Artist PROFILE Xiao
LOCATION: UK A Somerset-based illustrator who focuses on character design and explores storytelling with comics and book illustration. https://ifxm.ag/xiao
RESOURCES
WORKSHOP BRUSHES
PROCREATE
CUSTOM BRUSHES BY NIKOLAI LOCKERTSEN: RULL BRUSH This brush is similar to Nikko Rull, but is more sensitive.
EGG ROUND BRUSH
A round brush with some textures. I use it as a felt tip pen.
Get more Procreate brushes from Nikolai Lockertsen via https://ifxm.ag/nikkos
When it comes to character concept design, it doesn't matter whether you're designing for a given brief or a piece of personal work you will naturally draw inspirations from your own memory and experiences, things you've seen, read and felt. And consciously or not, you will channel your personalities and aesthetics into your work. So your concept character is like a reflection of yourself.
In this workshop, I would like to summon my spirit animal, designing a fantasy creature from start to finish. I will offer advice for each stage of the process, and will share my main painting methods.
There are some key guiding principles to be aware of when doing concept work. First off, your design's silhouette is essential, as it makes your creature recognisable. Secondly, a good understanding of anatomy is important, as it helps your creature feel real. And third, do not add details before the fundamentals are done. These principles aren't laws, but they are great pieces of advice, tried and tested by many!
Let's take a look at my character concept design process, from initial concept sketches, to the final, detailed piece.
1 Clarify concept and sketch thumbnails
Denne historien er fra May 2022-utgaven av ImagineFX.
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Denne historien er fra May 2022-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
Jan Wessbecher
Dominic Carter talks to the visual artist about creating his own comic and why sketchbooks are great for creative experiments
Kyounghwan Kim
The Korean character concept artist speaks to Dominic Carter about staying open to ideas and the value of drawing regularly
Slawek Fedorczuk
Dominic Carter talks to the concept artist about what keeps him motivated and the advantages of using physical sketchbooks.
Raquel M. Varela
Raquel is inspired by magic, fantasy and fairy tales. She loves designing female characters from distant worlds. \"My greatest reference is Loish's art, thanks to her I learned to draw the movement and fluidity I like to convey.\"
Estrela Lourenço
Estrela is a children's book author and illustrator. Her work is influenced by her background in character animation and storyboards for clients such as Cartoon Network, and she channels comic strips like Calvin and Hobbes.
Daria Widermanska
Daria, also known as Anako, has been drawing for as long as she can remember. Inspired by Disney and classic anime, she loves creating new characters and often finds that a single sketch can spark a unique story.
Allen Douglas
Allen has been painting professionally since 1994 for the publishing and gaming industries. Inspired by folklore, he distorts the size, relationships and environments of animals, and calls his paintings 'unusual wildlife'.
Thaddeus Robeck
Thaddeus has been drawing from the moment he could hold a pencil, but it was the 2020 lockdowns that gave him the time to focus on honing his skills.
DRAW FASCINATING SYMBOLIC ARTWORK
Learn how JULIÁN DE LA MOTA creates a composition from his imagination with a focus on crafting figures, volumetric modelling, and light and shadow
First Impressions
The artist talks about his journey into the mythological world
