0_o
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