If you have browsed through the repertoire of drawings and illustrations online, you would have been as awe struck as me. There is a list of amazing, amazing artist out there that I wish I could have a fraction of their talent. Yet, when it comes to art, there are so many styles and techniques applied by various artist that there simply is no way to judge which one is better than the other. It is simply a matter of personal taste and how each piece of art fits an individual and their own realm. That’s what makes us all unique!
While there are no right ways in illustrating, I’m here to share on how my creative process goes. I imagine that since cooking can be emulated through cook books, if illustrating was anything like cooking, here’s my step by step of how I created by Chrysanthemum Dreams series.
Paper ( I used standard size 200gm acid-free A3 paper)
Pigment Ink Pen ( 0.1,0.2,0.5, 0.8)
Chrysanthemum illustrations (my previous works)
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Prep : a few days Sketch : 1 hr Ready In : 10 hrs _____________________________________________________________
Getting inspired is the first step to any creative process. I am constantly inspired by uniquely composed fashion photograph, flowers and almost anything from my library of curiosities. Your inspiration can be anything. Bu remember it takes time to pull inspiration together reflect your vision on paper, so take time to source for the perfect inspiration.
2. PUT REFERENCES TOGETHER
While there are illustrators who turn to their own imagination for inspiration, I find mine at time from reference images. Once you have gathered sufficient references, pull them together and let’s get started.
3. PLAN HOW YOU WANT TO NARRATE YOUR STORY
I believe it’s always best to plan how and where each image goes to make your vision cohesive. Often times, you will have a story to narrate through your images. You know what they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words” .
Start sketching out your idea. I would occasionally print our references and draw rough lines for better understanding of scale and proportion. But if your intuition at scale and proportion is near perfect, you can start straight on sketching. Once your idea is out on paper, carefully erase off ubiquitous lines and you’re ready for the next tedious step.
Refine the sketch by overlapping the desired lines- choose any point to start off. I usually begin this process with a 0.1 or 0.2 pen. For this illustration, I started off by inking the chrysanthemums then slowly develop depth of tone by changing to thicker nip pens (0.5 or 0.8). Alternate between pens if you must. Then slowly fill in the lines.
This is a step not to be missed. You will need this break. Have a tea or coffee break and just take a step back to see how far you’ve come. Give yourself a pat on the back, then it’s back to work.
(*hint: you may need a few of these breaks)
Continue to fill the gaps between the lines until satisfied. Pay attention to details. You know you’re ready for the next step when you’re satisfied with the depth of tone and detail you put in.
It’s now time to move your completed illustration into the computer. Scan your work and don’t forget to keep a copy of the original before any Photoshop editing.
Adjust contrast of your illustration to create your desired image depth. From your library collection, take our previous illustrations and pull them into your main work. Duplicate, transform, adjust and scale all images to achieve your desired composition.
Once you’re satisfied, it’s time to add a dash of colour. Using the brush tool, brush over the chrysanthemums with the colour of your choice. I toyed around a little with the effects section of respective layers.
Finally, choose a background for your work to create the desired effect. It is up to your imagination. I scanned one of the ‘ginburi momigami’ textured origami paper (a gift from my Japanese host mother, Ayako Haruna).
Before the ‘ta-da’ moment, remember to save your work! I would recommend saving one file in editable psd file and another in jpeg. Ta-da, now it’s a wrap.
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