Brushstrokes and Pixels: My Process Combining Traditional and Digital Art
I'm currently in the middle of the Michelle Begley Mentorship Program, working with the incredibly talented Anden Wilder.
Together, we're fine-tuning my illustrations and navigating the path toward getting one of my stories picked up by a publisher.
With the halfway mark of our six-month journey fast approaching, I'm thrilled by the wealth of knowledge and feedback I've received from an industry pro. (Which I get to add to the awesome guidance I received back in Sep.)
Anden's keen insight sparked a game-changing idea: incorporating traditional media into my creative process.
Together, we selected an image we both thought could be stronger — and I got started.
The original image
The digital illustration we selected to redo.
My initial digital image wasn't bad, but it lacked the texture and depth I crave in illustrations.
The narrative felt weak, and the movement was lacking.
Combining traditional with digital
Determined to elevate it, I broke out my paint set and colored pencils, starting with a small yet significant step: repainting the bird.
I sketched out the bird, then put down a layer of gouache and added details in colored pencil.
My gouache version of the same bird.
Next, I opted to swap out the lackluster digital background for a vibrant gouache one.
Starting with small thumbnails, I experimented with various textures and backgrounds until I found the perfect fit.
Once satisfied, I painted a larger version.
My finished gouache background.
Then, it was time to switch over to digital.
I took photos of my artwork, but I was skeptical if the image quality of my iPhone 12 Pro could capture the detail I needed.
I was surprised at how well it worked! My plan is still to invest in a scanner, but for this test process, it worked beautifully.
I use Procreate for all my digital work. You can layer your artwork in the application, which can have some really nice effects.
In this instance, I placed my background layer in the app and used additional layers to build up the background.
The original image, uploaded and cropped.
The original image, slightly desaturated and with a digital brush layer added to it.
Once I was happy with my background, I added my gouache bird, adjusted the colors, and added more texture.
My gouache bird duplicated a couple times and with color adjustments.
With more digital painting on top.
I painted over the birds again to lighten them up and add more texture. I also added white speckles to the background, so the field felt alive (like dandelions were going to seed down there).
Then I drew in a grassy layer and added rough outlines for my human characters.
With a grass layer added and human figures roughly sketched in.
My final additions were layers to increase the light and shadow in the field, and add some more light highlighting the family’s faces.
With more lighting to the birds, family, and grass.
A bird takes flight
My final rendition packs a punch compared to the all-digital version!
There's a stronger sense of movement, richness of color, and much more visual interest. Plus, I also realized how much I miss working with actual paint and paper.
What’s next?
So, what's on the horizon?
I'm considering incorporating oil painting into my process since I love the medium so much.
Alternatively, I might embark on a fully traditional art illustration.
Stay tuned right here or sign up for my quarterly newsletter as I explore these mediums and share more of my traditional work and creative process.
