incomplete (and incoherent) list of tips for drawing vitiligo
- unless your character is pale the patches won’t be just a couple shades paler than their skin color. it’s the destruction of melanocytes, not an opacity filter. they won’t be pure white but they’ll be pretty close and just looking at photos of ppl (especially in different lighting) will help
- that said don’t be afraid to give pale characters vitiligo, it’s definitely not as noticeable at first glance but still cool
- pls... don’t draw patches pink.. it makes my skin hurt. unless ur character is sunburned just don’t
- vitiligo is, in MOST cases, symmetrical TO AN EXTENT. you obviously don’t have to follow this rule bc there’s real life exceptions, but most patches will have a patch/other half similar in size and shape on the other side
- idk if other people have this but the right side of my patches are bigger, which is why i say TO AN EXTENT
- patches can’t have freckles. i actually have a freckle that’s cut in half by the edge of a patch currently
- vitiligo can happen anywhere on the body but it’s most common around the eyes, mouth, hands and feet. also armpits but ppl don’t usually draw characters w visible armpits. that said not everybody has face patches most famous example i can think of is jon hamm
- patches can have smooth and/or splotchy edges, even on just one person. for example the bottom of my eye patches are v smooth but my forehead patches are all over the fucking place
- there’s a theory that trauma to the skin can trigger a new patch of vitiligo to form (which i’m prone to believe cause my forehead patch came in after i got a bad habit of popping pimples LMAO) so if ur character has a cool facial scar along w vitiligo u could give them a patch originating from the scar (or an acne patch like me.......)
- adding on to that the reason for this theory is bc it’s an autoimmune disease and while most ppl with vitiligo won’t have another one there IS a corrolation w other autoimmune diseases so like if u wanna maybe draw ur character also w a diabetic pump that would be kinda cool (they said diabetically)
- it also spreads with age, so if ur drawing a younger/older version of ur character keep in mind how it has changed over the course of their life. example mine started out small in the corners of my eyes and spread into what i call my superhero mask in the span of three years, for others that kind of progression could take way less time or way more time. it’s up to you to decide
- it can affect hair color as well so if patches go over the hairline of ur character feel free to give them cool white streaks
- draw more vitiligo in general it’s pretty and makes me like characters instantly
if this post actually gets any traction and u also have vitiligo feel free to add anything! every case is unique and i’ve only got my perspective and this is just my rambling thoughts
