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ART PROCESS THREAD
I'm going to cover, step-by-step, how I handle my art process on three different characters, so you can see the different methods I use to handle exaggeration and posing in my artwork, and hopefully you may learn something invaluable from it!
I'm going to cover, step-by-step, how I handle my art process on three different characters, so you can see the different methods I use to handle exaggeration and posing in my artwork, and hopefully you may learn something invaluable from it!
CHARACTER #1: CEN
STEP 1: TORSO
You'll want to start with these three shapes. Place oval holes on the sides of the upper shape for the arms, and place 3D cross-sections to make sure you have a sense of volume.
NOTE: On men, you'll want a boxier look, and a less pronounced chest.
STEP 1: TORSO
You'll want to start with these three shapes. Place oval holes on the sides of the upper shape for the arms, and place 3D cross-sections to make sure you have a sense of volume.
NOTE: On men, you'll want a boxier look, and a less pronounced chest.
STEP 2: LEGS
Now that you've got a basis for your spine, you can pose the legs. Lines of action or similar reference lines may help.
Use cylinders or oval shapes to create the legs. Add kneecaps if you want. Add feet, splitting them into parts is not necessary but can help.
Now that you've got a basis for your spine, you can pose the legs. Lines of action or similar reference lines may help.
Use cylinders or oval shapes to create the legs. Add kneecaps if you want. Add feet, splitting them into parts is not necessary but can help.
STEP 3: ARMS
Starting from the arm holes in step 1, create the arms similarly to the legs. The hands will have more trapezoidal shapes. Make sure to place thumbs properly!
NOTE: blob hands are perfectly acceptable! In fact, they can add a cutesy feel to a piece. :)
Starting from the arm holes in step 1, create the arms similarly to the legs. The hands will have more trapezoidal shapes. Make sure to place thumbs properly!
NOTE: blob hands are perfectly acceptable! In fact, they can add a cutesy feel to a piece. :)
STEP 4: HEAD
Draw two lines for a neck. Pretend you're about to draw a trapezoid or an hourglass if it helps.
Place a circle on top for the head. (I tend to make it about as wide as my style's avg. female torso.) You definitely should add 3D cross-section lines for a guide.
Draw two lines for a neck. Pretend you're about to draw a trapezoid or an hourglass if it helps.
Place a circle on top for the head. (I tend to make it about as wide as my style's avg. female torso.) You definitely should add 3D cross-section lines for a guide.
(INTERRUPTION)
I'll be updating this thread as I have more parts of the process available to show. Don't expect it to all be here at once! Bookmark it for future reference so you can keep updated :)
I'll be updating this thread as I have more parts of the process available to show. Don't expect it to all be here at once! Bookmark it for future reference so you can keep updated :)
STEP 5: LEG EXAGGERATION
Cen is an example primarily of leg exaggeration in my artwork. There's many different parts to this, so I'll go more in-depth on each.
NOTE: You WILL have to make corrections! Don't expect your initial pose will work on exaggerated anatomy.
Cen is an example primarily of leg exaggeration in my artwork. There's many different parts to this, so I'll go more in-depth on each.
NOTE: You WILL have to make corrections! Don't expect your initial pose will work on exaggerated anatomy.
STEP 5A: THIGHS
On my characters, I tend to measure leg exaggeration in torso widths. Cen's thighs are each 1 'tor' wide, so I need to extend the initial leg shapes to match. I make sure the knees and feet match up as well so it looks as natural as possible.
On my characters, I tend to measure leg exaggeration in torso widths. Cen's thighs are each 1 'tor' wide, so I need to extend the initial leg shapes to match. I make sure the knees and feet match up as well so it looks as natural as possible.
STEP 5B: HIPS
Adding massive thighs on a character without any transition into the torso looks really unnatural. So does an improper transition.
Make sure you thus add larger hips. They'll start at the waistline and end at the thighs. KEEP AN OUTWARD CURVATURE SO IT LOOKS RIGHT!
Adding massive thighs on a character without any transition into the torso looks really unnatural. So does an improper transition.
Make sure you thus add larger hips. They'll start at the waistline and end at the thighs. KEEP AN OUTWARD CURVATURE SO IT LOOKS RIGHT!
STEP 5C: ADDITIONAL NOTE
No matter what, ALWAYS maintain the original groin lines. You'll thank me later.
No matter what, ALWAYS maintain the original groin lines. You'll thank me later.
STEP 6: CHEST
This is awkward, I know, but necessary.
Starting from the top corner of the torso, draw a partial rounded rectangle/spherical-end cylinder. This represents the breasts and their volume, so be careful with this step! Once done, place a divider line in the center.
This is awkward, I know, but necessary.
Starting from the top corner of the torso, draw a partial rounded rectangle/spherical-end cylinder. This represents the breasts and their volume, so be careful with this step! Once done, place a divider line in the center.
STEP 7: CORRECTIONS
Before proceeding, make sure to correct errors in the pose and make any other corrections you deem necessary. You want the shapes to be as clear and as useful as possible for the refinement steps.
Before proceeding, make sure to correct errors in the pose and make any other corrections you deem necessary. You want the shapes to be as clear and as useful as possible for the refinement steps.
STEP 8: FACIAL STRUCTURE
Place the nose, making sure to place it below the center line. Once this is done, draw the shape of the head, adjusting height if necessary. Now draw the eyes along the center line and then the mouth below the nose. On furries, account for the snout.
Place the nose, making sure to place it below the center line. Once this is done, draw the shape of the head, adjusting height if necessary. Now draw the eyes along the center line and then the mouth below the nose. On furries, account for the snout.
STEP 9: EDIT FACE
With this in place, make sure your character has the intended expression by placing eyebrows and making any adjustments necessary. Add eyelashes on female/effeminate characters.
With this in place, make sure your character has the intended expression by placing eyebrows and making any adjustments necessary. Add eyelashes on female/effeminate characters.
STEP 10: FINALIZE FACE
Color everything in that needs color and darken lines that may need darkening. This will help with the refinement step.
As needed, add ears in the appropriate locations. Don't worry too much about it being perfect, just decent is fine.
Color everything in that needs color and darken lines that may need darkening. This will help with the refinement step.
As needed, add ears in the appropriate locations. Don't worry too much about it being perfect, just decent is fine.
STEP 11: REFINE ANATOMY
Clean up your sketchwork as normal and make any necessary edits and corrections. Make sure to add hair if you feel the need. If you're not adding clothes, add any details here and call it a day. Otherwise, leave it solely at library!
Clean up your sketchwork as normal and make any necessary edits and corrections. Make sure to add hair if you feel the need. If you're not adding clothes, add any details here and call it a day. Otherwise, leave it solely at library!
Lineart* not library
STEP 12: CLOTHING
Everyone does clothing a bit different. The images help show a bit of my procedure when handling how I draw and detail clothes. I found I made the nose too high when dealing with the glasses & corrected - never be afraid to correct errors as you see them!
Everyone does clothing a bit different. The images help show a bit of my procedure when handling how I draw and detail clothes. I found I made the nose too high when dealing with the glasses & corrected - never be afraid to correct errors as you see them!
STEP 13: POLISH
In this step, make any finishing touches you wish to make. Correct anything you feel could be better, add colors and shading, and make any lines that are too subtle darker and easier to see.
Once you've finished, you can add your signature, mark the date & post!
In this step, make any finishing touches you wish to make. Correct anything you feel could be better, add colors and shading, and make any lines that are too subtle darker and easier to see.
Once you've finished, you can add your signature, mark the date & post!
FINISHED SCAN: CEN
When I scan traditional pieces like this one, I scan black-and-white (as I don't do traditional color pieces) at 1200 DPI in http://Paint.NET ( http://getpaint.net ) and set brightness -30 and contrast 30 after the scan finishes.
(1/2)
When I scan traditional pieces like this one, I scan black-and-white (as I don't do traditional color pieces) at 1200 DPI in http://Paint.NET ( http://getpaint.net ) and set brightness -30 and contrast 30 after the scan finishes.
(1/2)
After this, I save the image, then proceed to resize it to 60% of its original size, then save. I repeat this twice more so I have 4 different size files.
Size 2 tends to be the best quality that Twitter will accept. Size 3 can sometimes be too much for Discord, so use size 4.
Size 2 tends to be the best quality that Twitter will accept. Size 3 can sometimes be too much for Discord, so use size 4.
With this, the Cen section of this thread is done! It's pretty late as I post this, so I'll take a break and continue the thread later. Feel totally free to follow along and draw Cen in your own style! Just make sure to show me and credit when you're done ;)
Before I proceed with the next sections of the thread, I want to note that you should probably be sure to pay close attention to the basics as outlined in Cen's section, as they will NOT be covered again, only referenced.
CHARACTER #2: OLIVIA
!! WARNING: BIG BREASTED OC !!
STEP 1: ROUGH
The second type of anatomical exaggeration I work with is, well.. the chest area.
Use the basics I brought up last section to rough out a character, but use a much bigger shape for the breasts when roughing.
!! WARNING: BIG BREASTED OC !!
STEP 1: ROUGH
The second type of anatomical exaggeration I work with is, well.. the chest area.
Use the basics I brought up last section to rough out a character, but use a much bigger shape for the breasts when roughing.
STEP 2: REFINE
With such exaggeration, it's inevitable that sometimes your character's arms will collide with the chest. Everyone will find different ways around this, I personally prefer treating it like a very soft, fluffy material, making for great ease of motion overall.
With such exaggeration, it's inevitable that sometimes your character's arms will collide with the chest. Everyone will find different ways around this, I personally prefer treating it like a very soft, fluffy material, making for great ease of motion overall.
STEP 3: CLOTHE & POLISH
On characters like this, you'll have to drape whatever shirt or dress the character wears so that the outfit doesn't look unnatural or uncomfortable. How much it drapes is up to you, just ensure that the clothes don't hug the character's body too much.
On characters like this, you'll have to drape whatever shirt or dress the character wears so that the outfit doesn't look unnatural or uncomfortable. How much it drapes is up to you, just ensure that the clothes don't hug the character's body too much.
COMPLETED SCAN: OLIVIA
Always try to make sure you've got every detail you want and/or need before scanning and posting! I cannot tell you how many times I have "finished" a piece only to find I forgot a detail because I got too hasty!
Always try to make sure you've got every detail you want and/or need before scanning and posting! I cannot tell you how many times I have "finished" a piece only to find I forgot a detail because I got too hasty!
With that section concluded, I have one section left to finish! But I will handle it later. I am far too tired tonight to continue.
CHARACTER #3: RUKI
STEP 1: ROUGH
There's a lot to cover with this step, and visibility can get quite low, so I've traced out what one needs to know. Take note of the contours of your character's anatomy, try visualizing them in 3D, and use that during refinement.
STEP 1: ROUGH
There's a lot to cover with this step, and visibility can get quite low, so I've traced out what one needs to know. Take note of the contours of your character's anatomy, try visualizing them in 3D, and use that during refinement.
STEP 2: REFINEMENT
This should be fairly straightforward from here on out. Refine the design as normal, while paying particular attention to contour lines.
Don't be afraid to put emphasis on motion! It can help bring out the best of a piece.
This should be fairly straightforward from here on out. Refine the design as normal, while paying particular attention to contour lines.
Don't be afraid to put emphasis on motion! It can help bring out the best of a piece.
STEP 3: CLOTHE & POLISH
Again, the process here is pretty similar to average; just make sure that you know how tight the character's clothes are - if they're really tight, add some indents around the edges of such clothes to create the "thigh squish" effect you might hear about.
Again, the process here is pretty similar to average; just make sure that you know how tight the character's clothes are - if they're really tight, add some indents around the edges of such clothes to create the "thigh squish" effect you might hear about.
COMPLETED SCAN: RUKI
And now, you've finished all three sections of the thread!
If you have any particular questions regarding how I do certain things that you feel were not answered in this thread, please let me know!
And now, you've finished all three sections of the thread!
If you have any particular questions regarding how I do certain things that you feel were not answered in this thread, please let me know!
