My new Wacom Bamboo tablet!

October-November of last year, I got a graphics tablet for my birthday; a lovely Wacom Bamboo tablet. And since then I’ve been learning to use it, going through several tutorials, then finding my own way. It’s actually got me loving doing drawing and and making me want to draw and create. (Warning image heavy post after the cut!)

I started by revisiting my last finished pieces. I first took my “Meave” piece and re-worked it on the computer. Here’s the where I finished last time.

I then created a line drawing using the tablet and add base colours. Then added shadows and finally some finished touches.

tab1_start_export tab3_color_exporttab4_color_export

Along the way, I adjust and moved some of the crows, changed her lips and played around with lots of other little details.

This is the finished image:

tab5_lastbits_export

It comes out quite well I think.

I then went to exploring another image, this time “Matthew”:

I followed a slightly different process here, though the end result is very similar.

tab1_lineart_exporttab3_flats_fat_exporttab4_shadows_black_export_test1

And the end result:

tab8_lastbits

I think it works quite well but I also learned that I have a lot to figure out, a lot to learn. The important thing is, I want to learn. So taking what I did with these two images I incorporated them into my current drawing, another character based one, which I’m calling “Anthony”. This time however I did a lot of changes at the line stage, to get the shape and image right.

photo (1)tab5_char_ink_leg3tab9_ink_head2tab9_ink_head2-2tab11_compositetab13_comp_shadowsman

I changed the leg, details on the face, modified and moved the head, shrunk the body, lengthened the arms but I think it comes together in the end.

tab16_export

Even during this piece I experimented with different ways to shade and colour, coming to dislike the technique I had been using. The mask was done in a much more organic fashion than the figure.

Previously I had been ignoring the pressure sensitive feature of the device, relying on layers to give depth and light to the shadows. This is how the tutorials teach you. But with the mask I fully embraced the feature and much prefer it.

Now I plan to change tack and trying doing something completely different  with tool so watch this space for more! :)

Related Posts:

Post a comment | Trackback URI