The Illustration Corner
As a continuation of last weeks project, here is an update on the illustration project:
Step Three
After I've created a final tight sketch composition, I'll typically work on the primary elements in the foreground and background. This step involves a number of layers using the various paint brushes and tools to create the overall painted elements. For instance, the baseball glove, cap, character and the scoreboard were rendered individually roughing in the general colors that would be assigned to each. Then additional modeling (shadows and highlights) was added to create the objects and forms for each element. As many as a dozen layers are often created for each object to complete a tight color composite sketch:
At this point, I have a fairly good idea of what the overall color palette will be for the painting and I work those colors into the highlighting and shadow areas of the primary elements. I continue to use a monochromatic purple tone as the basis for establishing the shadows and general shapes layering the actually colors on top.
Step Four
Once I've completed the detailed elements in the background and foreground, I then begin to work the solid areas of the foreground (in this case the baseball turf) and the tree line in the background. I like to achieve a looser, more painterly stroke for those areas to ensure that most of the focus stays on the primary subject matter of the illustration. Again, constantly adding highlights of color accents throughout the overall painting. I prefer using intense colors to add a level of dimension and overall impact to the illustration.
Once most of the composition has been completed, I like to go back using my blender tool to follow all of the perimeter lines (outlines) around each of the key elements to ensure that there are no hard lines. I also identify any areas that need further rendering and modeling before the final step.
Final Step
So once all of the detail and layers have been ordered in the photoshop file, I like to go back and add all of my final details on a new layers above the base art. In the instance, I have added a few swishes and swirls to indicate movement on some of the elements. Every illustrator has their own preferences on how much blurring and motion should be indicated in the final art. For this particular illustration, I've avoided going too wild with the motion elements opting to maintain a subtleness in order to draw more attention to the details and modeling within the "Wiredhand Willie" character.
Obviously these five steps have been greatly condensed to give a general idea on how I work out an illustration. Some illustrations require up to 75 or 100 layers for the final PSD file, but hopefully this gives you a better idea on what the average illustration might involve.
