#procreate has a lot of nice brushes and I’m still learning how to use them

[astermagne]

🫶🏻

Makes me happy

Even though I haven’t done much art and posted here in a while

watching someone in your notes go through your entire catalogue of work

[giddlygoat]

sry for the out of the blue ask but your art is so freaking gorgeous i am seriously floored!!! i was wondering if you would share how you get that lovely grain texture in your drawings because it's like a visual stim to me. i love it!!! hope you have a wonderful day <3

thank you so much!! this ask has totally made my day 🫶🌟

i’ve recently become obsessed with the stock procreate Noise Brush. i’m using it for rendering a lot right now because i like how abstract it is and it pairs well with rough sketches.

the above sketch looks way more complete and 3D despite still being my first draft!

i also use the stock procreate Dry Ink brush because it blends nicely with the noise brush but lays down a much denser line, so it’s good for coloring in large spaces while still keeping that painted look.

these hands were inked with Ink Bleed because i love the crunchy texture of that brush. it has a very nice sketchy quality that can still produce some really precise lines.

as for rendering with the noise brush, i like to do each big block-in on a separate layer. i lay down a bulky shadow with noise and carve out wherever the light hits the surface using a dry ink eraser. that way, it looks nice and stenciled. when i like my new shadow, i usually combine it down to the main shadow layer for simplicity’s sake, and begin a new layer for the next shadow. this is so that i can easily erase and create the perfect gradients without affecting the pre-existing shadows.

i’m always happy to share my techniques and talk about them! i’m always learning new things and changing how i do things and i have no ten commandments lawl. i’m glad you say the noise is like a visual stim because it’s the same way for me, it’s so satisfying! i hope this is helpful :’D

[goldendoodlerlockerlove]

All right, because @babsvibes asked me how I picked colors for my latest Thanksgiving art piece yesterday, I’ve decided to make an official walkthrough of how I do coloring/shading and lighting for my pieces!! This isn’t technically a tutorial, but maybe you can count it as one?? Take everything I say with a grain of salt, though, as I’m just a self-taught artist who still has a lot to learn!!

Usually, the way I start coloring is by taking a screenshot from the show and take the colors directly from there. Having a screenshot is also handy so I can use it as a reference! Is it cheating to take colors directly from the show?? Maybe, but I like doing it so so know the colors are exactly correct.

Using my latest piece of Bob and Gene eating Thanksgiving dinner together, I used this screenshot as both a reference and to take the colors:

Then, to do my shading, I take a shading brush in Procreate and paint in everywhere where there would be a shadow. I’ve trained my eye to look for places where I know light wouldn’t really touch, such as below an arm or neck or directly under a character’s hairline. Then, when I’m done, I just lower the opacity and pick a layer setting that looks the nicest to me. This is what my latest piece’s shadow layer ended up looking like (with the opacity turned up a bit):

Then, once I’m done with shading, I go on to lighting. I use a new technique now where I just paint in everywhere else (AKA everywhere I didn’t put in a shadow). I used to not even do lighting, because I found it complicated, but I feel it adds a nice touch to my pieces now. The way I do it is kind of tedious, but it’s what I’ve found I can help me understand lighting the easiest. Sometimes I also duplicate my lighting layer, use a Gaussian Blur, then turn the layer to “Add” to create a glowy effect. This glowy effect is usually reserved more for things like torches and flashlights, but I feel as if it gives my lighting an extra “oomph”. Here’s what my lighting layers looked like:

And to make my colors pop even more, I use my phone’s edit feature to go through the process of putting on a nice-looking filter and going insane with all of the features! I’ve found it has a really nice effect.

If I want to go even crazier (yes, I actually do this), I might go into this photo editing app I have on my computer and do even more messing around with filters and colors and the like.

It’s called Polarr Pro Photo Editor for anyone who’s curious!! I also put on my signature in here if I forgot to do it in Procreate.

But that is how I do my coloring and shading/lighting!! I’m still learning and I’m sure I’ll continue to improve. I definitely still have a lot to learn when it comes to shading and lighting!! There are honestly so many ways you can tackle this, so my method absolutely isn’t the end all be all!!

I even have a different technique for when I’m doing a simpler piece or just want some shading that has a lot more texture. I duplicate my color layer, lower the saturation, make a mask, and “paint in” the light really quickly with a super textured brush.

Here’s what it looks like before:

And here’s what it looks like after!

I actually find this technique a bit difficult because my brain works in shadows and finding where shadows would hit, so painting in the light is a challenge. But it can be fun too!!

If anyone has any techniques of their own, feel free to share them!!

[linipik]

What art programs do you use digitally if you use any? I’m a beginning graphic arts student in college and need help finding programs to help me learn how to draw

My position here is that how to draw digitally is not  the same as learning how to draw in general. I am assuming that since you are beginning college you would like to do this professionally wich leads to dedicating a lot of time to learn a specific thing, If you are looking for “how to draw” my recommendation is using a lot of paper, pencil, peb, markers and any medium (even digital) but truly recommend starting to draw in a traditional medium because 1) gives you more focus on the drawing part than in getting around a  software, and 2) looking at a screen ALL the time is something that , as a professional, you want to manage really well, most people i work with, myself included, are having eye and shoulder problems because of the digital drawing position is not really that healthy  even less if you are at uni or working from home . But still, if you want to also go with digital, go for it! because that is just another tool for drawing. Now..if you are looking to start drawing digitally, you want to start with software you are going to be using in your professional life, just to be familiarised with them for the moment you start doing professional work. The most known one and most used in the industry (animation/illustration) is probably photoshop, And that one takes some time to learn super well, but at the same time to start using it you only have to open a new canvas and try all the tools so you know what you are dealing with  (this is exactly why, to just start drawing you better start with old school pen and paper)...

But photoshop is a pain to pay sometimes and, there are more softwares right now with the same (...or sometimes better) features than photoshop!. I have used Clip Studio Paint (very good and it usually have a sales season so you can get it for a nice price) or a freeware that i also like very much: Medibang paint Pro (i use this one mostly on an android tablet and it works really well). But i think there is also procreate and all the fun apple things i’ve never used and probably never will (i personally dont like apple)

Most softwares have a TON of options and shortcuts and remember that it takes time to learn how to use them, so starting, you want to focus on the thing you want to do with them... that is just draw.  That is the big difference i see with learning how to draw and drawing digitally, instead of having so many options in digital  as  a good thing, it becomes overwhelming and you end up not drawing at all, As always, you want to approach art by parts while you are learning, sometimes focusing on form others in colour and so on, and the same happens digitally. Back in the day, i started using digital mixing it with traditional , so it makes a smoother transition from a medium to the other. In both, traditional and digital,you do lots of studies and use lots of references., and gladly, the internet is full of tutorials for very specific things. Sometimes when it is overwhelming, you can chose a small projects to do . I really like fanart to try new things or styles, because i feel it has less of that pressure to be original and creative, (something that happens a lot at uni) In my professional life I use photoshop for digital paintings and bg art and storyboard pro for storyboard, this one is vector based drawing and , as useful as it is, you need to already be comfortable drawing to be able to use all the features that make it worth using. Conclusion: if you want to just start drawing, best take is to focus on the very basic of things like shape, form and training your hand to draw with lots of life drawing, lots of references... maybe you find you are better drawing with super fine pens or maybe you like using a brush. But, if your goal is to start digital drawing, i recommend non vector softwares and to just get familiar with the tool they have and chose some you feel more comfortable with, this may take some time, but...i use to say this to me a lot ,"you can’t improvise experience”, so all that time you spend figuring out a software is experience and it get’s easier to try others later on .  Hope this helps!, and sorry for the slow answer, I try to be as clear as I can, I am always open to more questions noni, so yeah :>

[silverhart-makes-art]

Hello!

Um... If it's not too much work for you, can you please make a short video or something showing how to color digitally? Or maybe give a source where I can learn? Because I know how to draw and I do color too but I have a feeling I'm doing it wrong...

Thanks!

I’m afraid video making is a bit beyond my scope, but I’d be happy to try and explain my own thought process of coloring digitally, and point out some resources.

There really isn’t a wrong way to color. Every artist has different approaches and techniques to things like coloring. If something works, it works, and how you got there doesn’t matter. You can use tons of layers and filters and blending modes and textures, or use only a few, or work on a single layer. If it works for you, and it gets the look you want, it’s the right method for you.

If you feel like you’re doing it wrong, it’s possible you just haven’t found the technique that works for you.

The best way to find that technique is to experiment. See how other people work and try it out. Maybe you like it, maybe you don’t, but it’s still a step in figuring out what will work for you. Getting to know the program you’re working in is important too. I’m currently struggling to learn Procreate and I tell ya, I am having quite a learning curve trying to learn all the features and settings. It can be frustrating while you figure things out, but keep at it. Focus on the things you need to know in the moment and look up what you need help with as many times as you need.

I would recommend checking out Aaron Blaise’s videos if you're looking for a good resource. When I started getting really into digital art I didn’t know where to start and just sort of floundered around trying to replicate what I saw others doing. Aaron’s videos broke the digital painting process down in a way that was familiar to how I had learned to draw and paint traditionally. I’ve adapted a lot of his techniques and tips into my own work method. You can find a lot of his time lapse paintings and demos on his YouTube channel, The Art of Aaron Blaise. He also has a website where you can purchase video lessons that go into the process more in depth.

For myself, I always start with a sketch, usually cleaned up from a really messy first pass. I lower the opacity of the sketch layer, and then on a transparent layer beneath it I lay down a solid color with a textured brush. If I want a more graphic design to the final piece, I’ll carefully go around the edges so that I get a nice clean silhouette. Alpha locking this silhouette layer locks the transparency, so I can color without going outside the silhouette.

I typically do all the local color on this one layer.  Local color is the natural color of something without any light or shadow effecting it. I usually use a textured brush to lay it in - I have a few favorites I switch between; a lot of pastel, charcoal, and acrylic brushes. Sometimes I’ll work on detailed areas, like eyes, markings, or hands on a separate layer, and when I get it right I’ll merge the layers to keep things organized. Anything that I might want to move or color separately later on, like another character or an object gets its own local color layer. While I’m coloring I think about edges, and if I want them to be hard or soft, and how I can use them to make the final piece read nice and clear. I tend to overdo it on the hard edges. Hard edges just always look good to my eye: they’re graphic and punchy, but soft edges are equally important. How you choose to balance them depends on what looks good to you. I’m also thinking about things like form and using my brushstrokes to imply the direction of the form, or the fur or hair if it’s an animal. I’ll also clean up the sketch layer a bit more at this point if I’m planning on keeping it, or turn off its visibility entirely if I’m not.

From there I start adding light and shadow. I often use clipping masks which, like alpha locks, prevents me from going outside the original silhouette, but allows me to work on another layer. Just make sure your clipping masks are over top of your base layer. Depending on the look I want it might be simple flat shading, or a more detailed rendering, similar to how one would paint traditionally, slowly building up detail in subsequent layers. I like to play around with different blend modes, just seeing what effects I can get. The very last step would be to add atmospheric lighting if the subject is set in an environment, to make it feel like it fits into the landscape it’s in, with light bouncing off it and cast shadows falling over it. I usually do this while I’m also adding light and shadow to the environment so everything feels balanced.

 I hope that was somewhat helpful, or at the very least interesting. This is just one way to color. It’s how I enjoy working, but it’s not the only technique I play around with. And I have no doubt my approach will change as my style develops, and I find other ways I like working. That’s why I’m always experimenting and changing things up (and never having a consistent look! XD)

And here’s a simpler breakdown of MoonFred showing those really flat colors and hard edges:

 I’ve probably rambled on long enough, but I just wanted to end with this: remember to have fun! The best way to learn is to practice, and the best motivation to practice is play. So play with new things, and with things you enjoy. Watch a painting demo and try painting alongside it; challenge yourself to work in a limited palette; grab a coloring book and just start messing around with it; do a value study and use different blending modes to add color glazes to it. There’s a lot to be learned just messing around with things and seeing what you can get, and there isn’t a right way or wrong way to go about it.

[whirlybirbs]

miss burbs I love your art style! I was wondering how you learned to draw and how long you've been doing it and also if you have any tips or resources for improving art? you're one of my biggest art inspirations and I want to improve so badly

oh god, i’ve been drawing since i was a wee kiddo! i’ve been at it for a while, and going to art school really exposed me to a lot of techniques and stuffs!

but, i’m still learning -- i rely really heavily on references and cannot nail down a dynamic pose if you asked me to. like i’ve got five facial expressions down and none of them include the movement of arms. 

but! watching tutorials or picking apart art that you really like is a good place to start.

i’ve also noticed that working on a colored background with a colored line tends to just... look better? i find i’m not so critical vs. black n white work bc i tend to pick that apart more? 

brushes, too, if you’re working digitally can make a word of difference. i love the technical pencil on procreate. it’s got a really nice taper! 

honestly i can hardly draw much more than a face + torso, and even still i use photo reference a lot. so! play around. layer references on top of one another. deviantart has some great tutorials, too! 

[toxicsquad]

There is no better way to get to know someone than through a good question tag. In this case we have decided to make an Indie game dev question tag with the responses of our four developers. We hope that it will reveal many unknowns, but if you are left with any questions, do not hesitate to use our ask.

What part of game development are you responsible for?

Athe: I write and write, I melt in my seat, I correct, I cry and then I program. It’s an endless cycle. Occasionally I laugh like crazy while I eat Pringles.

Sam: I draw and color without leaving the lines (almost always) the sprites, the illustrations and the ravings that usually occur to us past 3 in the morning.

Illy: English translations.

Sher: I draw BGs

What tools do you use (hardware / software)?

Athe: Recently my desktop PC has passed away, so I’ve had to rescue my old PC from the garage. I also have a laptop that saves my life more times than I would like to admit. As for the software, I need, above all, drive documents, video editing programs, image etc (I have an Adobe package) and of course Renpy and Atom.

Sam: My main friend and companion is my tablet, a wacom intuos S (pistachio color, so cute). As programs I mainly use the Paint Tool Sai, because there is nothing in this life like its stabilizer. And less frequently than I would like (for details, texture brushes, effects ...) I also use Clip Studio Paint, which I only know how to use at about 2% of its capacity ... If someday I have time I would love to stop and learn seriously what can be done with it.

Illy: During the school year I live in a residence, so I use an old laptop, and when I return home I use a desktop computer that never has memory space. I translate the chapters in the same Atom where the complete script is and I keep them in google drive files where I share them with our beta reader. I also use editing programs like photoshop when I have to translate comics or procreate for when my artistic skills are required.

Sher: ipad+procreate+some final tweak in photoshop, I don't need much more

What is your favorite part of the job?

Athe: Would it be wrong if I say that is when we released the episode? During the whole production time everything is very stressful, there are times when it’s really uphill, but when we release a new chapter it feels soooo good. It's like saying to yourself, yeah, dammit, I can do it. Look at everything you've climbed by yourself. You're doing it right.

Sam: In general, my favorite parts are when the first scenes start to be programmed, and I can see the sprites with the backgrounds, the texts, and how the illustrations look. Everything always looks so much better when viewed in-game… I also really like being able to check out the script as it is written. And from the artistic part that concerns me, when I see that my hands capture the idea that I had in my head ... Especially in character designs.

Illy: Having to find a way to translate very spanish expressions into English, research vocabulary that I have never had to use and commenting on some translations with our beta reader (which we adore) to make it understandable without losing the original meaning.

Sher: I like to do the lineart when the sketch is complete, if I no longer have to think about anything else and it's just going through it, I find it very fun and relaxing

What is the most difficult part for you?

Athe: Offf, yes, I admit it, sometimes writing is the WORST. Other times I love it, especially when I can expand on the descriptions or stop at a part that is intimate or that I find interesting (for example, Hasiel's conversation from 6.3, small spoiler: P). But, I HATE having to paste scenes, often the protagonist moves between scenes and you always have to add lines to those transitions that really do not interest anyone, but that otherwise the text would be confusing. Anyway... It is a very wide world, with a lot of history, I have to deal with what I need readers to know to understand the facts, although sometimes it gets a bit boring.

Sam: What part does not... Rather who e.e Zihel and Ariel are a thorn in my side. Especially Zihel. I know it has to do with the fact that it has never been my strength to draw boys, and much less if they are more masculine in appearance... That's why I also suffer a lot from drawing muscles. Another thing that brings me a headache is the perspective of the illustrations. Every time I try to get out of the typical shot or poses a little... It doesn't work out.

Illy: Doughy’s  stuttering ¬.¬

Sher: chairs, sofas, tables... anything with four legs is my enemy

Anything to help or encourage you while you are working?

Athe: I need music, no, seriously, I NEED IT. I’m unable to focus without it. If, on top of that, I can get what I hear to act as a sounding board for what I write, the text is a thousand times better... But the muse is a pretty bad person.

Sam: Having a show/movie in the background that entertains me. The longer the better, so I don't have to stop to think what I want to put on next.

Illy: Eating sunflower seeds to trick my brain and not be tempted to do something else that distracts me.

Sher: I try to see other artists to motivate and inspire me before I start drawing, what I find most difficult is that initial push and that is where I need the motivation, then I usually have something in the background but it is not necessary

Something that’s a pet peeve or discouraging?

Athe: Some narrative climax moments. Generally, they are not important plot moments (that is almost entirely decided), they are often small decisions to go from scene A to scene B, but I can spend a LOT of time deciding which is the fastest and best way to tie those two ends. I'm the worst.

Sam: Many times when starting, I can't get the poses to fit the way I want, for example.

Illy: Finding many parts in a row that I find especially difficult to solve and that make me believe that I have forgotten how to English properly. And looking at how many lines I still have left.

Sher: When I don't know how to fill in some area, if I see something very empty but I don't know how to solve it, I can spend days looking at the screen without being able to advance, even if I have other areas that I could do in the meantime

What is required on your table or work surface?

Athe: Notebooks, sticky notes, pens… I’m a person who writes everything down, especially the tasks, but I also order the story by color schemes. The stack of sticky notes have 9 different colors, each one represents a character and I play a lot with them for a lot of nonsense. Besides, even though I have been writing on the computer for many more years than I wrote by hand, I still have a preference for the analogical.

Sam: Coffee, sweets, chocolate, cereals... And cats.

Illy: My phone, the sunflower seeds, a Capital America: Civil War 1L water cup, sticky notes that remind me of tasks.

Sher: I have nothing really lol all my things are for decoration

Your most productive hours?

Athe: Owl. Totally nocturnal. Although I have several crises a month to force myself to work at other times that always end... Wrong.

Sam: Also at night for the most part, although I can no longer stay awake as long as I endured before having a job (the good old days...) However, in the middle of the afternoon, when the zoo that I have at home is still taking a nap, I also manage to go a long way.

Illy: From when I finish eating until 7 or 8 in the afternoon, when I don't have to cook, clean, run errands...

Sher: I take over for Illy apparently, from 7 or 8 is when I start to get into the mood until bedtime

Do working hours make you forget to eat or make you eat twice as much?

Athe: It depends, in the past I ate a lot, now if I have stress I don't eat anything. If I'm in a normal productive phase and I'm not on my nerves, I'm probably eating by inertia.

Sam: They make me eat more, but especially junk food e.e And they make me forget healthy meals, especially dinner at night.

Illy: It depends on my mood, but I usually eat twice as much.

Sher: I'm generally a VERY distracted person so I don't usually get to focus on a task to get to either of those two modes but I guess when I am sooooooo much on the task, I forget. But that happens like a couple of times a year and "forgetting" is "I delay an hour."

What part of your set up would you improve / change (in aesthetics or functionality) if you had no money limit?

Athe: I'm trying to match some of my peripherals with the rest. They are all a damn different color, apparently I'm cursed... Now seriously, I wish I had a better graphic card that would allow me to make video captures, some speakers and a quality printer.

Sam: Actually, I don't think I need anything more complex than what I already have… But if I had to improve something, I'm curious about the most professional tablets, the big ones with the included screen and all that stuff.

Illy: A new laptop that lets me open 4 chrome tabs, Atom and photoshop at the same time without dying.

Sher: A pc screen that will not change the colors I use on the iPad would be nice, really

Which character are you most like? And why?

Athe: Phew I think the easy answer would be to say Akane ... But, Akane is a better person. : P

Sam: This is very difficult... They are all very different, but still I do not think I look much like any of them. If I have to say something, I could identify with Maske's tendency to avoid problems, and his more homey and calm side. And well… Since Akane has been an OC of mine for many years, surely I have something of her too.

Illy: I think I partly have Maske's instinct to stay out of trouble, and on the other hand Joe's shallowness, although tbh I wish I really did look like any of our awesome babies.

Sher: surprised because (unpopular opinion around here) is one of those who I "least care" about really but I would say that Pin because he is a little dumb, happy and probably has a Satanic room and proud of it

Favorite CG/art.

Athe: AT THE MOMENT. Maske chapter 1. It couldn't be more predictable. I know.

Sam: I quite agree with Maske in chapter 1. But I would also put Pin in chapter 5 and Akane in chapter 6.2 on the top.

Illy: Kyeran in Coco's tank ?? Is he even real? Being basic is my brand.

Sher: surprised again and disappointed but I would say that of angel Hasiel because I like pretty dresses, pretty hairs and pretty wings

Favorite BG/scene.

Athe: The Red Light District amazes me. I already liked the life of that place, its history, but the way of expressing it... Uggg Sher took it to another level. The dirt on the street, the night, the constricted buildings...

Sam: I think I’ll say Raziel’s square, I like it a lot from the first day.

Illy: I don't know if I can choose just one T__T but I would say that the Red Light District and Valefar's pub are at the top.

Sher: for not repeating the red light district that I also like very much, I really like the areas of Coco's laboratory, including the “main” area although the perspective is horrible and makes the characters look tiny, but I like how it looks :(

Your favorite chapter to date?

Athe: Ufff... The first and second one I assure you no, hahaha. I will say that the third one, but also for things that are not necessarily from the chapter, but of the production. It was a good moment. I felt that everything was flowing with ease. We all assumed a clear role, they were times that made us feel comfortable and capable of assuming what came next, I think it was a qualitative leap also, both in texts and in art.

Sam: Oh. Well let's see... Chapter 5 is amazing for me, for everything that happens but also because there are many personalized interactions and choices. I can't say I have a definitive favorite, but it could come close… Also from the last ones I really like the 6.2.

Illy: Chapter 5 has so many details, so many things happen, it's hard not to be my favorite. But the last ones with the specific routes are so great that if I stay with the 5 it’s with the  pain of my heart to have to choose one.

Sher: I would say 5 also because in the end when a lot of things happen is when you remember the most

Twitter​ | Instagram​ | Itch

🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧

No hay mejor forma de conocer a alguien que a través de un buen tag de preguntas. En este caso hemos decidido hacer un Indie game dev question tag con las respuestas de las cuatro desarrolladoras. Esperamos que os aclare muchas incógnitas, pero si os quedáis con alguna no dudéis en usar nuestro ask.

¿Qué parte del desarrollo del juego llevas a cabo?

Athe: Escribo, escribo, me derrito sobre mi asiento, corrijo, lloro y después programo. Es un ciclo sin fin. Ocasionalmente me río como una demente mientras como Pringles.

Sam: Dibujo y coloreo sin salirme de las líneas (casi siempre) los sprites, las ilustraciones y los desvaríos que suelen surgir a partir de las 3 de la mañana. 

Illy: Las traducciones a inglés.

Sher: Hago fonditos

¿Qué herramientas utilizas (hardware/software)?

Athe: Recientemente mi PC de sobremesa ha fallecido, así que he tenido que rescatar mi viejo PC del trastero, también tengo un portatil que me salva la vida más veces de las que me gustaría admitir. En cuanto al software, necesito, sobre todo, documentos de drive, programas de edición de video, imagen etc (tengo un paquete de Adobe) y por supuesto Renpy y Atom.

Sam: Mi principal amiga y compañera es mi tableta, una wacom intuos S (color pistacho, muy cuqui.) Como programas uso sobretodo el Paint Tool Sai, porque no hay nada en esta vida como su estabilizador. Y con menos frecuencia de lo que querría (para detalles, pinceles de texturas, efectos…) también utilizo el Clip Studio Paint, el cual sólo se usar como a un 2% de su capacidad… Si algún día tengo tiempo me encantaría pararme a aprender seriamente todo lo que se puede hacer con él. 

Illy: Durante el curso vivo en una residencia, así que uso un portatil del año que reinó carolo, y cuando vuelvo a mi casa un ordenador de sobremesa que nunca tiene espacio en la memoria. Los capítulos los traduzco en el mismo Atom en el que está el guión completo y los guardo en drive donde los comparto con nuestra beta reader. También uso programas de edición como photoshop cuando tengo que traducir viñetas o procreate para cuando mis habilidades artísticas son requeridas.

Sher: ipad+procreate+algún retoquito final en photoshop no necesito mucho más

¿Cuál es tu parte de favorita del trabajo?

Athe: ¿Estaría mal si digo que es cuando sacamos el episodio? Durante toda la producción todo es muy estresante, hay veces, que se hace realmente cuesta arriba, pero cuando liberamos un nuevo capítulo sienta taaaan bien. Es como decirte a ti misma, sí, joder, puedo hacerlo. Mira todo lo que has escalado tú solita. Lo estás haciendo bien.

Sam: En general, mis partes favoritas son cuando se empiezan a programar las primeras escenas, y puedo ver los sprites con los fondos, los textos, y cómo se ven las ilustraciones. Todo queda siempre mucho mejor cuando se ve dentro del juego… También me gusta mucho poder cotillear el guión conforme se va escribiendo. Y de la parte artística que me toca, cuando veo que mis manos plasman la idea que tenía en mi cabeza… Sobretodo en diseños de personajes. 

Illy: Tener que buscar la forma de traducir a inglés expresiones muy nuestras, investigar vocabulario que no he tenido que usar jamás y comentar algunas traducciones con nuestra beta reader (a la que adoramos) para conseguir que se entienda sin perder el significado original.

Sher: me gusta hacer el lineart cuando el sketch está completo, si ya no tengo que pensar nada más y es solo ir repasando me parece muy divertido y relajante

¿Cuál es la parte que más te cuesta?

Athe: Ufff, sí, lo admito, escribir a veces es lo PEOR. Otras me encanta, sobre todo, cuando puedo explayarme con las descripciones o detenerme en una parte íntima o que a mí me parece interesante (por ejemplo, la conversación de Hasiel del 6.3, pequeño spoiler :P). Pero, ODIO tener que empastar escenas, a menudo el protagonista se mueve de escenarios y hay que agregar siempre líneas a esas transiciones que realmente no interesan a nadie, pero que de lo contrario el texto quedaría mal montado. En fin… Es un mundo muy amplio, con mucha historia, tengo que lidiar con lo que necesito que los lectores sepan para entender los hechos, aunque a veces se haga un pelín peñazo.

Sam: Qué parte no… Qui��nes, más bien e.e Zihel y Ariel son mi espinita. Especialmente Zihel. Sé que tiene que ver con el hecho de que nunca ha sido mi punto fuerte dibujar chicos, y menos si son de aspecto más masculino… Por eso también sufro mucho dibujando músculos. Otra cosa que me trae de cabeza es la perspectiva de las ilustraciones. Cada vez que intento salirme un poco del típico plano o poses… No sale bien. 

Illy: El tartamudeo de Doughy ¬.¬ 

Sher: sillas, sofás, mesas… cualquier cosa con cuatro patas son mis enemigos

¿Algo que te ayude o anime mientras estás trabajando?

Athe: Necesito música, no, en serio, LA NECESITO. Soy incapaz de concentrarme sin ella. Si ya consigo que lo que escucho haga de caja de resonancia de lo que escribo, el texto es mil veces mejor… Pero la musa es bastante mala gente.

Sam: Tener alguna serie/peli de fondo que me entretenga. Cuanto más larga mejor, así no me toca pararme a ver qué es lo que quiero poner después. 

Illy: Comer pipas para engañar a mi cerebro y no tener la tentación de ponerme a hacer otra cosa que me distraiga.

Sher: intento ver otros artistas para motivarme e inspirarme antes de empezar a dibujar, lo que más me cuesta es ese empujón inicial y es donde necesito la motivación, luego ya suelo tener algo de fondo pero no es necesario

¿Algo que te corte el rollo o te desmotive?

Athe: Los nudos narrativos. Generalmente, no son nudos gordos de la trama (eso está decidido casi en su totalidad), a menudo son decisiones pequeñas para pasar de la escena A a la escena B, pero puedo tirarme MUCHO tiempo decidiendo cuál es la forma más rápida y mejor planteada para atar esos dos cabos. Soy lo peor.

Sam: Muchas veces a la hora de empezar, no conseguir encajar las poses como quiero, por ejemplo. 

Illy: Encontrar muchas partes seguidas que me cueste especialmente resolver y que me hacen creer que no tengo ni idea de hablar inglés. Y mirar cuantas líneas me quedan todavía.

Sher: cuando no se como rellenar alguna zona, si veo algo muy vacío pero no se como solucionarlo puedo tirarme días mirando la pantalla sin ser capaz de avanzar, incluso aunque tenga otras zonas que pudiera ir haciendo mientras

¿Qué no puede faltar en tu mesa o superficie de trabajo?

Athe: Libretas, post-its, bolígrafos… Soy una persona que lo anota todo, sobre todo, las tareas, pero también ordeno la historia por esquemas de colores. La pila de post-its tienen 9 colores diferentes, cada uno representa un personaje y juego mucho con ellos para miles de idioteces. A parte, a pesar de que llevo muchos más años escribiendo a ordenador de los que escribí a mano, sigo teniendo querencia a lo físico.

Sam: Café, chucherías, chocolate, cereales… Y gatos. 

Illy: El móvil, las pipas, un vaso de 1L de agua de Capital America: Civil War, post-its que me recuerdan las tareas.

Sher: no tengo nada realmente lol todas mis cosas son de adorno 

¿Tus horas más productivas?

Athe: Búho. Nocturna totalmente. A pesar de que tengo varias crisis al mes para forzarme a trabajar a otras horas que acaban siempre… Mal.

Sam: También por la noche en su mayoría, aunque ya no aguanto trasnochando tanto como antes de trabajar (qué tiempos aquellos…) Aunque a media tarde cuando el zoo que tengo en casa aún está echando la siesta también consigo dar un buen empujón. 

Illy: Desde que acabo de comer hasta las 7 o las 8 de la tarde, cuando no tengo que cocinar, limpiar, hacer recados...

Sher: le tomo el testigo a Illy aparentemente, a partir de las 7 u 8 es cuando empiezo a entrar en el mood hasta que llega la hora de dormir

¿Las horas de trabajo hacen que te olvides de comer o te hacen comer el doble?

Athe: Depende, antes comía mucho, ahora, si tengo estrés no como nada. Si me encuentro en un rango productivo normal y no estoy de los nervios, probablemente, esté comiendo por inercia.

Sam: Me hacen comer más, pero sobretodo porquerías e.e Y hacen que me olvide de las comidas sanas, sobretodo de cenar por la noche. 

Illy: Depende de mi estado de ánimo, pero normalmente comer el doble.

Sher: en general soy una persona MUY distraída así que no suelo conseguir centrarme en una tarea para llegar a ninguno de esos dos modos pero supongo que cuando estoy muuuuuuy dentro de la tarea, me olvido. Pero eso pasa como un par de veces al año y “olvido” es “lo retraso una hora”.

¿Qué parte de tu set up mejorarías/cambiarías (en estética o funcionalidad) si no tuvieses límite de dinero?

Athe: Estoy tratando de que alguno de mis periféricos peguen con el resto. Todos son de un maldito color diferente, al parecer estoy maldita… Ahora en serio, desearía tener una mejor gráfica que me permitiese hacer videocapturas, unos altavoces y una impresora de calidad.

Sam: En realidad, no creo que necesitara nada más complejo de lo que ya tengo… Pero por mejorar, me llaman la atención las tabletas más profesionales, las grandes con la pantalla incluida y eso. 

Illy: Un portátil nuevo que me deje abrir 4 pestañas de chrome, el Atom y photoshop al mismo tiempo sin quedarse tieso.

Sher: Una pantalla de pc que no me cambiara los colores que uso en el ipad seria bonito la verdad 

¿A qué personaje te pareces más? ¿Y por qué?

Athe: Ufff Creo que la respuesta fácil sería decir Akane… Pero, Akane es mejor persona. :P

Sam: Esto es muy complicado… Son todos muy distintos, pero aún así no creo que me parezca mucho a ninguno. Por decir algo, me podría identificar con la tendencia a evitar problemas de Maske, y su lado más casero y tranquilo. Y bueno… Dado que Akane es OC mío de hace muchos años, seguramente tenga algo de ella también. 

Illy: Creo que en parte tengo el instinto de alejarme de las movidas de Maske, y por otro la superficialidad de Joe, aunque tbh ojalá parecerme realmente a nuestros bebés geniales.

Sher: sorprendida porque (unpopular opinión por aquí) es de los que “menos me importan” realmente pero diría que Pin porque es tontito, feliz y probablemente tenga una habitación satánica y orgulloso de ello

Tu CG/arte favorito.

Athe: DE MOMENTO. Maske capítulo 1. No podría ser más predecible. Lo sé.

Sam: Coincido bastante en la de Maske del capítulo 1. Pero también metería en el top la de Pin del capítulo 5 y la de Akane del capítulo 6.2. 

Illy: ¿¿Kyeran en el tanque de Coco?? ¿Es siquiera real? Ser básica es mi marca.

Sher: sorprendida de nuevo y decepcionada pero diría que la de Hasiel de ángel porque me gustan los vestidos bonitos, los pelos bonitos y las alas bonitas

Tu BG/escenario favorito.

Athe: Me flipa el Barrio Rojo. Me gusta la vida de ese sitio, su historia, pero la forma de plasmarlo… Uggg Sher lo llevó a otro nivel. La suciedad de la calle, la nocturnidad, los edificios constreñidos...

Sam: Creo que me quedo con el de la plaza de Raziel, me gusta mucho desde el primer día. 

Illy: No sé si puedo elegir solo uno T__T pero diría que el Barrio Rojo y el bar de Valefar están en el top.

Sher: por no repetir el barrio rojo que también me gusta mucho, me gustan mucho las zonas del laboratorio de Coco, incluida la zona “principal” aunque la perspectiva sea horrible y haga a los pj parecer diminutos, pero me gusto como quedo :( 

¿Tu capítulo favorito hasta las fecha?

Athe: Ufff… El uno y el dos os aseguro que no, jajaja. Diré que el tres, pero también por cosas que no son necesariamente del capítulo, sino de la producción. Fue un buen momento. Sentí que todo estaba fluyendo con facilidad. Todas asumimos un rol claro, unos tiempos que nos hacían sentir cómodas y capaces de asumir lo que venía después, creo que fue un salto cualitativo también, tanto en los textos, como en el arte.

Sam: Ay. Pues a ver… El capítulo 5 es una pasada para mi, por todo lo que pasa pero también porque hay muchas interacciones personalizadas y elecciones. No puedo decir que tenga un favorito definitivo, pero podría acercarse… También me gusta mucho de los últimos el 6.2. 

Illy: El capítulo 5 tiene tantos detalles, pasan tantas cosas, que es difícil que no sea mi favorito, pero los ultimos de rutas específicas son tan geniales que si me quedo con el 5 es con un poco de dolor de tener que elegir uno.

Sher: Diría el 5 también porque al final cuando pasan muchas cosas es cuando mas se te queda grabado

Twitter​ | Instagram​ | Itch

[themildestofwriters-ocs]

Odd number NSFW questions for Josie?

NSFW WARNING for the below

1. What ways would you label yourself, if any? Are any of those labels ones you’ve struggled with finding or more private than others? If you don’t use specific labels, why?

If we’re talking general labels (sexuality, gender, etc.) Josephine identifies personally as a lesbian, and she’s open about it to everyone in her life. When she’s in a new space, she’s more conservative with that information but once she knows that the place is LGBTQA+ friendly (or at least non-hostile), she’s more free with that information.

If we're talking for labels regarding her sex life, the most she has is “top” and  “domme,” though even then she finds it weird to call herself a “domme” aloud in certain situations. These labels, personally, are kinda private in that she doesn’t talk about it with family and she only jokes about it with certain friends because she doesn’t feel comfortable talking about her sex life with some of them.

3, Do any of your senses tend to stimulate/arouse you more easily than others? Are there any specific sensations/stimuli that you’re very sensitive to, and does your partner know/utilize them?

Tactile! Josephine’s very tactile. It’s part of the reason she and Babette can be found constantly hugging, snuggling, and cuddling! Her tactile nature also relates to sex and certain touches and physical sensations do make her very horny. Examples include light scratches, nibbling, faint kissing, massaging etc. 

And yes, Babette knows and utilizes it a lot, even for non-sexual encounters.

5. What’s something your partner does subconsciously during foreplay/sex that you really enjoy “unlocking”?

Unfortunately, I’m not really sure how to answer this. One idea could potentially be Babette’s “purring,” but I’m not sure if it fits. The one answer I couldn’t answer.

7, What’s your favourite feature of your partner's body? Do you show it any special attention during foreplay/sex? What about your partner’s favourite features of yours? How do you know?

This is an interesting question because there’s a lot about Babette that Josephine loves. I think I’ll split this question into “muggle” and “supernatural” because it’s a bit unfair to either part 

On the muggle end, Josephine’s a thigh girl and Babette’s thighs are no exception. Whether it’s kissing, nibbling, massaging, running her nails across them, she’ll pay special attention to them. And, for Babette, it’s heaven.

For the supernatural aspects of Babette’s body, Josephine particularly likes the wings, not only for their texture and aesthetic, but also because they’re toned as fuck. The tentacles are a close second, but Josephine loves Babette’s wings and will pay particular attention to them, whether it’s grooming or if it’s teasing the wing base (which is sensitive to the touch).

On Babette’s end regarding what she likes... well, I don’t think you’d be able to get an answer out of her for a variety of reasons but Josephine knows it’s either her boobs or butt.

9, Is there something you’ve only ever done with your partner? Why them? Do they know?

Josephine has only ever bottomed with Babette, though she has tried it with other people it has never worked out. With Babette, though, it does because of Babette’s disposition and because of the reason why Babette wants to top. She’s also only ever done anything remotely public with Babette as well, partly because she knows Babette can make the whole thing safer yet still exciting, but mainly because she trusts Babette.

11, How does a typical/recent time with your partner compare to the first time with them? What’s the most important/notable thing about your time together that you’ve learned since then?

Well, for a start, there was less crying involved. Josephine’s first time with Babette was an... overwhelming experience (to say the least) for the latter, but after that, as Babette got used it it all, there weren’t any tears involved.

They’ve also gotten a bit more kinkier. Josephine’s first time with Babette was quite tame and very soft and emotion driven -- and while some of their sex has continued to be tame, soft, and emotion driven, they’ve also gotten into some of the kinkier stuff, along with expanding their dating pool.

As for what she’s learned... sex is more than just an orgasm. It’s not that she believed it was only about an orgasm, but it’s something that she’s more conscious about..

13, What’s your favourite place that you’ve had sex? What about places you’d like to but haven’t yet?

In house: I think Josephine would say... at the desk? It’s a versatile place where it’s Babette tied up under or bent over or laying on top.

In (semi)public: The bathroom of a night club. It’s a nice mix of public and private with a seedy atmosphere that fits the deed. Of course, there is a caveat that the place must be relatively clean (though Babette’s magic can help in that situation).

Of the places Josephine would like to try is under the table at a diner, very secretive like. But honestly the idea terrifies her a bit more than it excites her. So, it’s unlikely to happen any time soon, but perhaps in the future.

15, Your partner’s not around but you’re horny, what do you do about it?

Usually masturbation, tbh.

17, Are there any embarrassing stories or compromising situations you’ve been caught in? Who handled it better? You or your partner?

Of course! There’ve been times when parents have arrived home early or friends have decided upon a surprise visit. Fortunately, they’ve had luck when it comes to semi-public play but that’s because they’re far more aware of their surroundings when do that and Babette’s magic makes it a lot safer for everyone involved.

Josephine herself always handled the situation with more composure because Babette just freezes like a deer in the headlights or makes the situation a bit worse by freaking out in a fit of embarrassment.

19, How do you feel leaving marks on your partner’s body? what about your own? Is it more about “marking/claiming” for others to see or is it more about sensations while the marks are being created?

Josephine adores the idea of marking her partner’s body, specifically Babette. Part of it is her “claiming” her girlfriend. A “this is mine,” type deal. But there’s also a bit of an empowering aspect to it because she’s kinda marking a goddess as “her’s,” and, to her, it’s just aesthetically pleasing. It also makes Babette feel good which is always a plus.

On the receiving end... yeah, she doesn’t mind marking and marking another in turn. Getting marked, to her, is kind of a reminder that someone loves her and her body. It’s validation. But it also feels good, tbh.

21, Conception: how does procreator or the prevention of it factor into your sexual relationship? Are you a parent or do you want to be? If you and your partner can’t conceive, would you explore other avenues? If so, which ones?

This is a complicated (yet also simple) question, to be honest. She doesn’t think about conception and contraception that much, to be honest. However, she does have birth control in the form of a hormonal IUD, specifically for her period. Though, it did become useful a few times when sleeping with a girl who did have the ability to get her pregnant.

As for kids... it was always something she was on the fence about. Her main thoughts were always of adoption (she did not want to get pregnant), but with Babette things were a bit different. Then Babette got pregnant and it was a long couple of months as the two discussed what to do about it and it was eventually decided that it was time. They had the resources for it, they had the maturity for it, and she was actually getting a bit excited about it.

23, What’s a non-sexual act of intimacy that you and your partner engage in?

A lot. Josephine and Babette are both very tactile and they can often be seen hugging, snuggling, kissing, and all that jazz. But outside of the usual suspects, they brush and style one another’s hair, dress each other, shower together, and yeah, you get the picture.

25, What do you typically do after the act (part, cuddle, sleep, talk, clean up, etc.)?

Aftercare is an important aspect but ultimately it depends on a lot of factors. If they’re utterly exhausted, they might clean up then cuddle before sleeping. If they’re not exhausted, 

if they leaned heavily into the BDSM aspect of their relationship, aftercare will be a bigger aspect. They’ll clean up first, but during which and afterwards, they’ll talk, reassure their partner that they enjoyed the act, and generally try to make their partner feel better. Some sweets will inevitably make an appearance whether it’s chocolate or lollies, and they’ll end up snuggling on the couch watching TV or something else that is low energy. 

[houseofvans]

ART SCHOOL | INTERVIEW WITH JUSTINE JONES

Baltimore based artist and illustrator Justine Jones creates her vein of psychedelic fantasy horror drawings–filled with tiny black lines and an occasional pop of bright colors–which have been featured on the covers of Kobold Press and Warlock magazine. Using the hashtag #VisibleWomen to amplify the voices and portfolios of women comic artists, Justine has be able to do more illustrative work and character design. We’re excited to find out more about Justine’s artistic journey, her love of role-playing games, comics, art, her influences and much more. . .  Take the leap! 

Photography courtesy of the artist. 

Introduce yourself?    Hi, I’m Justine!  I’ve lived in Baltimore Maryland for the past decade and currently live in a small apartment downtown with my partner and my shiba inu Mo, who is a cool and grumpy guy.

How would you describe your work to someone who is just coming across it? I used to call it storybook surrealism, but now I guess it’s more like psychedelic fantasy horror?  Monsters and Wizards.  Lots of tiny black lines, sometimes with lots of bright intense colors.

How did you start from doodling and drawing to what you do now? I feel like it sort of happened organically.  When I was younger, I would do just pencil drawings, and then in my late teens, I got more into using micron pens.  I didn’t really discover color until a few years ago, so I’m a huge color noob.  I think a lot of it also came from working in comic shops for years and going to conventions.  Seeing all of these amazing artists grow, and thinking hey, I could maybe also do that! I first started with t-shirt designs because it just seemed really fun, and I used to have a really hard time selling prints.  People don’t need more prints, but they can always use clothes!  Now i’m getting more into illustrative work and character design, and I’m loving it!

Who and what were some of your early artistic influences? When I was a baby, my dad hung an Aubrey Beardsley print over my crib.  My mom thought it would make me deranged, and maybe it did, but it also made me love ink work and Art Nouveau style haha.  I was obsessed with sword and sorcery stuff and loooved cartoons like He-Man and She-ra, and later, Pirates of Darkwater. I also spent a lot of time in elementary school copying sexy comic book ladies from 90s comics, and I know that is pretty far from what I do now, but it’s honestly how I learned to draw.  I also copied a lot from children’s storybooks when I was little.  

What are some things that inspire the drawings you make? What are some of your favorite creatures and beings you like to explore in your art? Video games are a huge inspiration to me, from SNES JRPGs, to games like Dark Souls and Bloodborne.  Also folklore and mythology from around the world, and fantasy artwork from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s.  Basically anything fantasy.  My favorite things to draw are wizards and monsters.  I love body horror, anything disgusting and beautiful at the same time.  I take a lot of inspiration from Manga, like Berserk, or anything Junji Ito.  I’ve done a lot of Illustrations for Clark Ashton Smith stories, which I find endlessly inspiring, visually.  Just like, fantasy/ sci fi/ dying earth type stuff.

When did you start collaborating with Kobold Press on creating some awesome fantasy art covers for their publications?  I remember getting the email from them when I was on the way to Necronomicon Providence in 2017.  I thiiiink they found my stuff through the visible women hashtag on twitter?  I was very excited because I owned some of their adventures from back in the day when I played Pathfinder!!  Plus, I have always always wanted to draw things for table top RPGs, so it’s been really cool to actually do it! The Warlock mag that I’ve been doing covers for is awesome because it’s going for an old school DND vibe, but it’s all things that are made for 5th edition.  You can get it on their patreon, and I hiiiighly recommend it to anyone who plays 5e dnd!!  

Take us through your artistic process? What’s a typical day in the studio like? Haha extremely chaotic!  I don’t even have a real set workspace, which I really need to change, I just draw where ever. Just chill out, listen to music or a podcast, and draw.  If I’m further along in a drawing and don’t need to focus so much, I’ll watch movies or video gameπ– let’s plays while I’m drawing.  I also love to listen to/ watch things that are in theme with what I’m drawing, to give me some inspiration.  I try to go to coffee shops to change things up sometimes!  Basically I just do a bunch of sketches until something materializes, and then I will just slowly refine the sketch.  I guess it’s not that exciting, but it’s cool to see the first sketch and the finished product because in my head, the sketch always looked like the finished product, but when you go back to look at it, it’s usually just indecipherable scribbles.

What are your essential art tools and materials? 90% of my art is just done using a .05 mechanical pencil and micron pens.  I also draw everything on smooth bristol.  If I have time and want to make my lines super crisp before I scan them in, i will use a light box.   Then for color, I generally use Kyle T Webster brushes in Photoshop with my Wacom tablet.   If I’m on the go, I like to draw things in Procreate on my iPad Pro, but I’m definitely not as good at doing detailed lines digitally.  

What do you do when you’re not drawing or working on projects? How do you unplug? Haha, I wish I ever truly unplugged, I think my brain is now melded into the internet!  But mostly I love to play video games.  JRPGs and anything From Software/ Soulsborne (currently obsessed with Sekiro!)  I also love comics and manga.  I’ve been reading The Girl From the Other Side, which is a beautiful dark fairytale Manga by Nagabe.  I also just got one called Witch Hat Atelier, which has the most amazing art! My partner also owns an insane amount of board games, so we play a lot of those.  I’m obsessed with coffee, and work part time at a coffee shop, and my favorite thing in the world to do is eat good food.    

What has been the most challenging project you’ve worked on? How did you overcome those obstacles and what did you take away from it? I made a kind of cosmic horror short story in mini comic form last year for SPX, I had very little time,  and it was my first time actually writing a story/ dialogue to go with my pictures.  It was insanely challenging.  I ended up with a finished product that I’m really proud of and that I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback on.  I think it really drove home the fact that I just need to stick with things and finish them, even if I don’t feel like they’re perfect.  I’m never going to have the time that I want, and I’m never going to feel like anything is perfect.  I can still make a great thing!  

What advice would you give someone who wants to follow in your footsteps and pursue art? Don’t spend 4 years doing nothing, but playing World of Warcraft (Or doooo?).  Uhhh, believe in yourself.  Be nice to other artists.  Draw all the time! Immerse yourself in things that inspire you!  Also, like I said before, things don’t need to be perfect.  Let go of perfect, because sometimes it’s an unattainable ideal.  Just do as good as you can, and don’t beat yourself up so much!  I’m horrible at advice!!!

What’s your best Art School tip that you want to share with folks?   Haha, I moved to Baltimore to go to MICA like, 14 years ago, and then realized I was poor, and would never be able to go to MICA… sooo… I never went to real art school.  I wanted to go so bad, and I still wish I’d had that experience, but I want other people who can’t afford it to know that you don’t NEED it.  Things are a bit harder, but you can find so much free info online if you have the drive, you can teach yourself so many things.  Don’t get discouraged just because art school isn’t gonna happen for you.

What are your favorite style of VANS? I love my lavender/ sea fog Authentic Vans, because they basically go with anything, but I am always eyeing those Sk8-His.

Anything you can share that is coming up?   Ahhhh, I have some realllly cool things that I can’t share yet, but just everyone keep an eye out (It will be very exciting, i swear)!!  As for things I can share, I’m working on some new t-shirt designs, and another comic, and also plan on drawing some more cool wizards in my spare time.   So if you wanna see some cool wizards, uhhh, come to my Instagram–you guys!  Let’s hang out and look at wizards.  And talk about wizards.  And if you don’t like wizards well, don’t come I guess.

FOLLOW JUSTINE: INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE | TWITTER | STORE 

[roradraws]

Looking to get into digital art. Any advice/sources/beginner tips you could share? Thanks a ton

Heyo! Thanks for your question! It took a while to get back to you, I know, but hopefully this lengthy post makes up for it, hehe. :D 

Here’s some general advice/mini tutorials I thought might be useful for a beginner (some of it is just general art advice that I think is useful to remember when getting into digital art). Hope this helps and let me know how you go!

***

The boring important stuff

What kind of digital art do you want to create? 

Might seem kind of redundant, but knowing what kind of art (highly realistic, illustration, manga etc.) will help you develop the right skills for you. 

Focusing on one, maybe two, big styles/techniques/skills at a time will help you improve faster rather than focusing on a bunch of little things at once.

So just pick something you know you want to learn/improve etc. and go from there. 

Draw. draw, draw. Play around and experiment. 

The best thing you can do to learn and improve your digital art is draw a lot. When I first started there weren’t a lot of resources, especially the kind of stuff I wanted to do. And the tutorials I did find were so complicated I couldn’t do them anyway. Because of this, I think I did something like five drawings in three years. Pretty sad, huh? My work hardly improved at all and it felt demoralising. Sometimes I think back and wonder how much I could have grown if I had practiced regularly. 

Resource: https://youtu.be/emcO79uteN4 (drawing advice)

Learn how to use your chosen tablet and program.

You don’t have to become a master at it, but learning the basics will go a long way. There’s a lot of tutorials for most of the digital art programs. You can just do a quick search and find videos explaining the basics. This will make your life easier!

Now for the basic digital art, mini tutorial stuff:

Linework basics:

Pen pressure

Each tablet will feel different, as will each program, so it never hurts to play around with your pen settings to find what’s comfortable. You can find quick tutorials that will show you how to adjust your specific pen pressure. 

Stability

“Everyone has such clean, smooth lines! Except me! Mine are wobbly and terrible! They suck!” 

No, friend, they have their pen stability adjusted to suit them, or have downloaded a brush set that helps them. Stability settings will depend on what program you’re using. 

There are heaps of brush packs out there, but for linework specifically you’d want something that has a kind of slanted tip. 

I often change what brushes I use, but some I like are:

https://gumroad.com/l/JYdba

https://sellfy.com/georgvw (lots of stuff here but costs a little. Inktober set it good)

They’re for procreate, but you could easily find some for photoshop or other programs too.

Inking/Line weight

This can be a little bit difficult to explain, and I’m not sure of any tutorial in particular that I think explains it completely. Your line work will add depth to your piece (unless the kind of art you’re doing is without linwork, then feel free to skip this).

The basics are:

Thicker lines are generally for things that need to be bolder, materials/substances that are more coarse or dense (e.g. thick jacket, boulders), for objects that are closer to you, and also for things that are more in shadow.

Thinner lines are generally for things that need to be more transparent, wispy (hair, for example), for light materials/substances (e.g negligee, leaves), objects that a further away or less important, and things that are in bright light.

Small example: 

(yeah I couldn’t help but add a little she-ra to this post...)

The exception to the rule:

Overall, most people would agree that they want their art to look good/be compelling over something that is technically accurate. If this means making bolder lines on something that would typically be thin (maybe someone’s hair, for example) because it adds extra depth and an interesting look -- then you should do that. 

Example, what I generally do with my lines:

Shadows/Light Source

This can make your art go up a notch, and give greater depth to your illustrations -- even if you’re doing just some sketching. Knowing where your light source is will add more depth to both colour and black and white works. It can be tricky getting them right sometimes, but here are some general examples/rules.

(also, I’m no expert at this. these are just some things that I find generally useful).

Light source/Shadow examples:

Depending on the direction of the light source, will depend on where the shadows are.

(and of course I had to use zuko too because the dramatic lighting is perfect on him)

Shadows will change depending on the object, and the direction of the light. 

Some things to keep in mind:

Things in shadow will generally have less detail (unless you decide you don’t want to do that for certain effects).

Interesting shadow shapes will usually win over making things technically correct.

Even googling “light source references” shows some decent results:

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBAU805AU805&biw=1536&bih=754&tbm=isch&sxsrf=ACYBGNQPqF22f6P5Fsz2VnrUFzOJ-RV8TA%3A1574554362929&sa=1&ei=-srZXfmuOPSH4-EPwOWouAs&q=light+source+refernce&oq=light+source+refernce&gs_l=img.3...568.1258..1376...0.0..0.274.1470.2-6......0....1..gws-wiz-img.......0j0i5i30j0i8i30.X4dgUAjeEVQ&ved=0ahUKEwj5k-2LyIHmAhX0wzgGHcAyCrcQ4dUDCAc&uact=5#imgrc=_

Also, this is a good resource too:

https://youtu.be/ZJkIaMECW6c 

Basic Colour Theory/Colour Tips

Complementary colours are those that are found opposite one another on the colour wheel. They go great together in work because it can add contrast, drama, intensity, and just some great colour design.

When using complementary colours, it’s easy to just pick two colours opposite each other and decide to colour with them in equal amounts.

While this can be nice, if it’s the look you’re going for, it can also be overbearing if that’s not the look you wanted. One of the things I was taught by an artist friend, was to try and use the complementary as an accent colour -- to make things pop and come to life in the work.

These are just some things to keep in mind, and either way is good.

Resources:

https://youtu.be/Qj1FK8n7WgY

 Colour theory continued -- Building Palettes:

So, building palettes that work/using only a few colours (something I’m still trying to learn!). There are many ways to do this. You can use a complementary pallet, an analogous palette for a harmonious effect, or even a monochromatic palette .

There’s also a triadic approach (plus a few other ones I don’t often use), but I honestly haven’t thought much about this so I’m not sure what advice I can give. 

It’s basically three colors that are equally apart on the wheel, for example: red, blue and yellow. If you find this interesting and end up using it, show me the results -- I’d love to see!

*I’m a big fan of doing things either complementary or analogue when building colour palettes, but monochromatic paintings can have an amazing effect and it’s something I will definitely be trying in the future.

note: colour theory is in-depth, and a lot more complicated than this (largely due to most of us being taught incorrect colour theory as children -- technically some of the colour theory above is not quite correct but a comprehensive colour theory guide would take tutorial of it’s own). So if you’d like to know more just let me know.

Resources:

https://www.google.com/search?q=color+palette+ideas&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBAU805AU805&sxsrf=ACYBGNQJtnt9SzKjFpxC-HXzuivXPW6vGg:1574906679811&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjViNHJ6IvmAhUv6XMBHaaHAp8Q_AUoAXoECAwQAw

 Over Saturation

Saturated work can look really great if that’s what you’re going for, but a lot of the time this is something that happens by accident when learning how to use colours and it can look quite garish.

There’s a few things you can do to help with this.

Make a colour palette or guide before you begin to colour so don’t accidentally over saturate

Find a colour palette that suits your work and use them as your palette

If you’ve  finished a piece, and it’s already too late to change it you can play around with the colour settings in your program (photoshop and procreate both have some settings you can toy with that can reduce saturation intensity)

*just like using complementary colours as an accent, you can use minimal bits of saturated colour to draw attention to certain aspects of your work you want noticed

 A few other little things

●       Another thing to think about is composition -- planning how you want your art to look (which could be something like: including negative space, using the rule of thirds, making a specific feature the anchor of the piece, line of sight etc.)

●       Make a pinterest board (or whatever else might help). I make boards for things that inspire me, tutorials I might like to try, references, and even separate boards for individual projects. It can be a great place to store your ideas!

●       Also, remember that you don’t need to start doing all these things at once. Start small. Small is good. :)

●       Every once and a while go over the things you think you know well. You’ll be surprised how much a little revision can improve your skills, even with something you’re good at.

●       USE REFERENCES!!!

 So how was this? If you’d like me to go more in-depth in a specific area, I can sure try! Excited to see how your journey goes and I hope this helped! ^_^

xoxo

Rora

[pixelatedlenses]

Day 345

So yesterday (I’m currently on day 344) I spent most of the day just... resting. I’ll admit that I haven’t had the action packed busy break I wanted, but honestly.. that might be for the best.

By and large the oppressive humidity has kept me in, though I did spent a few days out with friends, which honestly, were lovely. and I still have one last week of low-key work, which means that next Friday, I can definitely go see a movie still. (Especially since next week brings pay day!)

But yesterday, despite the heat, I did get a few things done.

Collected A LOT of books for donation

To be precise, I collected two L-size IKEA bags and a clothing hamper (about... 70cm / 27.5in in height) of books. And it felt really, really good. 

I’m really trying to move a fair portion of my manga collection to BookWalker, a legal digital manga app. I’m also trying to use my Shonen Jump and Shueisha apps more. There’s definitely series I want physically (manga with matte covers, light novels, ect.) but by and large, anything I’ve bough in duplicate, anything I haven’t read after a year... I wanted it gone.

So I culled a ton of books.

I won’t have a final count until next week when I start to box up the books. At minimum, I’m going to send six boxes: you get free pick-up when you do. Plus, I can send my books to a good place. I don’t even necessarily need to make money: I just want to know that someone somewhere will be able to enjoy them.

Studied Procreate

Finally, I sat down with my Udemy course on Procreate and created!

I’ll admit that Procreate is an intimidating program: there’s so many brushes and options and... just things that I don’t use when I use Medibang. But, I think it’s also really, really good for me to know another program, especially since I do work using an iPad.

I probably did 80 minutes of study: mostly, I got to know the interface of the program, which is something that’s really grounded me in how to use Procreate. I plan on using it -overall- more for my non-illustration work. I’d like to learn how to paint in Procreate, actually. Medibang -at the moment- serves me best for my illustrations and fanwork media.

(Also, you can check out my art on Twitter @mellowmelonpan, and specifically, you can see my rough spheres here!)

I have to say yesterday was pleasant. I’m going to go to Daiso today for some essentials, then over to the ramen shop for a midday bowl of miso chashu (or maybe the gyoza shop today and ramen tomorrow... depends on the weather) and then I’ll be back in to study some Japanese and do a bit of cleaning. 

Taking it easy feels nice: I’ll be a much more efficient teacher this term because of it.