Illustration
This is being made in Clip Studio Paint. I wanted to vaguely base the designs and lights and shadows off of baroque era paintings.
I can sometimes struggle to feel comfortable with own face in works, whether photos or drawings, and I’ve found an odd way to subvert this. Drawing myself (of sorts-) in more period type or fantasy styled clothing makes it more bearable. It’s also significantly more fun to draw with the idea in mind. Choosing to make something based off of the ideology of “paint like you’re making a portrait of a monarch” surprisingly helped.
This one was made similarly but with a different thought behind it. This was made with the Romanesque era in mind. This was one of the first times I tried that “paint like I’m painting for a monarch” ideology. This was one of the first depictions of myself that I didn’t dislike and actually enjoyed instead.
I had a lot of fun thinking about how I showcase myself in everyday life and what kind of clothes I dress in. I decided on this dress design since I love the fall, greens and desaturated oranges and browns, but also because I like the silhouette of gowns which flare out. I then added the little details like pearls and lace which was new but improved the design.
This is a show of my current process. I begin with a sketch and put it in blue, then layer my Lineart overtop it in a separate folder. Following that, I decide where my light source is (a lantern in this painting.) I then block out the entire thing in a dark color and remove from there. Once I’m satisfied with where that lighting will be (although I often return to add or remove things from this layer), I then, in a separate folder, do the flat colors.
This specific piece is one based off of one of my friends, Arty. It’s a companion piece for my most recent self portrait and there will be a third piece in the mini series of historically based pieces.
This is a few projects I’ve liked over the last two years. My process and how I handle drawings have changed a few times, but I’ve found that I like painting over what I’ve already mostly finished. I’m able to fix mistakes, change details if I didn’t care about them, and create uniquely smooth and clean lines and blocks of color.
