Character designer Aleksey Baydakov reveals his colourful rendering process as he depicts a unique circus partnership.
The ImagineFX team saw my sketch of a well-matched circus duo and asked me to develop the art for their cover. I really like these cartoon characters and was happy to render them in colour. I love it when the form and details of my characters convey their mood and charisma.
I do all my work in Photoshop. In this workshop, I’ll explain my usual process of working on the rendering of characters in colour. I’ll show key techniques and principles that guide me, and reveal how I use photo textures. I don’t employ a large number of brushes, but I try to sculpt forms through my brushstrokes, just as in traditional painting. The strokes are visible if you study the art closely, but the render looks smooth at a distance. It took me some time to perfect this technique, but now I use it to speed up my painting process. And I like the effect it produces.
It’s crucial to observe the phasing, and go from simple forms to complex details. It’s also important to establish all the details during the sketch stage, otherwise you may run into trouble later on. Of course, I’m inconsistent and make mistakes, but that’s just part of the fun! Let’s see how I create these performers, who are clearly at the top of their game…
1 Adjusting and improving the original sketch
Because I’m working from a finished sketch and it’s been some time since I drew it, this is an opportunity to take a fresh look at it and make some small adjustments. I clarify the lines, then turn the image into a silhouette to assess the expressiveness of the forms and counter shapes.
2 Starting with simple shapes
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Denne historien er fra September 2019-utgaven av ImagineFX.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
PAINT EPIC BATTLES IN TRADITIONAL INK
Warhammer illustrator THOMAS ELLIOTT shows you how to create an epic science fiction fight scene with this step-by-step guide
CONJURE MAGIC ILLUSTRATIONS
Daria Anako demonstrates her process for creating a whimsical piece of art with some spellbinding touches
First Impressions
We discover the early influences that inspired the artist
ZBrush for iPad
GAME CHANGER The desktop version of popular 3D sculpting software ZBrush has been redesigned for iPad - and it's brilliant
BenQ GW2786TC
GET AN EYEFUL Don't scrimp out on your health with a monitor that's kind on the eyes and good for creative tasks
Huion Kamvas Pro 19
TABLET WARS An attractive pen display does an excellent job of balancing price and performance as it sets out to challenge its rivals in the mobile marketplace
DRAGON OFORCEC
Legendary D&D artist Larry Elmore explains the keys to crafting timeless fantasy art.
DUNGEON MASTERS
ImagineFX marks the milestone 50th anniversary of the launch of Dungeons & Dragons with a look at its rich tradition of illustration
Erik Ly
Gamer's haven Why the artist enjoys a maximalist aesthetic more than the minimalist approach.
2D meets 3D: How the workflows are merging
Interdimensional As VFX and animation evolve and tools become more accessible, Tanya Combrinck asks whether the separation between the mediums is reducing