Swan lake - Process Post

Happy Wednesday! Here is my first process post, using my most recent illustration, Swan Lake, for those who have been waiting for one:)  I also experimented with making a GIF in Photoshop.  It was extremely confusing to learn how to do at first, but turned out to be pretty easy.  I will definitely be making more in the future! 

Without further ado, here is how my process generally goes:

1. Sketch out a detailed thumbnail, and upload to Photoshop.  Please don't judge on how bad this looks haha, I really just need the general idea to get started. I'm also a believer that my sketchbook should not be a shrine filled with my best work, but a tool to help me practice, and explore new ideas freely.  Continuing on, I blow my thumbnail up to whatever size i like. (in this case 11 x 17) and sometimes i play around with color, but thinking about it now, I generally just go straight to inking. 

2. Step TWO! TO THE LIGHT TABLE!!! So i take my print-out, on extra ordinary paper, down to the hovel where i work in the basement (not my ideal studio, but i'm working with what I've got..)  From here I use I light table to sketch out the details with my ever trusty purple pencil (sorry I don't have an image for this one).

3. Inking! Generally I use Microns, sizes 01, .005, for those extra fine details.  But I have also been known to use a brush/pen, in certain cases.  For some illo's, I use multiple sheets of paper + light table to create layers of inking if there is a lot going on. This makes it easier to color the lines in Photoshop later. And finally, scan, often in multiple scans. I dream of a giant flatbed, but alas I do not have one.

4.  PHOTOSHOP is where most of the magic happens.  I don't have separate images for every layer (I'll do a detailed post about Photoshop process in the future), but I have a lovely little GIF that provides a visual.  The process normally goes, color in flat background colors, add texture, add shading/highlights, color lines, add more textures, and then play around until everything feels right.  

  

>>>>>   Detail Shots  <<<<<

Thanks for Reading!  If anyone ever has any questions about my work, or my process, I'm always happy to try and answer them!