art tutorial

[leelastarsky]

Ok. I promised a full on tutorial using my latest copic marker piece, so here it is -

loads of pics! dialup beware!!

Great BIG Tutorial...

First things first - the commission. I think it's important to discuss in detail with the author exactly what they want of their art. IMO, the feelings they want the painting to convey are as important as the subject in the painting. I like to read the scene in question (sadly, I don't have time to read entire fics; when would I paint?) then, working with the author, plan out the composition.

In the case of this particular painting, that was more involved because belovedranger wanted a three part painting, so the triptych had to be planned as a whole. The three paintings have to look balanced and cohesive together, yet also work alone.

So, after much back and forth discussion with belovedranger, this was the final sketch and colour rough.


I don't always do a colour rough, but these paintings needed it. Again with the balance. ;~)

tools/media.
belovedranger wanted hard-copy art, rendered using Copic Markers.
http://www.copicmarker.com/
I use these a lot. Love them to bits and find them brilliantly versitile. My favourite colour? Colourless Blender! Seriously - it's invaluable.
For this series of paintings I'm also using watercolours, gouache, and some acrylic.
I work on A3 Arches Watercolour paper (smooth) 300gsm, so it's nice and weighty, but not too weighty to put through the post!

I usually work at A4 (roughly 8"x11"), but because of all the faces in this particular painting, I've done it slightly larger- roughly 11"x15". As my printer only works in A4, I had to print off the sketch in two halves and stick them together-


Using my light-table, I lay the paper over the sketch and lightly trace the image onto the stock. Often I just work directly with the markers like this, and avoid the redraw part completely. But because I wanted to use watercolours, I had to transfer the sketch onto the stock. (as you can see, this pic is actually the second in the series, but that's just cos I forgot to take a photo of the first one at this stage! ;~P)


Nicely transferred onto the stock -

It is particularly important not to use an eraser on watercolour paper, as it damages the tooth of the paper and, as a result, the way it takes paint.

After thoroughly wetting the paper (you can avoid dramatic warping by not wetting it to the egde of the paper), washes of watercolour are applied and allowed to bleed into one another. Then sprinkled with rock salt!


Dry, it looks like this-


Markers are transparent (like watercolours), so we apply them light to dark. Here I'm starting with Pale Blue, picking out the trees and figures.


The trees have some definition, and Ron and Hermione have some colour! Originally, I was planning to make the side panels in these paintings black&white - so they wouldn't take away from the important centre panel. It was at this stage that I decided the heads on the side looked like ghosts and, as that was the last impression I wanted to give, started contemplating colouring them.

you might also notice one of my reference pics on the edge there - Arthur from GoF. Reference pictures are extremely important if you're looking for any sort of realism; for lighting as well as body angles and likenesses. I did not try to make Molly and Arthur in this painting look like film!Molly&Athur - I wanted them to look more canon- but I did use them as a stepping off point. Harry and the twins (and Ron&Hermione, though it's less obvious with them) on the other hand look like their film counterparts at belovedranger's request.

Deeper definition and shadow in the trees, and starting to pick in the lines on the faces using the fine tip of a #10 cool grey Tria marker.


The faces on the side looking sepia. I was still tossing up whether to colour them or not, but was happier with them slightly coloured than B&W. At least they didn't look like ghosts any more! ;~)


Committed to colouring them now, and my fears that they would distract from the centre panel were coming true...


Bring in some yellow highlights (from the sunset) and work up Hermione's dress, and still the heads on the side seem to distract from the central pic -


Then the autumn leaves are added and, like magic, they seem to absorb the faces on the side! :~D Not killing them, but returning the focus to the couple in the centre.


Now the changes seem more subtle. Gouache highlights have been added.


And again. Picking in more highlights with gouache, then adding more shadows and touches of colour where appropriate.


Then, using the same colour I used for the midtones in the trees and in Ron's robes, I pick in shadow defintion for the leaves and it finally comes to life! :~)


There are patterns on Ron's robes done with an iridescent acrylic paint. You can just see these in the scan. I did the same with Hermione's dress, but that did not reproduce in the scan. Which makes the original art nice and special for belovedranger!

A closeup of Bill and Fleur, so you can see his scars. I put a beard on Bill because I thought a man that scarred probably would wear a beard plus, if you know me at all... any excuse for beard! ;~D


A closeup of Ginny, so you can see her freckles.


And a closeup of the twins... just because! ;~)


Hope you enjoyed the Show&Tell and feel free to ask me questions! ;~)

PS! I just wanted to add - NEVER spray marker art with fixitive! Never. It will make your work bleed all over the place and you cry.
Unless you are looking for an "interesting effect", of course, but that's different...

Comments

[lomara.livejournal.com]

EEE! I am so blown away by this piece! Totally gorgeous, and watching it come to life is awesome! :D

[leelastarsky.livejournal.com]

Thankyou! I'm so glad you enjoyed the step by step process. :~)

[shyarra.livejournal.com]

This is totally bril; now I just need to learn to draw!

[leelastarsky.livejournal.com]

Heh. Glad you enjoyed it. :~)

[eliathanis.livejournal.com]

Wow! I love it. Thank you so much for explaining your drawing process. I love to work with watercolors. glockgal had to tell me about light boxes, I didn't get the idea myself. ^^;
Next week I'll probably get a light box and then I'll remember this tutorial and will try to learn to do it right. *excited*

Thank you very much!

[leelastarsky.livejournal.com]

So glad you enjoyed it and found it helpful! :~)

[godrics-h.livejournal.com]

Gah! Kate I took the plunge and bought some copics and Trias last week, so this tutorial has been a godsend! Thanks so much for sharing! My questions-
1. The process of Hermione and Rons hands and faces, what colour did you use for the fine lines (like outlines of fingers and noses etc) and was it a tria with the fine tip?
2. The leaves. You managed to overlay red leaves on an already dark tree trunk- was that acrylic?
3. When you put shadow on faces, is that more of a brown, and then to shadow clothes it more a blue/grey? Im really bad at shadowing with the correct colours! I know theres art 'rules' about this- do you know what they are?

Thankyou my helpful tutor!

4. Colurless blender hey. Im goin' for it!

[leelastarsky.livejournal.com]

Hi Sarah! Hope you're settling in down here. ;~) Did you go to Eckersleys for the markers? I need to go in again for more refills... O.o

1. The process of Hermione and Rons hands and faces, what colour did you use for the fine lines (like outlines of fingers and noses etc) and was it a tria with the fine tip?

Those lines are something I build up slowly, starting with the basic (light) pencil lines. I have 2 Tria/Pantone markers I use for working in those lines - 465 and 4655-T (which is slightly pinker than 465). I also have 2 fine-line "Zig Mellennium" pens that I use for those fine definitions. One is brown and one is blue. The two together make a nice black that isn't quite black and therefore not as harsh as a black line would be. If you look at the closeups you can see where I've used them on their eyes. :~)

2. The leaves. You managed to overlay red leaves on an already dark tree trunk- was that acrylic?
I used a Copic marker (Y38-Honey) to do all the leaves, then went over them with a roughly mixed red and orange gouache, then again with layers of yellow gouache. Gouache is opaque, of course, which is why it covers the tree. The markers go over gouach really nicely and I then did just that with the Honey colour, brightening the leaves again. Then I painted in more pale yellow gouache. :~)

3. When you put shadow on faces, is that more of a brown, and then to shadow clothes it more a blue/grey? Im really bad at shadowing with the correct colours! I know theres art 'rules' about this- do you know what they are?
The basic rule is - blue tones will make things receed, yellow tones will bring them forward.
The shadowing on faces and clothes really depends on the lighting etc., but I do try to have the same colours in both. Pale Lavender is one of my favourite colours to use in shadows; it really gives the faces depth. :~)

[d-copper.livejournal.com]

This is an amazing tutorial. I never knew you could use rock salt on water colour.

lol I am actually wondering if you could explain how to use the copic blender. I have Pentone markers (couldn't afford copic) and I bought a blender. But I can't seem to make is blend smoothly. The blender ink itself always leaves a definite edge on the colours I am trying to blend. I am wondering if there is a special technique to using the blender marker.

[leelastarsky.livejournal.com]

Do you mean Pantone markers? The ones with three nibs? Cos those are more expensive than Copics here in Australia.

The colourless blender works on marker ink like water does on watercolour. So if you have an area of flat colour, for example, and pressed your colourless blender tip in the middle of it, it would push the ink away from the nib in an ever widening radius, depending how long you left it pressed against the paper for. When you stop, and the colourless ink dries, you'd be left with a rough edged circle in the middle of the area of flat colour. If you repeated the proceedure right next to the first circle, the bleeding would overlap the first, and there would be a subsequent line as it dried. Just like you'd get with watercolours when you drip water on them.

With watercolours, the way to avoid those edges is to keep your paper wet; same applies for markers, but using blender fluid instead of water.

The way I use it on a face is by drawing in all the colours I want on the face - shadows and all - not worrying too much about the roughness of lines, then re-wetting or colouring the whole area with the colourless blender. All the tones then bleed into one another, creating a smooth transition. Do you follow? You then have to go back over the features with your other pens or pencils (depending what you're using), to add in defining lines etc.

[d-copper.livejournal.com]

I bought my markers a few years ago at Newtown in Sydney, and there was an art shop that sold well-priced Pentone markers.

Thank you for the excellent explanation! It makes so much sense now that you have explained it. I tried it, and now I actually have a mostly correct prediction of what the end result would look like.

Thank you! *is totally happy*

[leelastarsky.livejournal.com]

I'm thrilled I was able to help! :~D

[belovedranger.livejournal.com]

I am really enjoying your tutorial! It makes me appreciate more fully all the steps involved in your gorgeous creations. : ) I cannot wait to hang this one on my wall! I love how it really feels like we're immersed in the scene.

I never knew the uses of rock salt!

[leelastarsky.livejournal.com]

Oh, rock salt is dead useful! It's great for use in painting, and I also use it as a base under candles (in a glass) so that the candle doesn't harm whatever surface it's sitting on. In Feng Shui they say to place a small pot of it in the corner of a room to absorb negative energy. ;~) So I like to think that my little glasses of rock salt and tealight candles are performing a double function! Heh!

[misconstrue.livejournal.com]

wow. It's always amazing watching a piece of art come to life, and this was definitely a wonderful tutorial!

[leelastarsky.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed it! :~)

[coell.livejournal.com]

I linked this post at hp_inspirado and you've been invited to be a member. If you're interested, you can accept here: http://www.livejournal.com/manage/invites.bml

If you have any other tutorials, I'd be happy to add them to our list. Thanks for this one!