Entry 6 (2/15/14): In Which I Break Down The Way I Work Step-By-Step

Entry 6: In Which I Break Down The Way I Work Step-By-StepIn light of the series of snowstorms that keep crowding us out, I had a pretty short work week, so for once, I don't really have that much to talk about.

To occupy this time instead, I'm gonna give you an in-depth look into the art I create and the way I create it!

The way it's all broken down is actually quite simple, which gives me the ability to use it to get a lot of ideas out pretty quickly if I put in the effort.

For now, I'll just get into how I usually do things; the most commonly used method for me and my work.

Step 1: The Sketch

This is where it all starts. Practically every day, I get a new idea in my head, and at one point or another, I hold onto it long enough for me to draw it out with pencil and whatever blank pieces of paper I can find. Once it's drawn to where I believe it's...well, believable, everything is put through the scanner, uploaded to the cloud, and stuffed onto my computer.

The sad thing about this phase is, while I initially intend to upload everything I draw, many, many, sketches end up by the wayside. It's a painful part of the process, but we don't have cutting room floors for nothing.

Those that I do manage to continue, however, go into...

Step 2: The Lineart



Having just drawn and uploaded my shiny new sketch, I then go through the painstaking process of redrawing it digitally.

Exactly how this is done depends on my location at the time; primarily it's done through Adobe Photoshop CS5.5 with a Wacom Tablet, but if need be, I will use whatever program I have access to at the time. Even if that means...*shudder*...MS Paint...

Fortunately, it hasn't yet come to that, and the work that gets past this part will go into...

Step 3: The Color



This is my favorite part of creating artwork, the part where I bring life and color into it. This is almost exclusively done in Photoshop, as it's the program I've used the longest.

It also gives me a chance to reuse certain assets, as many of the things I draw have their own color schemes that can keep on using...

So, after tracking down every single blank spot and paint-bucketing it as often as necessary, the color is finished! Still, just color seems a bit bland by itself...which leads me to...

Step 4: The Finishing Touches

This is where I add all the little bells and whistles the art needs to pop!

Things such as shading, lights and darks, extra lines, gradients, and text, if you can name it and make the art look more realistic (or un-realistic, I'm not picky), I'll probably throw it on there.

Actually, throw's not exactly the best word, as I usually spend as much time here as I do actually coloring it. It's all worth it, though, as I once this is finished, more or less...

The Work Is Complete!...And I am free to do with it as I please! Of course, "as I please" usually means "upload the sketch, lines, and refined color to deviantART to be judged by others".

This isn't to say this is my only way of making art, because, mind you, I have many more mediums to work with than this process implies.

Even so, this method is my favorite way of making art, and it's a practice that's been improved over the many years I've been an artist.

You could almost say the way it works is an art in itself...

...I do apologize if that came off as pretentious, but really, I'm running out of things to say at this point, so I'll just sign off now, while I'm still able to remain somewhat modest...

~Jalen @Xero-J Johnson
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