MonsterBook

Okay, so…

Step One – Sketch

Here’s our pencil sketch – A BloodMare, Lesser Demon of Fenntri (BloodShed Concept). I almost always do the drawing in the traditional manner – with a sheet of paper and click pencil. Once I’ve got that done, and I’m content with the results, I scan it into the computer and switch it to a psd file (I painting the image digitally, in PhotoShop CS 3). I set the drawing as Layer One, and a ‘Multiply’ Layer. All subsequent layers of colour are placed beneath this one. The Multiply layer is effectively a sheet of tracing paper, and when I block in colours underneath, I can still see the pencils on top. Over time I rub away the top layer, becoming less important as I add in detail into the painting itself.

Step Two – Base Colour

This is the first real step in the image, and it’s where I block in the base colours. I typically have between 8 and 15 layers at the beginning of the painting, and these are broken into elements – in this case 1. Skin, 2. Armour, 3. Claws, 4. Teeth, 5. Hooves, 6. Sword, 7. Hilt, and 8. Floor Shadow. The colours i paint in these layers aren’t final, and they’ll go through various changes before the painting is finished. This step is really about building shapes, and defining the form.

Coming soon – Steps Three and Four!

Dava