Supplies
PAPER
■ Canson watercolour sheet, acid-free
MARKERS
■ ShinHan Contact Twin, Cool Gray 1, 3, and 5
■ Generic alcohol markers, darkish gray and impartial tones
■ White acrylic brush markers
PAINT
■ Sakura Koi watercolours
■ Pupil-grade watercolour tubes
MISCELLANEOUS
■ Masking tape
■ Flat brush
■ Spherical brush
■ Water for glaze solely
Over my 25-year profession, I’ve all the time moved between one of the best digital artwork software program and conventional artwork provides. Not as a result of one is healthier, however as a result of combining them retains me engaged, quick, and curious. Once I paint, I search for influence first: robust values, daring shapes, and expressive brushwork that pops visually and offers the piece readability and presence.
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(Picture credit score: Unknown)
One key takeaway is that you simply don’t want to make use of fancy gear to make your artwork sing. The outcomes are robust due to the method: considering in layers, committing to lighting, and letting instruments shock me.
I additionally imagine within the energy of the sudden. I exploit my fingers to smudge paint, let the water do bizarre issues on paper, and don’t attempt to management each edge. It’s about discovering a way of life and momentum.
By the top of this tutorial, you’ll have seen the total journey from sketch to closing, with all of the chaos, problem-solving, and texture that comes with it. Should you’re a digital artist seeking to get your palms soiled or a standard painter who needs to hurry up their course of, this hybrid methodology would possibly open new doorways.
Wish to see extra like this? Try Carlos’ action-packed science fiction comedian challenge Riptide Fighters.
1. Draw a digital sketch
(Picture: © Carlos Cabrera)
Begin by sketching digitally utilizing your regular instruments and setup. This stage is about capturing the silhouette, composition, and rhythm of the piece. My character is a mutant warrior with a cloak and mechanical components, so I give attention to balancing natural and hard-surface design. Don’t overwork the strains; go away simply sufficient info to print. Temper is vital, and I’m aiming for thriller and stress. I exploit Photoshop and a primary brush to determine a fast sketch with simply the strains and no shading.
2. Print and tape the picture
(Picture: © Unknown)
I print my digital sketch on a 9 x 12in Canson watercolour sheet. Because the paper is on the thinner aspect, I tape it firmly on all sides utilizing masking tape to stop buckling when it will get moist. This step is usually missed, but it surely makes an enormous distinction afterward. It additionally helps to protect a clear edge that makes for good presentation. As soon as dry, the paper will keep flat as if it was by no means moist – that’s the entire level of this step!
3. Put down the preliminary greys
(Picture: © Carlos Cabrera)
For the worth cross in my picture, I used ShinHan Contact Twin markers in Cool Gray 1, 3, and 5. These alcohol-based markers are excellent for laying down easy transitions and blocking within the quantity, however any alcohol-based marker works effectively right here, even Copics. Deal with this like a monochrome underpainting, considering when it comes to kind, construction, and lighting. Keep away from rendering each element and as an alternative give attention to the sunshine path, shadow sample,s and distinction between planes. Utilizing fast and assured strokes makes this my favorite a part of the method.
4. Apply skinny watercolour washes
(Picture: © Carlos Cabrera)
Start layering delicate color utilizing a barely damp brush. These first washes are clear and serve to shift the general temperature of the piece. Use a mixture of cool and heat tones relying on the world; blues within the shadows, and hotter ochres on pores and skin or material. Don’t attempt to render, simply stain the drawing and create a base color temper. I exploit a mixture of Sakura’s Koi watercolours and cheaper tubes, and like to keep away from rounded pupil palettes because the pigment usually dries boring.
5. Fastidiously add a color glaze
(Picture: © Carlos Cabrera)
As soon as the sunshine washes are dry, go in with extra pigmented watercolour utilizing a medium spherical brush. Glaze over sure areas with skinny layers of extra saturated color, being cautious to not reactivate underlying pigments. This is sort of a color layer in Photoshop, adjusting heat, hue and worth subtly whereas preserving the marker values seen. Relying on my purpose, I’ll cease right here for a extra graphic, comic-style look.
6. Raise with white
(Picture: © Unknown)
I exploit white acrylic brush markers from an affordable 48-pack to start out including highlights. I really like these sorts of markers as a result of I’ve a number of management with the comb tip. I maintain it smooth and managed, specializing in areas that catch probably the most mild; edges of the masks, steel elements and the highest of the shoulder. These markers don’t give stable opacity in a single cross, however that’s really helpful – we will layer slowly and management the depth of every spotlight.
7. Overlay the color once more
(Picture: © Unknown)
As soon as the white areas dry, glaze watercolour on prime to tint the highlights. This helps them combine with the native color and creates delicate color variation, like bouncing heat mild on pores and skin or cool glints on steel. It additionally tones down harsh white marks and retains the picture cohesive. Relying on the model, overlays will be vivid or barely boring. The secret’s discovering steadiness between your supplies.
8. Smudge for extra element
(Picture: © Unknown)
Use your fingers or a rag to smudge moist edges or soften transitions. This provides randomness and breaks symmetry, particularly within the background or alongside solid shadows. It additionally provides a little bit of analogue texture, which seems much less stiff than brushstrokes. Generally I prefer to elevate the color deliberately to create textures. Your fingers are probably the most underrated software, and typically I even use my palm or totally different supplies to create the feel that I’m after.
9. Watercolour shading
(Picture: © Unknown)
You should use low-cost alcohol markers in impartial tones to deepen shadows and block out massive shapes like a cloak or background components. These markers mix easily over watercolour and assist to strengthen kind. Deal with this cross as a option to re-establish robust darks and separate the determine from the background. I solely do that if the piece requires it – typically watercolour is sufficient, however alcohol markers ship punch shortly.
10. Closing push on the highlights
(Picture: © Unknown)
Let’s return to our acrylic markers, however this time with extra precision. Goal rim lights, edge reflections and focal factors. This is likely one of the final probabilities to carry distinction and punch to the piece, so watch out about placement. It additionally helps to information the attention and emphasise kind. If I want most opacity I’ll change to gouache, however acrylic markers or paint often do that job greatest.
11. Make any obligatory tweaks to the colors
(Picture: © Unknown)
Assess the picture as a complete and glaze over any areas that want color steadiness. For instance, you would possibly heat up the pores and skin by layering clear crimson or orange, or calm down shadows with blues or violets. This provides selection and retains surfaces from feeling too flat. You can additionally use this stage to melt or push shapes. On this piece, I used rusty tones on steel, pores and skin tones and the sword, simply taking part in freely.
12. Let the picture dry flat and make changes
(Picture: © Unknown)
When you’re pleased with the paint, let the piece dry naturally whereas nonetheless taped down. This might take a number of hours relying on how moist it acquired throughout the glazes. The masking tape prevents warping and retains the perimeters clear. It’s necessary to not rush as eradicating the tape too quickly can destroy the end. By no means use a hair dryer as a result of it stresses the paper; simply let it sit and are available again later. I’ll usually discover issues I missed after stepping away. For my piece, I returned to my Contact Twin Markers for one final cross, reinforcing the important thing shadows and punching up core edges. This sharpens the silhouette and helps to information the viewer’s consideration. I additionally unify areas the place the watercolour dried inconsistently and would possibly add positive strains – you should utilize any waterproof ink for this.
13. Take away the tape
(Picture: © Unknown)
Fastidiously peel off the tape, pulling it slowly and at a low angle to keep away from tearing the paper. It’s satisfying to see the clear border emerge, which provides the piece an expert, framed really feel. That is when you possibly can lastly step again and have a look at the entire work. I used to hurry this half, however now I get pleasure from it because the second of closure.
This content material initially appeared in ImagineFX journal, the world’s main digital artwork and fantasy artwork journal. ImagineFX is on sale within the UK, Europe, United States, Canada, Australia and extra. Restricted numbers of ImagineFX print editions can be found for supply from our on-line retailer (the transport prices are included in all costs).
