What is your process when it comes to making illustration?

Dountmindme

You wot m8? You wanna go, huh? Come at me bro, y—
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go to Pinterest and open up my IG folders.

sketch(sometimes make a second one)

block out the base colors


merge the two and place the shadows and light.

then paint/render it.

play with curves and other effects for final touches.

Spotify or youtube help a lot. or watching/listening to trash podcast while I draw. or watch another artist's stream on twitch and draw along.
 
D

Deleted member 46002

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Drawing ideas from my mind is actually fun, but using references highly improves my art. And I suggest you use some as well. Besides, for sketching, I use sticks instead of drawing everything neatly. Sometimes music helps to create a mood, so I recommend listening to some of them :).
I still have a lot of stuff to improve on :sweating_profusely:
 

LoliGent

The Lolicon Gentleman
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Interesting case about myself: I don't want to draw anymore, but I have to because I'm not making enough money to hire artist for my projects. I do have some art skills, but everything I do is self-taught, so maybe it's not the best. Still, I feel like I have a good grasp on making some good artwork.

In this case, I needed to improve my line weights. This is something I was struggling with and am barely getting to grasp with. I also realized I needed to create a new way of setting up a foundation for my characters, i.e., the frame that the characters will be drawn upon. After going through videos and looking at other artwork that inspires me, I started practicing. Practicing, practicing, practicing.

dete_1.jpg


All of these was me just trying to figure out what exactly I'm suppose to do about my line weights. Then, eventually, I figured something out: you need to get the sketch right first. If your vision does not come out in the rough sketch, then it's not ready to proceed to outlining. So I started practicing that.

dete_2.jpg


I felt like I was correct. The proportions on the face look a lot more structured compared to my previous attempts.

I then worked on another model. Once again, I was satisfied with the rough outline.

dete_3.jpg

dete_4.jpg


But now came the original problem: line weights. What am I suppose to do? I had no idea. I decided to experiment and ended up doing two versions: one with thin lines and one with thick lines.

dete_5.jpg


And that's when I realized that, I need a mix of both!

Thus I came up with a system: get the rough draft the best you can structurally and then add both thick and thin line weights. I then asked a Discord friend of mine for a model and gave me an OC. Thus I gave him some fanart in my style.

dete_6.jpg

dete_7.jpg


This is old and I'm seeing somethings that need changing, but I am surprised at how well it came out. It's even better than my old style. Now time to color it.

dete_8.jpg


OOf.... looks like I got some work to do on that...

But pretty much, I just noticed my own weaknesses, got curious about what needs to be improved, and experimented a lot. I now have a better idea on what I need to make my art "good".

I'm not an actual artist, but I hope this could give you some ideas how an non-artist does their thing.
 

hyperkvlt

Lowkey Game Developer
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Why don't you join me randomly drawing doodle until it somewhat decent only to be confused of how they were made and ended up kept changing your art style forever like some psycho because you never bother to remember how did you draw them?
 

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Not_A_Symphony

Picasso 2.0
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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.

Practice makes perfect and if you are learning the more you draw, the better you will be! Of course, I also advise you to use references, they always help a lot!

The usual steps that I take when drawing are the following:
  1. Draw a sketch (with references);
  2. When satisfied with the sketch do the lineart;
  3. Paint the base colors;
  4. When satisfied with the overall colors, do the shadows and highlights;
  5. Change the color of the original lineart (from black to other colors) and clean any messy spots;
  6. Add some details or do the background;
  7. Add my signature and I'm done!
Here is an example! (first I did the rough sketch and then the finished result!)
1622130647268.png
1622130677289.png
 
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i opened the software and just sketch randomly. maybe when i want to make a fanart of something i just place the reference image in top left or right, and that's it.

i'm too lazy to do colors, since i'm already satisfied with black and white and it feels like pain to color xD
 

Freemints30

Well-known member
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Draw a crappy sketch 2 times
draw a final sketch and pray the line art would look like what you actually want.
Line art only part you can actual make look good. (feet are not necessary right?)

Line art:


SandM Act 2 Chapter 7 part 2.jpg

Colour randomly via a colour wheel until you got the best looking colours to hide your flaws through eye strain
Shade and blur and smudge to make myself look like a painter
(Don't eat during this time, don't even showering this entire process. Those only slow you down)
Light to increase eye strain
Put a bunch of textures and

SandM Act 2 Chapter 7 part 2.jpg

collapse from dehydration
 

2021

super straight male & the opposite sex of female
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1: Draw a cock because I find it funny.

2: Think of a idea

3:Draw a sketch

4: Draw a cock because I find it funny

5: Have a half decent doodle.
 

owotrucked

Isekai express delivery
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1: Draw a cock because I find it funny.

2: Think of a idea

3:Draw a sketch

4: Draw a cock because I find it funny

5: Have a half decent doodle.
Instruction unclear
drew a cock stuck in a fan
 

BenJepheneT

Light Up Gold - Parquet Courts
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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.
i usually think of what i want the image to invoke, then horribly interpret that with my current set of art skills.

it's less about technical skills and ore about personal satisfaction. if you're happy with what you have, that's all there is to it. don't beat yourself to the ground comparing to others; if you've given your best, that's really all you need to have.

don't go over your head though; you could always improve
 

Mysticant

Resident Ant
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Depends on what and how do you want to draw. There are multiple modalities and art styles. Everyone has a different model and template. The foundation skills are of course still similar in some ways.

For me it is:
1. Draw a basic sketch of the foundation blocks for posture
2. Draw the sketch over the foundation blocks
3. Draw the details over the sketch
4. Add colors.
5. Realise there is a thing known as layers.
6. Adds tone over a layer.
7. ???
8. Done
 

Aza.Iva

Member
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(...) So what about you? What is your process or step by step? (...)
I'm a beginner myself to speak honestly. I started drawing coz I wanted to see my stories in manga/comics/manhwa/manhua/webtoon (you got me here) style & I had no money to pay anyone, plus a little skill for drawing.
I mainly first sketch the positions of characters, text bubbles, frames & plan what text to put around. But while drawing over my sketches I'll change everything 100 million times & most likely end up with tons of not planned details. That's why I admire those who can manage to finish something quickly. For me, it seems to be mission impossible.
 

Fox-Trot-9

Foxy, the fluffy butt-stabber!
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1. Reference picture.

2. Study pose.

3. Trace pose onto another sheet of paper. (I used my computer screen like a light board.)

4. Draw in hair, clothes, shoes, etc.

5. Draw in final lines and erase sketch marks.

6. Add in line weights.
 

Nhatduongg

Yuyuko Saigyouji, The Dreaming Ghost
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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
What I went through few years ago. Now I’m writing instead (but still draw shitty covers to hurt my readers eyes).
 

Armored99

Harem-phobic
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step 1: don't draw people
step 2: look at reference image
step 3: draw and fail
step 4: look at someone else's drawing copy their techniques
step 5: redraw reference image several times
step 6: wonder why you keep trying to draw with a pen
 

tiaf

ゞ(シㅇ3ㅇ)っ•♥•Speak fishy, read BL.•♥•
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step 1: don't draw people
step 2: look at reference image
step 3: draw and fail
step 4: look at someone else's drawing copy their techniques
step 5: redraw reference image several times
step 6: wonder why you keep trying to draw with a pen
They are cute. Also animals are harder to draw than humans imo.
 

tiaf

ゞ(シㅇ3ㅇ)っ•♥•Speak fishy, read BL.•♥•
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I disagree, as you can make a animal look lopsided and it'll look 'cute', you can't do the same for a person.
fight me, my stick figures are the cutest and most beautiful art that is out there
 
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