Hello! Sorry for the like spam, but your art is wonderful. I love the semi-realistic style you draw Pokémon in and on top of that, you keep them recognizable. You don’t sacrifice their design for the sake of realism.
I try to draw Pokémon the same way, but I struggle with the overall head/face/expressions. Smaller eyes means less expression. Mine end up looking kind of dead inside. How do you find a balance? How do you keep them expressive, but realistic?
Aww, no worries. I'm delighted you enjoy my artwork! Thank you for the lovely compliment. ( ;u;)
Striking a balance between realistic and stylized art is hard. It's an ever-evolving puzzle you continuously solve one drawing at a time, so please don't feel discouraged by the struggle.
For me, I've been drawing animals for decades, and their eyes have always been the most important part to nail. Getting them not to look "dead inside" comes with practice. With that being said, here are some tips that may be helpful:
A single highlight can make all the difference. That brightest point of light you see reflecting off an eye? Easiest way to liven up your subject.
Don't be afraid to push your shapes. Try keeping realistic proportions while emphasizing the subject's emotion through dynamic lines & shapes. Studying 2D animation helped me learn how to exaggerate features in a believable way.
Mind the facial structures. Cheeks get pushed up when smiling or snarling; raised eyebrows make eyes look wider; etc. Anatomy studies are really useful in learning how everything interacts with each other. (Making the expression yourself in the mirror is also fun!)
Use references & real life subjects. Sketch over a photo; then, from memory, re-draw what you traced on a separate paper. Try bringing your sketchbook to a zoo/park & draw animals from life. Observation & repetition help build your visual library.
Your confidence will grow the more you study. There's no one shortcut I've found, but if other artists want to chime in with references or helpful hints, please do!
