This is my latest piece. Number #8 I think as it goes. So what did I learn? Oh so many things! Obviously it’s still not great but it’s a learning exercise.

I did this in a mix of Clip Studio Paint and Photoshop, so #1 of things I learned was how to use Clip Studio. I posed the characters in Poser but I had to do the clothes and everything myself, same with the faces.

For what I’m pleased with I think the texture looks good on Belle’s robe and boots. I think the lightsaber blades came out ok and actually at this size Gold’s armor doesn’t look terrible either. I think Belle looks reasonably like Belle, not so sure about Gold, I never can seem to get him :/

Anyway learning! Well first of all composition is a major thing. I started off trying to do a lot of detail and from studying comic books, actually they keep the backgrounds very simple, and usually you can’t see them very much. Everything is often very zoomed in or very zoomed out. This would be more like a cover pose I guess as it’s full body.

I relearned that I really need to start with a good line drawing before trying to move on, I had to redraw parts several times as I tried adding colour much too early. I guess it’s the power of lines – the power of ink because for the comic book style, a lot is achieved with lines rather than with more complex shading.

I did a new thing with the shading. I painted in black with a soft brush for the most part, and then put the soft light filter on. That and the eraser is all I used pretty much, didn’t use the more complicated color-pick/blend brush technique which I think might turn out too soft sometimes. This has some definition to it, which is more appropriate to the style as well I think.

For next time I want to consider the composition better to begin with, and also the light sources, and take my time getting the basics right before diving in.