What is your process when it comes to making illustration?

[Ace_Raven]

So, I'm learning how to draw (or at least i want to)

And by learning i mean watch people do speed art video on youtube (you know, to see their process).


And after few different speed art channel. Now i can (hopefully) safely assume that different artist have different approach when it comes to making illustration.


So what about you? What is your process or step by step?


Are you rough sketch warrior?

Or are you the reference enthusias?

Heck, are you the mad warrior who is able to create the finish illustration without leading step and using black magic?


Either way write it down. I want to see your steps to art.


Thank you.

 

[DubstheDuke]

Step 1: Try

Step 2: Realize how garbage I am

Step 3: Give up

Thats about my artistic career

 

[Agentt]

Step 1 is to make the skeleton. And when I say skeleton, I don't mean a quick stench or a rough boundary, I mean a legit skeleton with ribs and skull and all.

 

[Deleted member 45782]

Impatient so I draw face only without making proportions well cause always draw one eye really good instead of doing both at once so it looks like drawn is kinda....not right and either that most things are small. Landscape painting only did once or twice so while better than drawing ppl still not that great. Most drawings tend be small.

 

[someguysomeone]

Make smudges on glossy sheet. Use thumb and move it around the smudges. Use default photo editor of phone and apply shit ton of filters.
Example

I somehow made this once by using thumb and doodling on glossy paper and deafult photo editor of phone . now i brag about it at every single opportunity.

 

[Sylvie]

Make smudges on glossy sheet. Use thumb and move it around the smudges. Use default photo editor of phone and apply shit ton of filters.
Example

I somehow made this once by using thumb and doodling on glossy paper and deafult photo editor of phone . now i brag about it at every single opportunity.

Before I fully scrolled down and read what you wrote I thought it was some some good artist trying to show off his work.

 

[ArcadiaBlade]

I think I did draw a long time ago but I don't know if my skills has become rusty after avoiding the paper and pencil. However, I never made any skeleton or any basic structure and just tried to print out what was inside my head.

Turns out that if I focus hard enough, I can at least make a decent drawing but if I continue for sometime, the eldrich gods would try to possess me and start drawing summoning circle to be casted upon the earth. So, I can only draw for 5-10mins at most before the call of cuthulu starts to ring to my mind.

 

[owotrucked]

I kidnap random people on the streets

Then, I beat them up until they draw something I like, artist or not

ofc I give them all the references they need, I don't ask for the impossible

 

[Ace_Raven]

I kidnap random people on the streets

Then, I beat them up until they draw something I like, artist or not

ofc I give them all the references they need, I don't ask for the impossible

All kind of people or without mustache?

 

[owotrucked]

All kind of people or without mustache?

I'm responsible.

If they have a mustache and are under 5,5 feet, I release them.

But it's hard to check with the surgical mask, so I have to rough them up a bit.

 

[BubbleC]

Steps I've come up with for my illustrations (not that I finish any of them lolol):

1. Come up with the idea (what the piece going to be, what's the message/theme)

2. Figure out the composition (where objects will go/fit on the page to convey your idea)

- You can make small thumbnails of the composition to reference while your sketch; this is especially helpful if you're working traditionally​

​

3. Figure out a color composition (what color scheme, what lighting, etc.)

- Reference the color wheel and color theory to help you with this​

- You can do this step later, but just try to do it before you actually paint/put in colors.​

- Optional if you're working digitally and can edit your colors later.​

4. Sketch

- Your sketch should be as detailed as it needs to be so you can understand what the final piece will look like and have a clear idea of how to get there.​

- Try to keep your lines as clean as possible for the same reason above.​

5. Reference to fix your sketch (do this during your sketch)

- If you're drawing a person and the pose is awkward, take a picture of you doing the pose and reference it.​

- If you're referencing another person's art/photography, take care that you aren't copying it (change at least three substantial things about it).​

6. Line art (ink over your sketch)

- Skip this step if you're painting.​

7. Block in colors/tones

- Do background/underlying objects first if you have them. Especially if you're working traditionally.​

8. Add shadows/lighting/details

9. Add signature :3

10. Show off

11. You're done!

 

[K5Rakitan]

I commission my illustrations, so I think about the scene I want and go through a checklist, providing reference photos. I find this covers the essentials.

Checklist
Relevant excerpt:
Character Reference Images:
Heights:
Clothes:
Pose:
Props:
Facial Expressions:
Background:
Time of Day:

 

[tiaf]

OC Yuyun: CSP minimum use of brushes [no speedup, no music]

Speed up
[BL Novel Illust] The Incapable Emperor (Confession)

 

[Deleted member 1192]

I sketch randomly and then line it and then color it uwu.

 

[EternalSunset0]

For face shots, I typically do it the traditional way (with those circles and lines) Then just fill in some details. I occasionally use references for expressions since my visual library sucks (I often draw up blanks and just draw plain-looking characters) when trying to think of something from thin air. The same goes for my half/full body characters with the attires and accessories.

For half/full body shots, I use references. I know some of the basics of the proportions and such, but I don't think I'm any good at posing my own characters or even thinking of poses when I move away from the "standing straight with arms to the side" pose that the tutorials use, so I use references to try to improve on it a bit. Hoping that I can learn more through practicing more soon enough.

Not too long ago, I also got myself a tablet, so now, I'm trying to get used to using it. I've been drawing traditionally for the past year or so, and I am sure that drawing digitally helps a lot. I get access to layers now, for one.

 

[skillet]

1. sketch
2. oh? it kind of looks good? try clean it up
3. fail and retry
4. oh? it didn't get worse? try lineart
5. do like half the sketch three different times with different brushes until it doesn't make me cry
6. stop here and don't touch it for maybe three days at least and a week at most
7. procrastinate on writing by coloring this drawing
8. shade it in (this is my favorite part but also, it makes me cry :))
9. cry, then procrastinate on it by writing
10. hit writer's block and start shading... until it looks alright
11. look at all the filters and stuff and go nope, let's go see what other people did and watch tutorials/speedart/scroll through art Insta posts
12. two months later, apply some filters and become happy with the result. :D

extra steps:
13. show maybe like two people and then wallow in self-satisfaction, never to be shown to other people
14. use this finished artwork to admire when procrastinating later as a way of saying 'see, I did something', and proceed not to do anything

 

[owotrucked]

1. sketch
2. oh? it kind of looks good? try clean it up
3. fail and retry
4. oh? it didn't get worse? try lineart
5. do like half the sketch three different times with different brushes until it doesn't make me cry
6. stop here and don't touch it for maybe three days at least and a week at most
7. procrastinate on writing by coloring this drawing
8. shade it in (this is my favorite part but also, it makes me cry :))
9. cry, then procrastinate on it by writing
10. hit writer's block and start shading... until it looks alright
11. look at all the filters and stuff and go nope, let's go see what other people did and watch tutorials/speedart/scroll through art Insta posts
12. two months later, apply some filters and become happy with the result. :D

extra steps:
13. show maybe like two people and then wallow in self-satisfaction, never to be shown to other people
14. use this finished artwork to admire when procrastinating later as a way of saying 'see, I did something', and proceed not to do anything

I cleaned up your tutorial:

1. Sketch
2. Bargain - It would look better if I spend more time on it
3. Clean it up
4. Denial - It looks pretty good if I squint my eyes
5. Put the layer on 10% opacity and redo the sketch in a new layer
6. Anger - Alright! FINE! I'm not doing it anymore
7. Come back after a week and shade it.
8. Depression - I'll write instead
9. Come back after hitting the writer's block
10. Acceptance - Put the drawing in the recycle bin

 

[BubbleC]

1. sketch
2. oh? it kind of looks good? try clean it up
3. fail and retry
4. oh? it didn't get worse? try lineart
5. do like half the sketch three different times with different brushes until it doesn't make me cry
6. stop here and don't touch it for maybe three days at least and a week at most
7. procrastinate on writing by coloring this drawing
8. shade it in (this is my favorite part but also, it makes me cry :))
9. cry, then procrastinate on it by writing
10. hit writer's block and start shading... until it looks alright
11. look at all the filters and stuff and go nope, let's go see what other people did and watch tutorials/speedart/scroll through art Insta posts
12. two months later, apply some filters and become happy with the result. :D

extra steps:
13. show maybe like two people and then wallow in self-satisfaction, never to be shown to other people
14. use this finished artwork to admire when procrastinating later as a way of saying 'see, I did something', and proceed not to do anything

Why is this so relatable? I don't know if I should laugh or cry.

 

[skillet]

I cleaned up your tutorial:

1. Sketch
2. Bargain - It would look better if I spend more time on it
3. Clean it up
4. Denial - It looks pretty good if I squint my eyes
5. Put the layer on 10% opacity and redo the sketch in a new layer
6. Anger - Alright! FINE! I'm not doing it anymore
7. Come back after a week and shade it.
8. Depression - I'll write instead
9. Come back after hitting the writer's block
10. Acceptance - Put the drawing in the recycle bin

Ah, a much needed edit! This is very very accurate-- I 100% agree. xD

 

[Writer_not_narcissist]

So, I'm learning how to draw (or at least i want to)

And by learning i mean watch people do speed art video on youtube (you know, to see their process).


And after few different speed art channel. Now i can (hopefully) safely assume that different artist have different approach when it comes to making illustration.


So what about you? What is your process or step by step?


Are you rough sketch warrior?

Or are you the reference enthusias?

Heck, are you the mad warrior who is able to create the finish illustration without leading step and using black magic?


Either way write it down. I want to see your steps to art.


Thank you.

First, I would find reference, may it be a pose or a face, it's nearly impossible to imagine something out without some kind of inspiration, or unless you're some kind of genius hats off to you, but to make it easy, especially for a beginner there's no harm in using reference, then draw and draw again.

It may take a day, it may take weeks, it may take a month or even a year, but any progress is progress. If you feel like shit, then find something simpler, if you want to take on the fancy-schmancy head-on you'll go nowhere, before a baby walks he crawls and that is the same with every skill may it be piano, singing, or playing soccer.

It's the little steps that count, start small, a ball, then the head, then facings of the head, then head to with shoulders, shoulders to arms, arms to hands, then hands and hands again (Hands are hard trust me) then when you get the hang of that go for the lower extremities, the shape of hips, the thigh, the shins then the feet.

Life isn't always about taking the fast track, when one needs to climb a ladder the ladder must have all the steps, if one is missing it will become difficult to go back from the basics and back to the top. Complete that ladder first and you'll see progress. It may be small but it will come a long way.

I'm still working on my ladder too. Why can't you?