#But trying to find a way to make the linework feel clear.. crisp.. and yet not so thin that it feels like it just disappears or make the ma

[fdragon-art]

Day 131 - Map Madness

"...how the hell should I make this look??"

[judithan-fr]

Tutorial: How I Render Accents

PART 1: LINES

a quick disclaimer: as stated on the title, this is how I render accents and obviously a lot of it will not apply to whatever style/method/etc that you may use. Another thing is there are some aspects of my style that will seem obvious to me that I may overlook explaining. please consider this a more generalized guide than a step-by-step.

So, first things first: the lines themselves.

I'm going to be making an entry for Brightshine for this tutorial, so it'll be the example i use. I use Clip Studio Paint for all of my accents and I specifically use the asset found in the CSP asset store called SOIPEN for my lines, specifically on a size 3. I feel it does a good job of getting crisp yet soft lines and matches well to the line weight of the dragons line art. I typically do not zoom in very far and try to focus on making the outer silhouette ares bold and the inner lines soft. This gives a crisp edge to the work and a definitive line that makes it easier to color later on.

Something to note if I utilize the line method of going back and forth between opaque and transparent colors. It's a hotkey you can set that effectively turns the same brush you're using into an eraser. It allows me to carve away segments to create that negative space (as seen on the middle of the flower above) rather than trying to perfectly draw in that specific circle shape. Negative space is a huge tool to master that can give a lot of depth to your work. It also helps to sometimes fill in segments or widen out segments that are just Barely touching. The less complications in the lines the better.

For the main feature, the flowers, I will typically find a reference showing a good clear outline of how the flowers look and simplify the shapes. The flowers in question here are Delphiniums and I've decided to render them upside down as if they're hanging. Simplifying the shapes and giving the illusion of the petal bunching is more effective than genuinely drawing each and every petal in a 100% accurate way. (also since it's for Brightshine I've replaced the flower bulbs at the ends with light bulbs)

When doing line work that goes right up to the edge of the dragon, I'll typically start with the line for the edge, then build from that. Also when it comes to narrow areas (like the tip of the wing there) I'll leave it blank and typically fill it in with gradients or other small things to not make it too busy.

A very important rule for making accents is: Do Not Invest In Details That Will Get Lost In Resizing. I don't make super small details that don't matter, for example if you look at the innermost part of the flowers they are blocky and somewhat large compared to how they actually are on the flowers. When they get resized they will barely maintain that level of detail.

With all of the linework done I'd like to point out how I do composition for my accents. I tend to have 2-3 main focal points (in this case it's the two major draping areas on the wings, and the flowing lace on the arms) and everywhere else is filled in with evenly distributed small bits. Originally the butterfly on the bottom left wing wasn't there in the sketch but when I looked at the accent lines for what I had I noticed an empty spot and filled it in with a matching motif.

Some main points of how I craft my accents include: keeping the main focal points and number of thematic motifs limited and deliberate. I could add a bunch of like, jewelry trinkets or more lace and really clutter the accent but by not doing that it gives the flowers room to breathe and be the star of the show. Also using references for flowers creates a much better image than winging it.

In the next part I'll go over my coloring/rendering process!

[pocket-luv101]

Moondust on the Titanic ‖ Chapter 2

Fandom: Servamp Pairings: KuroMahi, LawLicht (side) Characters: Kuro, Mahiru, Hyde, Licht, Tsurugi

Summary: Mahiru meets Kuro on the ship of dreams, the Titanic. (Titanic AU, Fem Mahiru) This AU is actually something I discussed with @damucochan. It turned out way longer than I thought it would so i split it up into parts.

Ch.1 // (Ch.2) // Ch.3 // Ch.4

Kuro felt the sun beaming on his face as he sat on a bench. The deck for third class was crowded but he found a lonely bench. He stared at the ocean that stretched for miles. His sketchbook sat on his lap but he was struggling to find something to draw. Brown eyes played on his mind and he thought of Mahiru. She had an expressive face. He pictured the smile she had as she talked with Licht and the longing she had last night. Kuro wondered what caused the loneliness he saw.

He turned his focus back to his sketchbook and reminded himself that it was best not to pry in her life. It was unlikely they would meet again after the dinner party. They lived in two different worlds, after all. He picked up his pencil and started to sketch a white cat. Kuro didn’t have much but he wanted to provide for his family with the skills he did have.

The light changed and Kuro looked up from his sketchbook. Mahiru stood before him with a sunny smile. He was surprised to see her in third class. She nodded towards the empty spot next to him and said, “May I sit and talk? I want to thank you again for last night. But, if you’re working, I don’t want to be a bother. I can come back later.”

“I don’t really have command over where people sit.” He shrugged. Kuro shifted on the bench to make more room for her and the silent invitation made her face beam. She didn’t hesitate to sit next to him. He patted his pocket where he kept the gloves she sent him last night. “Thanks for the gloves. You didn’t need to buy them for me.”

“It was my pleasure. I should apologize for my family’s behaviour. It was rude and unnecessary when you’ve done nothing wrong. I caused you a lot of trouble and you had to lie on my behalf too.” She bowed her head slightly. “Thank you for listening to me last night. Do the gloves fit you, Kuro?”

“They’re a perfect fit.” He slipped on the gloves to show her. She smiled when she saw him wear the gift she bought him. He had to note, “Your family allowed you to go into third class alone? If my sister was attacked, I would have someone escort her for her protection. Then again, Wrath is strong and she doesn’t need us to do that.”

“I sneaked away from my grandmother to talk to you.” Mahiru admitted. “My cousin is distracting her right now. I don’t know how I’ll repay her for that since my grandmother can be rather… difficult. Licht specifically told me she would only tolerate our grandmother for an hour. I’ll have to return before then. I can only imagine the fight they’ll have if I’m not there to stop them.”

“Between your controlling grandma and possessive fiancé, I’m surprise you can leave your room.” Kuro remembered the man he briefly met last night.

“That man was not my fiancé.” Mahiru was quick to correct him. He noticed how her body stiffened and her brows knit. It was clear that the man made her uncomfortable. “My grandmother is trying to pressure me into a marriage with him. I only met him yesterday and the last thing I would call him is charming. I don’t want to be his wife and be trapped in a life he chooses for me.”

“What is your dream?” It was a common question to Kuro but a rare one for Mahiru. Only four people in her life had ever asked her that: her mother, her uncle, Tsurugi and Licht. Everyone else had already decided her life for her. Mahiru worried that Kuro would laugh at her if she told him the truth. Then again, he didn’t judge her when she told him about catching moondust.

“I love art but I can’t draw or paint very well. When I visited a museum, I thought of something else I can do with my passion for art. I want to open a gallery and highlight artists. People can buy the artwork so the artist can make a living as well. Are you an artist, Kuro?” Mahiru saw him drawing earlier so she already knew the answer. “May I see what you’re sketching?”

“It’s nothing much.” Kuro insisted. She didn’t ask him again but he could see how curious she was. Her eyes begged him to show her the sketchbook even though she didn’t say a word. Did she know that she wore her emotions so openly? Her brown eyes tugged on his heart and he found himself placing his sketchbook on her lap. “People didn’t think much of them in Paris so you might not either.”

“Maybe you haven’t found your audience yet. If you’re a cartoonist, you should approach newspapers or children books for commissions.” She said as encouragement. Mahiru opened the sketchbook and she gasped softly. His art was breathtaking. The cat was half finished but she admired the small detail in the fur and the subtle shading. She was almost afraid to touch it and smudge the charcoal.

“This is beautiful, Kuro! You’re a talented artist,” Mahiru turned the page to look at his other sketches. “The lines are crisp. If you ever decide to hang this, make sure you place a light right above it so it’ll highlight your linework. For this next one, you don’t have a lot of white space. It’ll help this piece have contrast since you’re working with charcoal.”

“You’re very knowledgeable.” The compliment made Mahiru blush. He didn’t seem to notice though. She flipped through the sketchbook and suggested a few frame colours. She didn’t realize that she was leaning closer to him as they talked. Mahiru felt his breath brush over her cheek as he asked, “Is that why you’re going to America? To start your art studio?”

“I don’t know anymore.” Mahiru sighed. She wasn’t free to make her own choices. Her grandmother had strict expectations of her and she made Mahiru feel selfish whenever she argued. “I wrote to my uncle about my business plan for an art studio but all that work is going to waste now. My arranged marriage will force me to move west. Kazuma made it clear he disapproves of my goal.”

“It’s 1912. I thought arranged marriages became out of fashioned a hundred years ago.” Mahiru shrugged in response but she had a sad smile. Her expression tugged on his heart but he didn’t know what he could say to her. “Your uncle seem has an open mind since you’re able to talk to him about your studio. Maybe he can help you break the engagement.”

“Uncle Toru is one of the few people I can be myself around. He travels for work so I don’t see him often. He collects artwork. I think he’ll like yours.” She turned the page and the image made her face become red. It was a naked woman. Kuro quickly turned to another sketch that was more appropriate. Mahiru couldn’t face him when she asked, “Do you draw… portraits often?”

“I draw people with more clothes. In Paris, women would ask me to draw these for their lovers. A few didn’t pay me so I kept the sketches.” He assured her. Kuro didn’t know why he was so conscious of what she thought of him. He showed her a sketch of a chef. “This man loved to cook. His apron would have a million different stains on it by the end of the day. And this woman…”

“You have a gift, Kuro. You see these small details about people and capture it in your art.” She said after he told her about a few more portraits he had. She felt like she knew the people he drew from his art. Before she could stop herself, she whispered her thoughts. “How would you draw me, I wonder.”

“A mermaid who explores the ocean and collects moondust in her jar.” His answer made her look back to him. Their eyes met and Mahiru felt her stomach flutter. It felt like he saw the person she had to hide because of her family’s name. She wished she was free like the mermaid he described. Mahiru returned to the white cat he was drawing earlier.

“When you finish this, please show it to me. I’m certain it will turn out wonderful. Did you teach yourself how to draw or did you have someone to help you?” They talked about their lives before the Titanic and Mahiru was captivated by Kuro’s stories. His dry humour made her laugh and she found she could relax while she talked with him.

Their conversation ended all too soon for Mahiru. She heard her brother’s voice above her and she looked up. Her brother, Tsurugi, was leaning over the rail. “Mahiru, grandmother and Licht got into a debate about women performing on stage. I think you should stop them before one of them throws the other overboard. Our family has good swimmers but I doubt we’ll last long in that cold water.”

“I should’ve known an hour was too much to ask of Licht. She’s as stubborn as she is talented.” Mahiru actually admired how outspoken her cousin was. She stood and handed Kuro’s sketchbook back to him. “It was great to talk to you again, Kuro. I’ll see you at dinner.”

Even as she left, Mahiru couldn’t take her eyes off Kuro. He was handsome with the light beaming over him. The breeze played with his shaggy hair and he struggled to keep it in place. She waved to him and he did the same. She forced herself to turn away and walked to first class. Mahiru wished she could’ve had five more minutes with Kuro or listen to another of his tales.

Kuro returned to his sketchbook to make another drawing. A few coins fell onto the page and he picked them up. He was confused and he looked up to see who dropped them. He saw that Tsurugi hadn’t left yet. “Sorry, I dropped that. Can you come up here and give it back to me? Find your brother before you come up and bring him with you.”

“Troublesome.” Kuro muttered. He hoped that Tsurugi wasn’t an overprotective brother who intended to fight him for talking with Mahiru. He decided that it was best to return his money and quickly escape whatever the man had planned.

“Well, he’s not murdering us like you thought he was going to. I don’t know if this is much better.” Hyde whispered to his brother. He adjusted the tie around his neck and he tried to make it more comfortable. Tsurugi took the two back to his room and gave them each a suit to wear to the party. “This guy is weird. Who gives two strangers their clothes?”

“That’s not a kind thing to say when I’m trying to help you two. You’re going into a dinner party with sharks. They’ll tear you apart if you attend the dinner in your regular clothes.” Tsurugi came out of the walk-in closet with a suit for Kuro. He handed it to him and said, “You slouch. Remember to sit straight when you’re at the table.”

“You haven’t told us why you’re giving us your clothes and all this advice.” Kuro pointed out. Tsurugi seemed like a decent person but he had to protect Hyde. He was wary that the man would use the suits to blackmail him and his brother later. “From experience, people rarely give out of the kindness of their hearts. What do you want in return for these suits?”

“I’m giving these to you because I want to thank you. It has been a long time since I’ve seen Mahiru laugh freely. Her mother died when she was a teenager and she went to live with our grandmother in the city. Licht and I were rarely allowed to visit her because grandma didn’t want our bad behaviour to influence her.” Tsurugi sat down and glanced at the family portrait leaning against the wall. “She told me what really happened last night. You made her smile again.”

“Wait, did Licht mention me?” Hyde interrupted him with an eager smile. “Did she tell you what she thought of me when we bumped into each other?”

“Nope.” Tsurugi lied and chuckled at his reaction. “If you give me twenty dollars, I’ll tell you how to impress an angel.”

Kuro stood at the bottom of the stairs and he tried to recall everything Tsurugi told him about proper manners. The endless chatter around him made it difficult to think and he groaned to himself. He didn’t like crowds because it made him uncomfortable. His brother was already mingling with the other guests. Hyde was a talented actor so he was able to blend in easily.  

Kuro didn’t know why he felt so nervous. At first, he only intended to dine with the family so his brother would have a chance to speak with the woman he liked. He shouldn’t care about his appearance or what others thought of him. But he couldn’t deny that there were small butterflies in his stomach. A motion at the top of the stairs caught his attention and he looked towards it.

His eyes fell onto Mahiru and the world became silent around him. She captured his attention and he couldn’t look away as she floated down the stairs. The green dress she wore was simple but it complimented her well. There was a rosy glow in her cheeks when she stopped in front of him. “Good evening, Kuro. You look handsome in that suit.”

“You do too. Wait, you’re not wearing a suit. I meant to say you look beautiful in your dress.” Kuro was flustered and he stumbled over his words. She smiled softly at him and the sight helped calm him. He stood a little straighter and thought of the advice Tsurugi gave him. Gently, he took her hand and kissed her fingertips. “Your brother said I should kiss your hand.”

“Everything is going to be fine, Kuro. You only need to relax and be yourself. The others will have questions for you but I’ll help you navigate around the sharks. I have a lot of experience.” Mahiru could see that he was nervous and she wanted to reassure him. She lightly placed her hand in the crook of his arm. He felt warmth spread from her hand. “May you please escort me to dinner?”

“Your wish is my command, my lady.” They walked to the dinner table. Mahiru would occasionally point out prominent passengers to him and told him what to say to them. He didn’t know how she was able to remember so many names or navigate through the crowd. Kuro felt more comfortable with Mahiru beside him. She had a warm personality that drew him to her.

They reached the dining hall and Mahiru slipped her hand from Kuro’s arm. She was ushered to a chair between Licht and her grandmother. Mahiru was pleasantly surprised when Kuro took the time to pull out the chair for her. She beamed up at him and thanked him. Like a gentleman, Kuro bowed to her before he went to sit with his brother.

Her attention was only pulled away from Kuro when Licht poked her lightly. She leaned towards Mahiru and whispered, “Hyde looks like he’s from The Phantom of the Opera but without the mask. He’s a strange demon. He quotes Shakespeare and dresses like a gothic novel.”

“They are handsome in a suit.” Mahiru agreed and she felt a little giddy when she glanced to Kuro. A sharp pinch from her grandmother jerked her back to the small world of the dining table. She adjusted her position and laid a napkin on her lap.

In the corner of his eyes, she noticed Kuro staring at the spoons as if they were strange tools. She clicked her spoon against her plate to draw his attention to her. Mahiru pointed to the soup spoon and he gave her a thankful smile. They were able to communicate even though they didn’t exchange a word. Idle chatter circled the table but Kuro only half listened to the conversation.

Mahiru spoke to architect at the head of the table. “The Titanic is a brilliant ship, Mr. Andrews. It is truly worthy of the title ‘The Ship of Dreams’. I never imagined a ship could carry so many people. I do have a question though. While I was taking a tour of the ship, I noticed the lifeboats lining the upper deck. There were only twenty. That can’t be enough when there’s over two thousand passengers. Are there more—”

“There’s no use for lifeboats on an unsinkable ship.” Kazuma cut her off. The resignation on Mahiru’s face told Kuro that she was accustomed to his behaviour. “They already take up too much deck space.”

“Mahiru brings up a good point.” Kuro spoke for the first time at the dinner. He intended to let Hyde answer most of the questions about them. Yet, he had to defend Mahiru when Kazuma tried to brush her worry aside. “Mr. Andrews, can you tell us more about the ship you designed?”

“You needn’t worry about anything, Mahiru. The Titanic has state of the art safety features. The only thing you need to focus on is finding a husband.” The conversation turned to the first class accommodations. Kuro returned to his food and cut his steak. He didn’t think he would join the conversation again. Hyde told the table about his plan to become a famous actor.

“Do you have the same dream of fame, Kuro?” Mahiru drew him back into the conversation with her enchanting voice. She turned to Tsurugi and told him, “Kuro is a wonderful artist. I had the pleasure of seeing a few of the work this afternoon. I’m sure you will make a big splash in America.”

“I like art but fame isn’t what I’m after. My dream is simple. I want to sell my art and give my family a long, happy life. Once Hyde and I make enough money, we will bring our siblings to America.” Kuro told her. She thought his dream reflected how kind he was. “You can never know what the next day will bring. There’s a lot of things we don’t have control over. The only thing I can do is pursue that dream for my family.”

“You’re a good man, Kuro.” Mahiru raised her glass towards him to make a toast. “To pursuing our dreams.”

“That was a wonderful dinner, Angel Cakes. Thank you for inviting us. I have to go but I hope I get to see you later.” Hyde lifted Licht’s hand to his lips. He had a secretive smile as he stepped back from her. The dinner was over and they had to leave the first class dining hall. Everyone started to go their separate ways and return to their cabins for the night.

Mahiru started to stand as well but she noticed Licht unfold a note. She guessed that Hyde had slipped it to her when he kissed her hand. She wondered what it could say to make Licht grin so wide. Licht jumped to her feet and grabbed Mahiru’s arm. She took Tsurugi’s arm as well and pulled him towards the door. The three huddled close together as they walked so Licht could show them a note.

“We’re invited to a party where we can actually dance. Let’s go.” On the secret note was a small map with directions to the lower deck. Licht followed the directions and lead them out of first class. They made their way down the hall and climbed down the stairs to third class. Mahiru could already hear music drifting through the hall.

Ahead of them, Hyde was standing at the entrance to the third class’s lobby. There was a twinkle in his eyes when he opened the door for them. “I’m glad you found your way here safely, Angel Cakes.”

“I was promised a real party. You have best deliver, Demon.” Licht’s voice was a subtle challenge that Hyde was all too eager to accept.  

Mahiru peered into the room and saw that the passengers were dancing, drinking and laughing. She pushed aside any lingering uncertainty and entered the lobby with her family. The atmosphere was merry and everyone seemed to be having fun. Despite how crowded it was, Mahiru spotted Kuro sitting at a table and she approached him.  

Kuro must’ve been surprised to see her because he almost dropped his drink when she tapped his shoulder. She quickly caught the drink before it could hit the ground. Unfortunately, the water he was drinking spilled onto her lap. Mahiru apologized and took out a napkin to dab against the stain. “I’m sorry for surprising you, Kuro. Did Hyde not tell you he planned to invite us?”

“No. My brother’s unpredictable so he likely thought to invite you three last minute.” The music was loud so they had to yell so the other could hear them. Kuro gently took her hand and told her, “You don’t need to do that, Mahiru. I can dry myself.”

“Oh!” She blushed when she realized that she had been rubbing the napkin against his leg. She handed the cloth to him and she was glad he didn’t comment on it further.  

There wasn’t a free chair so Kuro stood and offered her the seat he was using. She sat down and looked around the room. Her eyes fell onto Kuro and she saw that he had taken off his suit jacket and tie. While he was handsome in the suit, she thought he looked best when he was relaxed. She tugged on his sleeve and then patted the chair. “There’s enough room for both of us. Sit, Kuro.”

“Hey, Kuro,” Tsurugi called his name at the same time Mahiru did. “I’m going to play poker with those gentlemen. Take care of my sister while I’m gone.”

“Don’t get too greedy, Tsurugi.” Mahiru called after him and laughed. She turned back to Kuro and gestured for him to sit next to her. He shook his head and leaned against the table. She turned back to the party and watched the passengers dance. She swayed in time with the music and clapped happily. “Everyone is lively here. I didn’t think you would join such a party, Kuro. You seem like an introvert.”

“I prefer a quiet night over this party. Hyde said he wanted to go to this party and I came to keep him out of trouble. If he gets drunk, it’s my job to help him back to our cabin. He’s so troublesome. But he’s my little brother.” He would jokingly complain but he loved his brother and wanted to see him happy. Kuro watched his brother dance with Licht. “They seem to be having fun.”

“Would you like to dance too?” Mahiru asked him and stood. Once again, her vibrant eyes compelled him to agree. She led him to the center of the room and faced him. She held both of his hands in hers and swung them between their bodies. Though she was the one who asked him to dance, she had to admit, “I’m not familiar with this style of dance.”

“I think this is closer to drunkenly spinning rather than an actual style.” His observation made Mahiru relax into laughter. She didn’t need to worry about the proper steps of a dance.  

Kuro lifted her hand above her head and turned her in a circle. They came together again and he wrapped one arm around her waist. She was surprised by how strong his arms were because Kuro was an artist. Yet, they were also light and gentle as he led her through the dance. Together, they circled the room with little care for the rhythm or steps.

Mahiru couldn’t remember the last time she had so much fun dancing. They accidentally bump into another dancer and Kuro held her closer. Mahiru smiled up at him and they continued to dance freely. Time flew by as the song sped up. They spun in a circle until they were both dizzy but neither of them minded. She placed her hand on his shoulder to keep her balance.

“That was fun.” She said when the song drifted to a close. She laughed and her face brightened as she smiled up at him. Mahiru was still a little lightheaded so she leaned against Kuro. He helped her to where her brother was playing cards. Tsurugi handed her a drink and Mahiru took a sip.

On the other hand, Licht chugged the beer and slammed it on the table. She smirked at Hyde who couldn’t hide his shock. “You big, burly men think a first class lady can’t drink. Let’s show them what we can do, Mahiru! Twenty fouettes! Someone give me a piano.”

“I think you’re drunk, Licht! I’m not dressed for ballet either.” Mahiru told her but she merely waved away her worry. She was never able to handle her drink well. Licht hooked her arm around Mahiru’s and took her to a large table in the center of the room. She urged Mahiru onto it. Then she stumbled to the band and forced the man playing the piano out of his seat.

Even as Licht started to play the ballet song, Mahiru was hesitant to dance by herself. She noticed Kuro move to stand next to the table. He held out his hand to her and told her, “You don’t need to do anything you don’t want to. I’ll help you down.”

“I love to dance. Will you stay there and catch me if I fall though?” He nodded at her request and she stood in the middle of the table. Mahiru’s long dress was loose enough for her to make the turn without her worrying that it would fly upwards. She made a few fouette turns in a row and she spun faster as Licht’s song sped up.

Kuro didn’t know much about ballet but he could see the control Mahiru had as she turned. She made it appear effortless though. Mahiru held him captivated. He noticed the moment she started to stumble. She tried to stop gracefully but the combination of beer and her dizziness made it difficult. Mahiru’s foot slipped on the table but Kuro was there to catch her.

She fell against his chest and felt his strong arms wrap around her. He looked down worriedly at her but she cupped his face. “That was fun. I haven’t danced like that since I was a little girl.”

“Do you want to dance again?” He asked and she eagerly nodded.