ART CLASS TIME !!!! let me show you all how i draw in a digital collage style, featuring mark, my ponysona :)
lets begin!
what i do first is basically what everyone does, i start off with a sketch!
notably here i'm trying to rough out the shapes i'll use. i also try to think about what order the layers will be going in once i fill in my shapes!
from there, my next step is colorblocking, where i use a series of semitransparent layers in high contrast colors to put my shapes on the canvas and figure out the order of layers.
i didnt actually save an image of the colorblocking step, but you can see it in the speedpaint below.
after that, i use a reference and pick some colors similar to the ones present, but i shift the hue and brightness around to make sure each shape has contrast.
most of the time i'll make shapes in front lighter and shapes in back darker to denote shading, but not always. it's fun to mix and match!
the next part is my favorite, adding textures! i use a combination of various textured pngs i've found on pinterest and google, along with a few procreate brushes i think are cute. experiment and see what you like!
this step can be finicky because it's hard to keep the hues similar while using different overlays, but if you experiment with layer blending modes and multiple layers, it may help you achieve a result more similar to the colors you chose initially.
i like to experiment with what textures and brushes i use to make sure each element still stands out, and that one element doesn't overpower the whole piece.
for example, if i chose a busier texture for the darkest part of mark's mane, you'd struggle to make out the rest of the details, like his lighter streaks and the separation of his bangs from the back of his mane.
finally, i follow these steps for the shading:
duplicate each layer
recolor the new layers to a dark blueish-purple
use a very minor gaussian blur filter on them (1-3% on procreate)
shift all of the shading layers a little down and to the side
turn them into multiply layers and set opacity to 80-90%
it sounds like a lot.. but it's more tedious than anything lol...... (it also makes procreate lag YAAAAY LOL)
you can also experiment with the color of your shading layers, how you position them, etc.
and tada! you have a collage style drawing of your oc, fave, f/o, etc. :3
and if it helps at all, here's a speedpaint to visualize everything!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!FLASH WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!FLASH WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i hope this helps :) if anyone is curious about any other bits of the process, please do reply!i
