ALIEN MERMAID

BY LAURA “LAUMII” MÜLLER

When I start the character design process,
I think of a story that I would enjoy
illustrating. Here I want to draw a mermaid
character, but one that is alien from a
typical mermaid world. I begin by scribbling
around, trying out different shapes, colors,
gestures, and emotions. I do not worry so
much about anatomy or perspective at
first, and just go with the flow, producing
what I call “spaghetti drawings.” It is easy to
change the design at this rough stage.
When I find a design that really feels right,
I make a cleaner line drawing. In this case, I
choose the design with lots of bubble eyes,
which help her to spy on her surroundings;
I imagine them wobbling around when she
is moving, giving her an alien touch instead
of normal flowing hair. This stage is also
where I fix the character’s anatomy and
exaggerate the initial idea further. I try to
convey some mermaid-like traits with the
lines, aiming for fluidity and vividness. At
this stage I still change elements as I go,
such as the mermaid’s tail, which becomes
a flatter, thinner shape to balance out the
round mass of her hair.
When choosing colors, I stick with an
underwater theme, using greens and blues
with complementary earth tones and
oranges. Giving her little fish companion
an orange touch also adds to the contrast,
making the main character stand out more.

I start off with some very loose line drawings and basic The sketching stage allows
colors, trying to find an interpretation of an “alien me to correct mistakes I
mermaid” that I like. I want her to come across as made earlier and refine
whimsical, proud, confident, and lively. parts I wasn’t sure about.

256
 BREAKDOWN GALLERY

I choose a light green and

dark brown color scheme
that creates a value
contrast between her skin
color and hair.

REMEMBER PERSONALITY
Don’t get lost in just making a character
look cool. Think of their innermost
personality; give them a reason to
exist and equip them with feelings and
emotions. If you are struggling to find
or convey a character’s personality, try
adding a little companion, sidekick, or Here is the final alien mermaid.
environmental element, which will help Adding the finishing details
to dictate how the character acts. at the end is the most time-
consuming part, but fun. Final artwork © Laura “Laumii” Müller
257
SORCERESS
BY MARIE THORHAUGE
My key aim for designing this sorceress is to
make it clear she is a gothic character but
not necessarily a villain. I want to touch on
these elements but also try to challenge the
concept by incorporating an extra spin into
it: I would like to add an almost sci-fi touch
to the character, which will come across in
her outfit and colors.
When you think of “gothic,” a black, gray,
and red color palette often comes to mind.
However, I choose to go with a pink, purple,
250
and blue color scheme for interest. Her skin her blonde hair, a crucifix, and a stake to
is very pale, and her hair has a gray tone, make a vampire slayer. Instead of doing this,
so my palette still has a melancholic gothic my favorite part of designing is to re-think
feel, but it is the less obvious choice. a concept and approach it from another
angle. Then the success of my design is
When designing characters, it is always the reliant on pure design theory and technique.
easy solution to go with the stereotype;
you can draw any character and give them
a stereotypical personality by giving them
a different outfit. For example, giving this
character pale skin, a black robe, and a
wand to create a gothic sorceress, or giving
In the rough sketch, I focus on
the pose and anatomy. When
working in a very stylized fashion
like this, it is incredibly important
to still respect anatomy, or the
design will not work.
Before moving on to cleaning
up the design, I paint roughly in
grayscale on top of the sketch to
test the feel of the character.
 BREAKDOWN GALLERY

Now I make the final refinements to the shapes, lines,

and details, such as the hands and facial features. As
this design is so heavily stylized, I have chosen to draw
it with a completely even line. A thin, flat line such as this
requires a very tight, decisive pose and anatomy in the
sketch, otherwise you run the risk of “killing” the design
by stripping away the elements that make the sketch
look appealing.

In this final image, I have chosen to only outline

where the character’s shapes overlap. This effect
gives a more three-dimensional feel to an otherwise
completely flat design. Adding texture to her hair also
makes the design feel more organic, creating contrast
with the very clean shapes and colors elsewhere.

Final artwork © Marie Thorhauge

251
 Meike Schneider | 19
Final images © Meike Schneider

A WINTER
( AND AUTUMN’S ) TALE
MEIKE SCHNEIDER
In this tutorial I will design two characters in two different environments. I will explain how environments
can affect characters, change the overall mood of the image and create an entirely different atmosphere.
I decided to pick an autumn scene with warm and cozy colors and, in contrast to that, a snowy and cool
winter scene with lots of blue. I’ll show you how color and light affect the overall atmosphere and my
process of creating a painting with a seasonal change.
20 | A Winter (and Autumn’s) tale
Tale

MIND MAPPING
To get inspired and come up with new ideas I like to work with
mind-maps. I collect ideas for the environment, character
types, the mood and atmosphere, and the activities that the
characters will be doing. All of this helps to tell a believable
story. If you don’t have a clear vision in mind at the beginning
of a project this is an easy way to mix and match words to
create an image that tells a story! It’s always helpful to not
focus too early on a specific idea, instead trying to generate
as many ideas as possible and then pick some interesting ones
and mix them together. I decided to create sketches based on
the words kids, woods, exploring, and fall/winter.

This page: I start by

creating a mind-map
to collect ideas
 Meike Schneider | 21

WARM UP:
SHAPE
CHALLENGE
I use a few different methods to warm
up before drawing. One of my favorites
is the shape challenge! It’s fairly simple
– use a bold brush and create a few
different shapes, then go ahead and fill
these shapes with characters. I always try
to limit myself to a couple of minutes per
shape, and I keep the sketch very simple.
This exercise helps me to think less and
experiment more. It also forces me to
draw things I wouldn’t usually draw!

This page (top):

Warming up

This page (bottom):

Sketching various versions
of the characters

SHAPING THE
CHARACTERS
When designing a character, I will always
try to create several different versions
before settling on a final choice. Usually,
the first try isn’t the best! A good way
to start is by simplifying proportions
and thinking in shapes, such as triangles,
circles, and squares. While angular shapes
tend to make characters look sharp
and evil, round shapes often suggest
a cute character. Experimenting with
proportions can also be helpful to design
unique characters.

At this stage I already know how I want

the main facial features and body
proportions to look, so I’m now testing
various clothing and hair options for the
male and female character.
22 | A Winter (and Autumn’s) tale
COMPOSING THE SCENE
Composition plays an important role in storytelling. Design elements
such as the rule of thirds, lines, space, proportion, and focus help to tie
all the visuals in your painting together to produce a pleasing whole.
I like to separate my environments into foreground, midground, and
background, to help create depth and interesting compositions. For
this piece I decided to go with a simple composition placing the kids
centrally so they’re the focal point of the image. The dark foreground
helps to lead the viewer’s eye right to the center of the image where the
main action is happening, and also serves to neatly frame the two main
characters.
 Meike Schneider | 23

NOT THIS TIME

When designing an environment which
includes characters I always like to
create multiple compositions of the
scene to see which best creates the
emotional response I’m looking for. I
rejected this composition as I wanted
the focus of the drawing to be the
characters’ interaction. While I like this
setup, the characters are too far away
from the camera so it would be hard to
read their emotions.

POSE AND
EXPRESSION
I need to figure out which pose and expression
works best for the image and each character.
I always try to imagine I’m that person in that
specific moment, imagining what I’d be looking
at and how I’d react emotionally. I’ve designed
two young kids exploring wildlife in the woods,
so I want them to be very excited about the snail
they’ve found on the ground. To avoid having
too much symmetry in the drawing I wanted
one of the characters to stand straight, and the
other one sitting a little lower. The girl has a map
in her hands and looks a little astonished when
she sees her friend holding the snail, who in turn
is looking absolutely ecstatic!

Opposite page: Testing different compositions

AVOIDING TANGENTS
Tangents happen when one shape lines up with another, making
it difficult to differentiate one from the other and fooling the
eye into seeing unintended forms. For a clearer and more
readable silhouette always try to avoid tangents!
by separating the image to create depth
This page (top): Rejected composition
This page (bottom): Place yourself in your
character’s shoes to find the right emotions
 tale
24 | A Winter (and Autumn’s) Tale
TIME FOR LINES
Before going any further with our design, we need to clean up our
rough sketch. I’m trying to be as accurate as possible with my lines at
this stage – anything that looks weird in the sketch will be harder to fix
during coloring, so it’s best to sort out any problems at this stage. When
working with clients it’s also super important to show them a final sketch
PALETTE CLEANSING
Color harmony is a crucial part of any drawing. A good color scheme is
pleasing to the eye, engages the viewer, and creates an inner sense of
order and balance in the visual experience. Colors can affect the mood
and atmosphere of an entire image. I’ll demonstrate this by giving the
same scene a color scheme for both fall (warm) and winter (cold).
But how do we find colors that work well with each other? Color theory
is a great place to start – there are predefined schemes of colors that
work well together such as complementary, triadic, analogous, and
monochromatic. How color behaves in relation to other colors and
shapes can be a complex conundrum to solve. Looking at colors on a
color wheel shows the differing levels of contrast between different
hues – for example, colors that are directly opposite one another on
the wheel have the highest contrast possible while colors next to one
another have low contrast.
with clean lineart, so they can approve the image before proceeding with
something that is hard to change later. I’m drawing the lines with a red
colored brush as it will blend better with the other colors I’ll add later. I
also like to use different colors to separate characters, foreground, and
background from each other.
GENERATING
COLOR PALETTES
If you are struggling to create appealing color
palettes there are lots of tools that can help
you to pick and choose! Adobe Color offers lots
of options to generate a color palette — it can
even use an imported picture to create one for
you. Procreate’s Color Harmony is a similar utility
that builds instant color schemes based on your
choices – these can be complementary, split
complementary, analogous, triadic, or tetradic.
 Meike Schneider | 25

Opposite page:
Cleaning up the
sketch by drawing
the outlines
as accurately
as possible

This page (top):

Finding an
appealing color
palette is key

This page
(bottom): Using
color thumbnails
to test colors
and identify
how much space
each will take

THUMBING
THROUGH COLORS
Color thumbnails are a great way to preview how your artwork will look a bold brush and only draw the main objects to create a thumbnail. Don’t
once it’s colored and also to identify how much space each color will spend too long on this step — each thumbnail should only take a couple
cover on the entire image. I use this technique to test different variations of minutes to complete.
of color schemes until I find one that suits the mood I’m going for. I use
26 | A Winter (and Autumn’s) Tale
tale

COLORING AT A DISTANCE
Another technique I like to use once I create my thumbnails (and also
later during the final coloring process) is checking the values. To do this,
I grayscale the entire image and make sure things in the distance are
much lighter in value than the objects in the foreground. In the colored
version make sure to use atmospheric perspective – this means that as
the distance between an object and the viewer increases, the contrast
between the object and background decreases. The colors of the object
also become less saturated and shift towards the background color,
which is usually bluish, although certain conditions, such as sunrise or
sunset, can alter this.

This page: Using

grayscale values to add
contrast and separate
out the foreground,
background, and
characters

Opposite page (top):

Blocking the main
shapes and base colors
on separate layers is
an important step

Opposite page
(bottom): Pencil
strokes give the art a
more traditional look

BLOCK PARTY
Now that I’ve created a color thumbnail as a
reference, I can start blocking in the main shapes
on separate layers. Being able to adjust objects
individually is really important, especially in cases
like this, where I know I want to make a version
with a different seasonal setting later on. During
the blocking I also define each object’s base color.
Meike Schneider | 27
TEXTURE AND PATTERNS
With all the shapes blocked out it’s time to add some shading and
texture! Texture helps to give the image a more interesting and unique
look. For this scene, I’m trying to paint as I would with traditional
pencils to achieve a colored pencil stroke look. I also use a few patterns
on the character’s clothes (which is one of my favorite things to draw,
by the way!) Patterns can add lots to a character’s personality with very
little extra work, giving an insight into their fashion and color tastes.
28 | A Winter (and Autumn’s) tale
Tale

STORIES WITHIN STORIES

I always like to add little details around the main characters throughout
the image. I’ve worked on a lot of children’s books in the past – most
children love to spot smaller stories or details within the main story.
Searching for these details makes the viewer engage with the image for
longer. I add a few splashes of wildlife to the picture – a bird on the This page: Telling
fence, a squirrel on the tree, a snail, and some ants and spiders. All these stories within stories
extra little elements make the scene look so much more exciting! can help capture the
viewer’s attention

THE CHANGING SEASONS Opposite page (top):

With the autumn scene complete, now I can duplicate the image and Lighting and colors
start changing the overall mood for a winter version. Autumn is full of have a huge impact
warm and cozy colors, lots of reds, oranges, yellows, and warm greens. on the overall mood
I want to contrast this with cooler shades of blue for my winter scene. and atmosphere
Again, I start by forming an idea of how the whole scene should look by of the image
creating another color thumbnail which I will use as the base to change
the colors in the next step. In this specific scene, the thumbnail process Opposite page
helps me see that the characters need to have bright colors, otherwise (bottom): Adjust
they would get lost in the snow. I decide to go with warm colors such colors from warm
as red and orange (opposite on the color wheel to the background) to to cool by de-
create a good contrast. saturating them

WINTER IS COMING
Using the color thumbnail as a reference, I set about changing the warm
colors of the autumn scene by working through the separate layers
and adjusting the hue, saturation, and brightness. The trees and plants
especially need to have blue tones due to all the bounce light created
Meike Schneider | 29
through the sky and snow. I also delete layers with any plants that would
not be present in winter, such as the bushes and mushrooms on the
ground – I’ll replace these in the next step. The characters themselves
also need to be desaturated and slightly affected by the ambient light.
30 | A Winter (and Autumn’s) tale
Tale

A CHANGE IN SCENERY
With the colors adjusted to create a cold atmosphere, I still have to add a few
more winter objects, as most of the bushes would lose their leaves during
winter. I replace them with snow-covered branches. I also remove most of the
animals and the mushrooms, and instead add more snow to the bottom of the
trees and the fence.

ADDING FILTERS AND EFFECTS

Finally, I make some small adjustments to both scenes. I slightly blur the
foreground and background so the focus is on the characters and the viewer is
guided towards the center of the scene. To add a bit of dynamism I add falling
snow and leaves to the foreground of the scene. I further enhance the texture
of the scene with a touch of noise and chromatic aberration. And with that,
both scenes are complete and our characters look just as good in autumn and
in winter!

This page: All the elements of fall are replaced with snow and bushes without leaves

Opposite page: I add a few final filters, effects, and adjustments

to both images. Final images © Meike Schneider
Meike Schneider | 31
TUTORIALS
SOLARPUNK GIRL
OLGA “AsuROCKS” ANDRIYENKO

Every character has their own unique

personality, story, and world they live in.
It is your job as an artist to communicate
those things to your audience without
using words. The various elements that
make up a character design can help you
do exactly that. The girl in this tutorial
lives in a futuristic Solarpunk universe.
While her life may be different from
ours, in this sunny scene we glimpse
her excitement and sense of adventure
as the artwork invites you to take a step
into her world.

On the following pages you will learn how

to find inspiration, fuel your creativity,
and transform your ideas into a finished
character design. The tutorial will
teach you how to consider what details
can help you tell a character’s story.
You will also observe easy sketching
techniques for finding the perfect pose LEARNING OBJECTIVES
and composition to accurately portray Learn how to...
your character. Additionally, the tutorial
will explore Procreate’s useful tools for  se Procreate’s tools to make the
U
drawing beautiful line art and easily drawing process quicker and easier.
filling in color flats. You will see how
to use layer blend modes and Manage your layers to keep
adjustments to achieve captivating your workflow flexible.
lighting effects. By the end, you will
have all the tools you need to create
 se clipping masks to create
U
engaging character artwork.
easily adjustable color flats.

Use layer blend modes to create

different lighting effects.

 dd effects to take your character

A
artwork to the next level.

PAGE 208
 Solarpunk girl

ARTIST TIP
Before you start to draw, take some time to journey into your character’s world.
Use both your imagination and inspiring images to create a mental picture. Begin
to look for inspiration, whether from online image search engines, other artists
you admire, or places you have visited and taken photographs of. Solarpunk is
a genre of science fiction that explores a positive vision of the future, where
humans live in harmony with nature by using renewable energy. You can find
ideas for a world like this by looking at futuristic architecture and clothing, but
also in designs of the past or existing nature-based cultures. Doing this kind of
research will make your character creation easier and give you unexpected ideas.

01
Create a new canvas and start sketching
ideas for how you want to position your
character. What is she doing? What
can her pose tell the viewer about her
personality? What perspective will you
choose? Drawing a character from below
can make them look more heroic or even
threatening. Alternatively, a perspective
looking down from above can make a
character seem small, or create a thrilling
view from a rooftop. Another option is to
draw the character at eye level, which will
make them appear more relatable.

Sketch rough ideas but don’t go into

detail yet – this will make it easier
to explore lots of ideas quickly

109
Tutorials

02
Select your favorite thumbnail using the
Rectangle Selection tool, then swipe up
with three fingers to cut and paste it onto
a new layer. Scale it up using the Uniform
Transform tool, creating a base for your
character sketch. No matter how rough
your thumbnail sketch, using it as a base
will make the process much easier than
starting from a blank canvas.

Paste the
thumbnail onto a
new layer, then use
Use the Rectangle Selection tool to Uniform Transform
select your chosen thumbnail to scale it up

03
Lower the opacity of your thumbnail
layer and create a new layer on top for
your sketch. Use simple shapes to define
the character’s pose, experimenting with
different head angles and arm positions.
If your sketch gets too messy, merge
it with the layer below, lower the opacity,
and draw a cleaner sketch on a layer
on top. The Sketching > HB Pencil
brush is great for creating the natural
feeling of drawing. Try tilting your Apple
Pencil as you sketch and watch how the
stroke changes.

Though it’s still rough, the sketch

gets clearer with every step

110
 Solarpunk girl

04
Make use of the different Transform
options to find the right proportions for
your character. Distort and Warp can
be especially helpful for adjusting the
perspective and size relationships of
different elements of your drawing. Here
it is helpful to draw the character and the
bike on different layers in order to be able
to transform them separately. A character
sitting on an object can be difficult to get
right, as you have foreshortened angles
of the figure and environment to consider,
so it is useful to be able to move them
around independently. Alternatively, you
can select multiple layers to transform
them together.

Experiment with the different

Transform tools to alter the size
and perspective of your character

05
Once you have settled on the pose, you can start to focus on the
character’s outfit and the details of the bike. For the Solarpunk
genre, try to combine traditional and futuristic elements. Her
Polynesian-inspired clothing elements and tattoos, along with
her bionic arm, show how this character embraces both her
culture and futuristic technology. Think about creative ways
to incorporate solar panels on both her clothing and bike. And
don’t forget bags and other items she might want to take on her
journey.

Start to add in the details,

incorporating the Solarpunk
theme into her design

111
Tutorials

06
Lower the opacity of your sketch layer (if
you have multiple sketch layers, merge
them into one at this point) and start to
define your lines on a new layer on top. As
with the sketches, you can use as many
line art layers as you need and then merge
them later. A great brush for drawing line
art with line weight variation and some
texture is Calligraphy > Chalk. You can
also change the Background color layer
to a sunny yellow tone to set the mood of
the scene.

Keep your lines expressive by varying the

pressure of your Apple Pencil as you draw

07
The finished line art should have the
right level of detail to allow you to start
coloring, but not so much that it makes
the illustration look too heavy. Not all
lines have to be closed; leaving some
open spaces will give the drawing room
to breathe. At this point you can group
all of your line layers together to keep
your layers tidy. Here the character,
bike, and windscreen have been kept
on separate layers, which will be useful
later on.

Group your line layers to keep Line art finished and

your layers organized ready for coloring

ARTIST TIP

QuickShape is a useful tool for

drawing circles and ellipses. Draw
an ellipse, then hold the tip of your
pencil down on the screen until
helpful tools appear to smoothen and
adjust your freehand drawing. This is
useful for the wheels of the bike.

112
 Solarpunk girl

08
Select a brush with crisp edges, such as
Inking > Syrup, to create a color base
for your drawing. Draw around the inside
edges of your entire drawing until you
have a closed shape. Using a color that
stands out from the background will help
you to be more precise.

The bright teal color is clearly visible

against the yellow background and will
be used for the color of the bike later

09
When you have drawn around the entire shape, tap and hold the
color you have drawn with and drag it onto the drawing. This will
fill the whole of the enclosed space with this color. Make sure
that there are no gaps in your shape border before you do this.
Repeat the same procedure on a new layer to fill in the bike’s
windscreen with white, then lower the opacity of this layer to
make it translucent.

Keeping the
sketch layer
visible was
helpful in the
process, but
now it can
be turned off

113
Tutorials

10
Create new layers on top of your color
base and set them as clipping masks of the
layer below. This will ensure everything
you paint stays within the borders of your
base shape. Use a warm brown and a
light gray to block out the shapes of the
girl and the cat to separate them from Using brown and gray, block
the bike. Placing each element on its own out shapes for the girl and cat
to separate them from the bike
layer will make color adjustments much
easier later on, as you will be able to use
these to make quick selections to help in
the shading process. Continue to create
as many clipping mask layers as you need
to fill in all the color areas of your drawing.
You can merge these layers together later
if you reach the layer limit.

Your base colors can be adjusted

later on if you change your mind
Use clipping mask layers
to color the different
sections of the character

11
Now to create the holographic map the character is holding.
First, create a rectangular selection on a new layer and fill it
with a bright color. Erase the corners to give it a more interesting
shape. Next, lower the opacity of this layer slightly and use the
Transform tool to bend the shape into place. Using Distort will
provide a good perspective base, while Warp will make the map
look curved.

Create a rectangular
selection and fill it with color

Erase the corners

Lower the opacity,

then use Transform to
transform the shape

Transform > Warp will

curve and bend the shape

114
 Solarpunk girl

12
Set the mood for your illustration with
a rough background painted under the
character layers. Using a big blocky
brush, such as Painting > Flat Brush,
will prevent you from getting lost in the
details too soon. This step is about finding
shapes and colors. It can be helpful to
squint at sunny reference photos to see
what colors stand out once you lose all
the detail.

Use a big blocky brush to build up a rough While it doesn’t work

background, focusing on shapes and colors as a standalone
illustration, it’s perfect
for setting the scene

13
Now you have filled in the background colors, you can give the
character some final color adjustments and refinement. Use
the Hue, Saturation, Brightness tool on the layer you want to
adjust. This is where having all of the elements on separate
layers comes in useful. Use the sliders to try out different color
versions, as sometimes your initial choice may not be the best
one. To paint in details, such as the cat’s spots, swipe right to
lock the transparency of the layer, so you can paint inside the
shape without going outside it.

Using Adjustment sliders, such as Hue, Saturation,

Brightness, is quicker than repainting the layer

Paint details, including spots on the cat

115
Tutorials

14
Lines with a hint of color can make a huge difference. Currently
all of your layers are set to Normal, as indicated by the letter
N next to the layer name. Duplicate your line art layer, then tap
on the N and change the blend mode to Overlay so that the
character colors show through. Lower the opacity of your initial
Normal line art layers until you are happy with the final result.

Black lines in
Overlay mode
create a darker,
saturated
version of the
colors below

15
Create a new layer at the very top of your layers list and set it to
Multiply. This blend mode is perfect for painting shadows. Now
tap your color base layer and choose Select to create an active
selection of the shape. Return to the new shadow layer, tap it,
and choose Mask. This ensures that whatever you paint on the
layer is only visible within the chosen mask shape. Painting in
white will make the contents visible, while black will hide them.
Make a selection of your line art layer, as you did with the color
base, and add this selection to the mask by painting it white.
Now you have a layer mask that covers both the character colors
and the outlines.
16
Consider the position of your light source and start painting in
the shadows. If you want some texture in your painting, a great
brush to use is Sketching > 6B Pencil. This will create a strong
color when you hold your Apple Pencil vertically, but when you
tilt it you will create a more translucent, textured coverage. This
will allow you to vary hard and soft shadow edges. Emphasize
the difference even more by smudging the paint using your finger
on the screen, or by using the Smudge tool with a brush such as
Sketching > Bonobo Chalk. When painting in the shadows, use
your color layers as selections; for example, when you want to
focus only on the girl or the bike.

Before you
start to paint,
make sure you
know if you
are painting
on the mask
or on the layer The rounder the shape, the softer the shadow edge

116
 Solarpunk girl

17
ARTIST TIP Create a selection of the shadow layer,
invert it, and create a new layer on top
Having trouble choosing
of the others in Add mode for painting
a color for your shadows?
Simply think what is the in the lights with a yellowish dark gray.
opposite of your light! When bright light hits human skin, you
For a scene bathed in can often see a glowing reddish edge in
warm yellow sunlight, the the shadows due to blood vessels shining
matching shadows would
through. Replicate this effect by locking
be blueish-purple tones
from the opposite side the transparency of your shadow layer and
of the color wheel. Try painting the edges with a bright orange-
some slightly warmer and red. Next, create a new layer above the
cooler tones, choosing shadow layer in Screen mode for the light
the ones that look best.
being reflected off the ground back onto
your character. Using a dark brown color,
give the shadow areas facing the ground a
subtle warm light from below.

Liven up your shadow areas with bright edges and reflected light

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18
The great thing about this layer setup is
that it allows you to make changes as and
when they’re needed. The transparent
glass windscreen layer does not look right
below the shadow layer, so move it on top
of it. Move the windscreen lines there
also, then create a new layer group for Use a layer mask to add variation to
the entire windscreen. Like the character the transparency of the windscreen
color base, you can use the windscreen
layers to make a layer mask that will allow
you to add variation to the transparency
of the windscreen. For example, it should
look more translucent in the places the
cat’s paws touch it. On new layers, add a
bright light reflection on top and paint on
the solar panels.

Paint on solar panels

19
The next step is to add more details
to the character’s holographic map.
Duplicate your map layer and use
Adjustments > Bloom to make it glow.
Use layer masks to ensure the map is not
covering the character’s finger. Draw the
map lines on a new layer on top.
Next, use Adjustments > Glitch on the
glowing layer to add some techno magic.
It’s a mystery as to what exactly the Glitch
filter does, so try out different settings
and see what happens. Experiment with
the transparency of these layers until you
find a result you like.

Procreate’s Glitch filter is perfect for

giving the holographic map a techno look

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 Solarpunk girl

20
Hand-drawn patterns are a great way to show the character’s
connection to her native culture. Look for references to help you
recreate patterns accurately. Use transparent guidelines to help
the pattern flow along the shape of the fabric, then delete them
once you have finished drawing the pattern. As the pattern layer
is below the shadow and light layers, it will be affected by those
in a natural way.

Build up the pattern on Use references when adding

the fabric detail by detail cultural patterns and details

21
Add several layers on top for details and refinement. Add
reflections, like the reflection of the map in the girl’s eyes.
Adding fine details will also help to flesh out the bionic arm and
solar panel elements. Give the bike more personality by adding
some stickers on it, and draw some whiskers on the cat.
22
To finish the environment, add some more detail to the
foreground areas close to the character. Everything further away
in the background can stay loose, keeping the focus on the girl.
Pay extra attention to the areas around the edges of your
character to ensure they are clearly readable. Use Freeform
Selection to create a soft selection of the areas that are farthest
away, then adjust the Feather setting to soften the selection
edges. Next, use Adjustments > Gaussian Blur and Adjustments
> Noise to emphasize depth.

Add as many details as you need to bring your character to life

An out-of-focus background Add minor details in the

helps to show the foreground, ensuring the
character’s world, without character remains the focus
distracting from them

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23
For the final touches, move all of the character layers into one
group. Now you can easily access the character and background
separately. If you hide the background layer and the initial
background color, you can view your character on a transparent
background. Swipe up with three fingers and tap Copy All and
then Paste. This will create a copy of your character on a new
layer. Next, turn the background back on and apply Adjustments
> Chromatic Aberration to it. This will create an interesting color
fringing around the edges, similar to analog photography. Use
the same effect on the character copy layer, but mask this layer
and only make it visible in certain areas close to the edges of
the illustration.

Chromatic aberration was a flaw

in classic photography, but is now
a popular effect in digital painting

Hide the background layer and the initial

Background color layer to view your
character on a transparent background

CONCLUSION
The final artwork depicts an adventurous character
ARTIST TIP in a futuristic Solarpunk universe. After following
this tutorial, you have learned how design,
Creating characters that live
color, and lighting choices can help you evoke
in a different world can be
challenging, but also incredibly a sense of positivity and warmth, along with a
fun! Take your time to find sci-fi look. You now know how to add meaningful
inspiration and explore new effects and details to strengthen your storytelling,
ideas, then use the process as well as knowing how to create a flexible layer
learned in this tutorial to bring
setup you can use for all kinds of character-driven
your ideas to life.
illustrations. Experiment with different lighting
situations and see what you can create!

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 Final image © Olga
“AsuROCKS” Andriyenko
AVELINE
STOKART
Introduction
This tutorial will walk you through the process of
creating a stylized portrait based on a reference
photo. It will focus on the importance of
observing the model and capturing the mood or
feeling the image evokes. Following along, you
will learn how the different elements of the
face work, allowing you to construct a portrait
with greater understanding.

The goal is not to create a realistic

portrait, but a stylized interpretation of
what you see and feel. The tutorial will
demonstrate how using simplification and
exaggeration of shapes and details can
achieve a stylized look, while still focusing
on capturing the model’s expression. Each
stage will be detailed with step-by-step
instructions that enable you to follow along
easily. The stages of colorization will then be
explained.

This stylized portrait has been created digitally, but

feel free to experiment with different mediums to
adapt the content and recreate it in your own style.

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01 Start by choosing an inspiring reference

photo to base your portrait on. If you are
a beginner to portraiture, you may find it
easier to start with a photo than to paint
from reality. This could be a photo of a loved
one, a photo of yourself, or an image found
by browsing a license-free photo website.
The important thing is that the person you
are going to paint provokes an emotion in
you. However, be sure to choose a reference
photo that suits your level. If you are a
beginner, avoid complex angles or an image
with overly sophisticated lighting. Instead,
choose a photo of a front-facing model, or a
model in profile (side-view).

Reference photo; she has a pensive

expression that pulls the viewer in, and the
three-quarter angle will add visual interest

Photograph by Gabriel Silvério on Unsplash

02

The next step is to trace onto the reference photo.

This is not to trace outlines, but to figure out how
the subject’s face is constructed. Doing this will
provide you with a greater understanding of the
face you are about to draw and to unconsciously
register it in your gestures. If using digital software,
do this by creating a new layer on top of the image.
If painting traditionally, you could lay tracing
paper over your reference photo.

Start by drawing the construction lines: simple

shapes that will serve as a guide as you begin to
construct the face. Draw a sphere for the cranium,
the vertical axis of the face to understand its
orientation, and the horizontal axis to mark the
positioning of the eyes. Sketch a circle for the nose
and an oval for the mouth. You can also mark the
spine and shoulder for bust positioning.

Draw basic constructions lines on a

layer on top of the photo reference

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03

Sketch more detailed

lines on top of the
initial construction lines
and photo reference

Draw additional lines to further detail the

subject’s features. Keep it simple; there
is no need to be absolutely precise. Stay
schematic and study the proportions of the
face. Be aware of the space between the
eyes, the direction of the irises, the size and
shape of the nose, the size and shape of the
mouth, the size of the forehead, and how the
hair works around the face. Once complete,
remove the photo reference below to view
the basic sketch you have drawn.

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04 Once you have mapped out the

construction lines and simple
features of your model, it’s time
to transcribe them. The goal is
to create a stylized, or cartoon,
portrait. To do this you will need
to exaggerate as well as simplify
certain elements of the subject’s
face. Stylization allows you to let
go of reality, providing greater
freedom and creativity in what
you draw. Avoid getting too
tied up in exact measurements;
the construction lines drawn
in the previous steps will serve
as guidelines.

Use the construction lines and detail lines

as a guide to draw a simple stylized sketch

05

Step-by-step simple construction

On a new canvas, lightly retrace the construction lines (these will of the head, neck, and torso
be invisible afterward). As the aim is to create a stylized portrait,
feel free to draw the head slightly larger and the bust a little
narrower than in your more realistic sketch from the previous step.
Exaggerating the proportions in this way will create a more stylized
look. You can also slightly alter the position of the subject’s body.
Tilt the head downward slightly and raise the shoulder a little.
This will reinforce the pensive attitude the subject evokes, as if
her intention were to hide her face behind her shoulder.

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06
Use the construction lines and detail lines
as a guide to draw a simple stylized sketch
When sketching the different elements, keep the angle
of the face in mind. Here it is at three-quarter view,
so the perspective will impact the placement of facial
features. Refer to the vertical axis when sketching. Draw
just two points for the eyes; this will be enough to serve
as a guide. The eye closest to you is at a greater distance
from the vertical axis, while the eye furthest away is at a
shorter distance. Place the dots in a way that creates the
impression that the model is looking at you.
08
254
07
Use the construction lines and detail lines
as a guide to draw a simple stylized sketch
To place the nose, draw a sphere slightly to the right of
the vertical axis. This sphere is a little offset to allow
you to show where the tip of the nose is. Never place the
nose in the middle of the axis; this will make it look like a
flat potato. Every nose has its own volume, which makes
it protrude from the rest of the face. The three-quarter
perspective helps in showing this volume. Next, join the
vertical axis using a triangle to signify the base of the nose.
Place the mouth below the nose with a simple
oval, then draw the eyebrows above the eyes.
You can already exaggerate their movement
to intensify the expression of the subject’s
gaze. Next, draw one overall shape to signify
the placement and shape of the hair, rather
than individual strands. Don’t hesitate to look
back and forth between the reference photo,
your realistic construction lines, and your new
stylized sketch as you refine your lines and
consider how you can stylize the face.
All of the stylized
construction lines are now set
 Aveline Stokart

Artist tip
Be observant and regularly look back and forth between the
reference photo and your sketch. You don’t need to do this
obsessively, but enough to commit the characteristics of the
model to memory. Take note of what mood or feeling the subject
evokes. Here, her gaze conveys a touch of suspicion; she seems
worried or preoccupied about something. Once you have observed
the emotion that emerges from your subject, hold it in your mind.
Let it guide your drawing and give the portrait intention.

Once the construction stage is 09

finished, you can start to detail the Upper eyelid Pupil
different parts of the face. Let’s
start with the eyes. Before you begin,
Iris
it’s important to secure a basic Thick layer
understanding of how an eye is made of lashes
up. Having this anatomical knowledge
will help you to simplify the different
elements accurately. To summarize, Eyeball
an eye is a sphere located in an eye
socket, covered by two eyelids dotted
with eyelashes that form a sort of Lacrimal
oval. In the center of the sphere is caruncle
the iris, and within that the pupil.

Simplified anatomy of the eye

Lower eyelid
(with a few lashes)

10 Use the mask method to place the eyes on the

face. Start by drawing a Zorro-like mask. This
The shape will help guide the placement of features and
is recessed allow you to better appreciate the volume in
because of the the space. Notice how the eye socket nearer
The Zorro mask eye socket to you is almost round, while the eye socket
further away changes with perspective, creating
an angle at the outer corner. This is because
the orbit is recessed into the face, revealing the
volume of the brow bone and cheekbone.

Apply the Zorro mask method in your

construction of the eyes to help you
understand the different volumes

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The Zorro mask The movement feels The line of action

helps to create a smooth and fluid, and the is broken and the
line of action expression is more readable expression seems odd
Use the Zorro
mask as a guide
for placing the
eyebrows, paying
attention to the
line of action

11
The Zorro mask is also important
for the placement of the eyebrows
and their expressiveness. It acts
as a line of action and allows the
eyebrows to move smoothly and
consistently, relative to each other.
NEUTRAL
When drawing an expression, always
consider this line of action. Drawing
an expression without this guide
will risk your subjects looking odd
and lacking in consistency, making
it harder for viewers to perceive the
right emotion and relate to it.

ANGER
Tension pushes
downward at the
center of the mask

SADNESS
Tension pushes
Experiment with ways to use upward at the
the Zorro mask to capture center of the mask
different expressions

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 Aveline Stokart

12 Thicker

Draw an oval shape for Add a thicker line on the The iris and pupil should
the first eye, enlarging upper eyelid for the eyelashes be a perfect circle, as
and simplifying its shape the eye is front-facing

To stylize the eyes, enlarge their size and simplify their
shape. Start by drawing a simple oval for the basic shape
of an eye. Trace the upper arch of the eye, then the lower
arch, keeping a slight angle toward the inner corner to
create the impression of the lacrimal caruncle. Instead of
drawing each eyelash separately, simplify them by drawing
a denser, thicker line on the upper eyelid. When drawing
the eye nearest to you, the outer corner should end with an
almond-like shape. As this eye is almost front-facing, and
because it is looking directly at the viewer, draw the iris and
the pupil with a perfect circle.

13

Add the iris and pupil,

plus a thin line above the
lash lid for the eyelids

Though the other eye, the one

Almost
straight
Narrower
The outer corner of the
eye farthest away should
be fairly straight, due to
the three-quarter angle
Think of the lash as a
plane that follows the
curve of the eyeball
Draw a thicker lash line on
the top eyelid, following
the curved shape
farther away, is not much smaller
than the nearest eye, it looks
narrower as if it has been squashed
horizontally. Its outer corner should
be mostly straight, because of the
three-quarter perspective. Thicken
the line of the upper lashes and
let them protrude slightly from the
outer edge, so it looks like it follows
the curve of the eye. Next, draw the
iris and the pupil using more of an
oval shape this time to show the
perspective. Finally, draw two thin
lines above the lash lines to signify
the thickness of the upper eyelids.

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14 The nose is not a flat potato, but

a three-dimensional feature that
protrudes from the face and enables
you to breathe. Begin by drawing a
triangular base. If you were to look at
a skull, you would see this respiratory
cavity. The nose is built on top of this
from cartilage and flesh. Construct
a basic sketch of the nose using
three planes and three spheres. Two
planes form the lateral sides of the
nose and a central plane will form
the bridge of the nose. Then two
spheres form the wings of the nose
Lateral sides and a sphere will form the tip.
Triangle base

Bridge

Start by drawing the triangular

base of the nose, then build it
Tip up using planes and spheres

Wings
Nostrils

15 Experiment with the shape and proportion of

the nose. This will depend on how you interpret
the reference photo and how much you wish
to stylize it. Here the nose is made smaller
and lower to accentuate the stylized effect. To
recreate this, draw a triangular base, followed
by the sphere that will allow you to define the
tip of the nose. To the left of this sphere, draw
Sphere for Sphere for another smaller sphere to place the wing of the
Triangle base the tip the wing nose. At the intersection, draw a small arch for
the nostril and connect the tip to the base with
a line that will form the bridge of the nose. Next,
lower the opacity of the lines you no longer need.
Try to simplify the sketch as much as possible so
you only keep the essential lines. Once you have
cleaned up the sketch, add a straight line that
runs from the tip of the nose to the nostril, to
better show the lower plane of the nose.

Add the nostril Clean Construct the nose using spheres and simple lines
Refine the contour your lines
and the bridge and the shape

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 Aveline Stokart

The mouth is made up of two lips, 16 Upper lip

which are soft muscle tissue that
cover the teeth. The lips form two Cupid’s bow
plump hems to better grip food,
meeting in the corners. As with the Corners of
other facial features, think of the lips the lips
in terms of volume. Begin to construct
the mouth using three spheres: one
sphere for the upper lip at the level
of the Cupid’s bow, plus two spheres
for the lower lip. Next, mark dots to
form the corners of the lips, then draw
a curved line from corner to corner for
the bottom lip, followed by the same Circles
for the upper lip. This should form an indicate the
oval shape. Next, erase the center of muscles inside Bottom lip
the upper line and draw a downward the lips
arrow for the Cupid’s bow. Finish by
drawing a horizontal line to separate
Start to construct the mouth using three spheres, followed by curved lines
the two lips in the middle.

17

Draw the
Divide the
Draw three Cupid’s bow
oval with
circles and the
the axis
bottom lip

Link the
Clean up Fill the
strokes at
the shape shape
the corners

Stylizing the mouth is relatively simple. Redefine

the oval you drew and locate the vertical axis.
Divide the mouth in half horizontally, then create
Erase
one sphere above and the other two below the
a tiny
center line. Draw the Cupid’s bow with a straight
triangle in
line to keep it simple, then draw a line below for
the center 
the lower lip. Finally, connect the lines to the
corners. Once your shape is defined, fill it with
color. To give the impression that her mouth is
slightly open, erase a small triangle toward the
center of the mouth. This will look like her teeth.
Starting with ovals and spheres, begin
In this instance, keep the mouth flat for simplicity.
to stylize and simplify the mouth

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18

Don’t draw hairs one by one, but squint your eyes to view the overall shape and better perceive the values

When sketching the hair, avoid getting lost
in the details too early. You don’t need to
overcomplicate it by drawing every strand.
Instead, you want to create the illusion of
a mass of hair by thinking about the hair as
a whole. Look at the reference photo while
squinting your eyes to blur your perception
and remove the details. Study the subject
to better understand the values, volumes,
and movement of her hair.

Global shape
19
Strokes of
the hair
framing
the face

Strokes of
the hair in
the length

Identify the overall shape of the hair, followed by the different sections within it

Within the overall mass of hair, you can distinguish of her face, and the lengths by her neck to the right.
several groups: the volume of the hair toward the The aim is to locate and reconstruct these different
back, the left section at the front falling over her masses on your drawing. You want to create the feeling
shoulder and down her back, the strand to the right of movement, while avoiding getting lost in the details.

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 Aveline Stokart

20

Draw the Divide the main Add a few thin lines

contour shape shape into sections inside each section
to create strands to create a sense of
movement to the strands

Group the different sections of hair, then add thinner lines to add minimal detail to the strands

Start by redrawing the main contour

of the hair. Feel free to experiment
with the shape a little to add an
element of stylization, exaggerating
or simplifying certain curves. Here, the
overall shape is kept relatively flat and
simple, as this matches the character’s
closed and pensive attitude. Divide
the main shape into different sections
to create the main strands of hair. Add
a few thin lines to detail the strands
and give them a feeling of movement.
Keep in mind the contour curves to
direct the movement and vary the
directions slightly. Don’t overdo it;
avoid overwhelming each strand with
too much detail. Take care to position
them randomly to prevent an evenness
that looks unnatural and fake.
Random lines produce Avoid regularity that
a more natural flow creates an unnatural look

Ensure the lines are random – an even placement of lines will look artificial

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Tutorials

Artist tip
Throughout this process, you are likely to be bent over your
desk in concentration, nose pressed to your paper or device.
Now is a good time to take a break. It may sound trivial, but it’s
important to take time to stretch, relax your fingers and wrists,
and massage your neck. Get up and go outside to stretch your
legs and breathe in some fresh air. What you’re doing at the
same time is taking a step back. Taking a break from the artwork
for a few minutes (or even a few days) will allow you to return to
it with fresh eyes. This will help you to spot details that need to
be adjusted or refined that you might not have noticed before.

21

Turn your messy sketch into a new clean drawing

At this stage, your drawing is probably a little messy
and littered with construction lines. If you are using
digital software, you can create a new layer on top
of your sketch and lower the opacity of the sketch.
If working on paper, use a light table or a window
and place a blank sheet over your drawing. Draw
neater line art on top of the sketch, cleaning up your
drawing by erasing the construction lines afterward.
You can still modify the features during this step.
Now is the time to make final decisions, so take
some time to refine the shape of the eyes, nose,
mouth, chin, and other shapes. You can also use this
step to add details, such as moles and clothing.

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 Aveline Stokart

22 The next step is to add color. To do this digitally,

decrease the opacity of your sketch and create
a new layer below it. If using traditional media,
you can simply paint straight on top of your
line art. Study your reference photo, then
fill each main shape in turn with a color that
matches it. A fleshy pink is used for the skin,
deep orange for the hair and eyebrows, amber-
brown for the eyes, and burgundy for the lips.

23

Paint your drawing with flat

colors that match the reference

Feel free to experiment with different

colors and to add different shades
and tones in the hair to create a more
natural look. Using both big and subtle
brushstrokes, paint touches of red on
the cheeks to bring more warmth and
life to her face. You can also add a
slight blush on the nose and shoulders.
Use a light brown to paint details like
freckles, as shown on the model.

Add nuances and details to the flat

colors, bringing your portrait to life

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Tutorials

24 You could finish at this flat color stage if you

are happy with a 2D cartoon style, but it will
significantly enhance the portrait to progress it a
little further. As covered earlier, the face is made
up of volumes. The next stage is to use shadows,
and therefore light, to indicate these volumes.
Work out which direction the light is shining
from. This is the top right in the reference photo.
Drawing a small arrow in the corner of your
painting can act as a useful reminder.

Sketch a small sun and arrow

to indicate the direction of the
light to ensure you don’t forget

25

When placing your shadows, think

about each obstacle that could
prevent the light from falling onto
your subject. Shining from above,
the light first meets the strand of
hair above her forehead, casting
a shadow there. Lower down, the
brow bone protrudes to protect the
deeper eye sockets, so the underside
of the brow is in shadow. The lower
nose that protrudes from the face
casts a shadow below it. Finally,
her chin will also block the light,
creating a shadow on her neck and
the section of hair to the right of her
neck. Use a darker flesh color to add
the shadows on the skin and a darker
amber-brown on the hair in shadow.
Place your light Use a dark skin
Identify the shadow areas in and define the shadows tone color to paint
blue, then paint them on using the shadows
a dark brownish skin tone

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26 Introduce highlights to create

more contrast and volume in your
portrait. The opposite of shadows,
highlight areas are those that
face the light more directly. Paint
a lighter yellowish flesh color
on the nose to highlight the
upper plane of the bridge of the
nose. The shoulder is also fairly
exposed to the light, so add a
lighter area at its highest point.
Paint a highlight on the lower
lip to create a glossier look, and
finally, illuminate the bottom of
the iris with a subtle highlight.

Place the highlight using a

yellow color

Identify the highlight areas in yellow, then paint them on using a pale yellow flesh color 

27
The white dot
recreates the
reflection of the
light on the cornea
After hitting the
cornea, the light Observe and
travels through understand
the eye to impact how light
the bottom of Note how the acts on an
the iris thickness of the eye; first
eyelid and lashes it impacts
create a shadow the cornea,
then the iris

Cornea

You may be wondering why you have added a highlight to
the lower part of the iris. If it coincides with the direction
of the light, should the highlight not be on the top half?
The reason for this is as follows: the eye is a sphere, with an
iris and a pupil, but covering all of this is the cornea. It is
the cornea that is curved, while the iris is a flat surface and
the pupil is a hole in the center. Under the light, the rays
hit the cornea (which reflects a small, very bright point)
then travel through it to hit the bottom of the iris. This is
important to understand when painting a credible glow to
eyes in a portrait, no matter the direction of the light.

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Tutorials

Artist tip
Trust yourself, and above all, don’t be afraid to mess up your portrait.
Failure is a key, if not the most important, part of the process!
Don’t try to recreate the reference photo perfectly. The goal here
is not perfection, but interpretation. Play with simplification and
exaggeration to find your own style and graphic solutions. The only
thing to keep in mind is the logic of understanding; how far can
you push the stylization, while ensuring the image is still readable?
Also, consider your own personal aesthetic criteria; what details
would you like to keep, purely because you think they’re pretty?
Enjoy experimenting with what stylized portraits you can create.

28 An optional step that can enhance

your portrait even further is to set your
subject in an environment. Studying
the reference photo, roughly recreate
the background using beige and a rusty
brown color. Alternatively, you could
simply use one solid color – just make
sure it has the same brightness as the
reference, which in this case is quite dark.
You will notice that the subject doesn’t
appear to belong in the scene and looks
a little stuck on. This is because in
terms of value, or light, the subject is far
too bright compared to the background.
Studying the reference photo, you can
see how the light creates a much more
pronounced contrast. The subject’s back
is in shadow, while her face is exposed
to the light.

The subject appears too bright

compared to the dark background

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 Aveline Stokart

29 Decrease the subject’s brightness

to make it appear more like she
belongs in the environment. You
can do this digitally by selecting
a rusty color (similar to the
background), creating a new
layer above your colors, then
setting it to Multiply blend mode.
Next, use the rusty color to
softly paint the areas that are in
shadow. If working traditionally,
simply paint in the shadows
using the rusty color. Keep in
mind that the light is coming
from the top right, so avoid
darkening the exposed areas
such as the shoulder, chest, and
Layer of shadow upper part of the head. This will
in multiply mode create the impression that the
subject is lit up.
Darken the subject slightly by painting in the shadows using a rusty color

Add the finishing touches by 30

using a yellow color to paint
highlights onto the exposed
areas. Paint straight on top
of your painting if using
traditional media, or if using
digital software, create a
new layer above your colors
and shadows, then set it to
Overlay blend mode. Use the
yellow light color to paint the
highlighted areas that you let
remain in the previous step,
then decrease the intensity
of the layer. Next, create a
layer on top of everything and
set it to Overlay as well. Use
the same yellow color to add
soft highlights to the hair,
shoulder, and the strands of Layer of shadow and layer of
hair at the right of her face to highlight in Overlay mode
accentuate the contrast and
add volume. Finish by adding Paint highlights in the exposed areas to add volume and light
any last details.

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Conclusion

Congratulations on completing this tutorial! You now know

how to observe a subject considering the volumes, and have
a greater understanding of the anatomy of the face. Using
simple global shapes, you have learned how to break down
the different elements of the face to construct and reproduce
a portrait. To take the stylization a step further, experiment
with the proportions of the face, either by exaggerating the
subject’s actual proportions, like a caricature, or by exploring
other designs and shapes to see what they express.

Photograph by Gabriel Silvério on Unsplash

Final image © Aveline Stokart

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