The Gallery {Character Commission}
I could draw puff sleeves all day.
I’m always humbled when authors trust me with their characters. Without exception, I feel a great weight to get their character just right. As a writer, I know how long we spend planning each facet of our characters’ appearance and personality so I want to do every character commission justice and get the piece as close to the author’s vision as possible.
Sometimes getting the desired result takes work and then rework, but the flow for my latest commission was as easy as turning on a faucet. When author Moriah Chavis shared her character’s description and inspiration photos with me for her upcoming project, everything clicked almost instantly.
The Framework
Before coming up with a rough sketch, I drop everything I get from the client onto an inspiration board to work from. From there, I see what I need to finish getting a composition in mind. Since this story is set in the Victorian Era, I needed a reference for a dress. I started out by searching The Met Costume Institute for some ideas then proceeded to Pinterest when I couldn’t find something perfect. When it comes to Victorian dresses, I take my cues from Anne Shirley that the puffier the sleeve, the better!
Finally, here’s the full process timelapse from line art to painting.
Brushes used:
Line Art and sketching: Graphite by Maxine Vee. I’ve grown very familiar with this brush and I use it almost exclusively for line work.
Color Filling: Any solid-edged brush will do.
Painting (Face): Flat Painting Streamer, Soft Brush Texture and Master Smudge by Jing Sketch. I go in a little crazy and then blend things out with the Master Smudge brush. It’s my favorite smudger ever.
Painting (Dress): MaxU Watercolor MaxPack. I play around with these a lot to get the right look I want, but I generally stick to the Watercolor Flow brushes. I then use the Graphite brush over the top to add the lined texture.
Open for Commissions
If you’re looking for some character art or spot illustrations, feel free to check out my work and rates over at my website!