My apologies for the rather long radio silence. I had a depressive episode, but everything is starting to get pretty swell now. I now have enough money to stay at home and draw for a little while. I feel super relieved and I hope this will last.
Giving myself a whiplash again by painting something completely different than what I intended to do. Although, I started this one two weeks ago and wanted to finish it before Easter.
I’ve never been very religious, I has a somewhat religious (Protestant) upbringing (like about 63% of my fellow countrymen), but I’m not really a believer myself (even if I am ordained priest [by Universal Life Church tbh]) Yet, when I got this idea, I wanted to paint it.
Anyways, here’s black Jesus with a top surgery scar.
Happy Easter (?) to anyone who might celebrate it!
“Fallen angels? Bah! Such foul beasts. No matter how stained their souls are, they can never get rid of Heavens stench.”
I still need to figure out what some of the characters look like, but here’s Myrra. He’s somewhat inspired by (externally) Tamaki from Ouran Host Club, because wifey and I rewatched it recently.
Random fact: I almost never write angel right! I always write it (with keyboard) as angle.
Once again I was supposed to work on something else and then just didn’t. It is what it is.
My [𝕂𝕟𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝔸𝕟𝕕 ℕ𝕪𝕞𝕡𝕙] piece got my interest in realism type stuff rekindled, so I might do more in the future for balance.
I’ve wanted to redraw her for sometime now. First time she appeared on my screen (March 2, 2023!), she was just a quick warm up & had a shrine maiden outfit, but she’s grown a little bit to a different direction since then. I want to use her as a character in a project.
This is my attempt at explaining how I make water reflections. Tbh, I don’t know what I’m doing.
Making reflections comes usually pretty late in my drawing process, if you don’t count the very basic blocking work.
First I duplicate the reflected object and flip it upside down. Sometimes I play with a transform tool and make the reflection different proportions (didn’t do that here, which was a mistake). This will be on its own layer.
After that, I’ll play with the layer effect (usually multiply/darken + overlay/soft light) and slightly darken the layer and erase some parts.
Then I’ll pull out my favorite smudge tools and start smudging the edges. Depending on how strong I think the ripples will be, I’ll sometimes make really long smudges.
When I’m happy with the smudge, I’ll make another layer atop of the reflection layer and start throwing brush strokes randomly (I think I should be thinking how the ripples should work, but I usually just throw stuff until it looks agreeable to me.)
More layers over the reflection layer, playing with the layer effects.
Adding details and thinking about my life choices. Might Add more smudge strokes and merging the layers.
Finally, it all comes (somewhat) together when I start the final texturing phase. I might still do some detailing work after this, like add tree leaves somewhere etc.
So that’s how I usually do the reflections when working with this style. With my watercoloring style things work a little bit differently! I’m sure there are easier and better ways to do this, but this workflow works for me.
As much I love my manga art, it’s good to use my faux oil brushes and create something different. I think the last time I painted like this was last August? … And +14 hours later I realized why I’m more keen on making other art (also, A/I created images kinda killed my need to make super rendered images, which is a blessing and a curse.)
Also, sorry for the radio silence. I got seriously ill, for half a week I slept like 20 hours a day due to fatigue and my lips turned blue. I still feel a little bit odd, but I’m getting better (and going to a doctor is really not an option right now, meds & doctor cost money…)