Lets take one step at a time...

I was feeling like drawing some more art for my friends from gaiaonline.com, so I started to draw. While I sketched in Open canvas 1.1, I constantly took screen shots of the progress (so that I could be sure I wouldn't be loosing that to a crashing program.. hehee...). So, I realized that this is a great opportunity to make a tutorial about how I draw.

Easier said then done! I am facing multiple hindrances right now. Firstly, I don't have my very own drawing style yet. And secondly, after getting the rough sketch done, I don't know what drawing technique to use for finishing the piece. Cell shading, soft cell shading, realistic coloring with no dark out lines.... the choices are limitless.
So, for now, I'll leave this a sketching tutorial and then, when I've finished the piece, I'll show you all how I did it. (aka I'll be posting this post with the current progress and then I'll add more later.) Sounds fair?
Also, if you want, leave me a comment and tell me what else I should show you. (tutorial wise... )

How I made .:Guarded Reading:.
Tutorial 1: blank paper to lineart

I used the program called Open canvas 1.1 for the whole sketching progress. The program is free to use and it is easy to use since it has only a few tools. (Leave a comment when you want me to share the program with you)
But you also are very welcome to use your own favorite drawing program or pencils and paper. I just chose open canvas because it seems faster on my computer.

Step 1
What are you drawing?
I asked my friend about her characters (the ones I'm about to sketch) and she told me that the older one reads a lot and the younger one acts like a guard. So, it seemed a good idea to draw them in such a situation: older one reading while sitting on the floor. One knee bent a bit more, one hand to support the body, the other to hold the open book. Face pointed towards the book. The younger one would be a bit more in the front area of the picture. Arms crossed, and a expression like "What do you need?" on his face.

A very good thing to do at this point is to imagine how you wish the picture would look like when finished. Don't worry much when it doesn't turn out like you wanted at first, the change might have been for the better.


Step 2
My drawing has 2 characters in it, but I always start by placing one of them on the picture first.
I draw a circle to mark down his head, then draw a curved line which represents the spine... and so on and on. I placed two bent rectangles on his lap to mark down the book, drew the jawline and a basic sketch for where I wanted his fingers to be at. The little round scribbles are representing his joints.

Since I planned for the other character to cover up his feet, I didn't draw them.

Step 3
Ok, with the main skeleton ready, we should start adding some flesh.

I first focused on his supportive arm and the fingers. When look at your own arm for a reference, you'll see, that it's wider in some places and narrower in other parts. Look at the elbow, it is marked down with one of those scribbly balls, I've drawn it as quite wide. And mind, that the wrist is kind of not smooth either. The little hand picture ->
...should help a bit. I am no good at fingers yet, but I think it is helpful to have the main bones marked down while drawing hands.


Step 4
Ok, now it's about time to place the other skeleton on the picture.


Say hello to the little cross armed chap! Please dont mind the fingers on him ^^; what a royal messup..
The one in the background got a neck (a cylinder that connects the collar bone and the scull...) and shoulders... ^^

Step 5
More flesh and details!

The older boy has demonic wings, so I added those. NB: wings attach to the back just below the shoulder blade.
I didnt bother much with the figure drawing on the kid, I just drew clothes on him as they should look like when he has them on. Little hints of folds here and there.
The older boys book holding hands elbow was too low, so I raised it a bit, added details to the book, gave him more clothes.

Step 6
Final details for the sketch.

The boys got a face, hair, ears, and clothing details. The older boys legs have been defined better.

• Don't go too much into detail when sketching the hair and clothes, you can always make the details when you make the lineart.

• When sketching, use one color, but when adding smaller details, use a smaller brush and a darker color, it helps to keep it visible.

Step 7
Now we'll begin with the lineart making process! First of all, we need to make our sketch as light as needed, so that you could see what you have made! (Drawing a new black line over dark gray does not show, believe me.)


Pink-ish~ ^^; Nice and light now, ok?
There are many ways for re-coloring your sketch. In open canvas, use an "add" layer, in photoshop, you can just use colorize or some other method you might think of.

For now, I've moved to photoshop (7.0.1).

Step 8
The actual line art making begins now!


I started at the face details. I thought that while you are feeling nice and fresh, it's easier to make them. ^^; Use a brush you feel that leaves a nice line. Dont worry about having to re-stroke parts of the lineart, nor should you be afraid of using the eraser tool to smoothen the lines.

Notice how I've moved one of the eyes on the right side of the picture? This is your chance now, you can still change your details while "inking".

Step 9
With a reliable, confident and un-cramped hand, draw the lines. Give it all a bit of a volume.

Don't let the picture overwhelm you, it can only get better! (...says the person who left the drawing for about half of the day, ironic much?)

Step 10
Let's focus on the fingers once more.
I felt they really really looked WRONG! hehee.. So, I started to reinvent them.

My first time using blocks to do something like that! But still.. don't let the new sketch tell you exactly what and how thick to draw. The block-fingers are way too thick looking right now, so I'll just have to draw them slimmer while making the actual lineart.




Now I decided that he needed to have something under his hand. And what would fit better than a book?





Now make the next lines! I also made the lines for the wings and the other book~


Step 11
Finish "inking" the rest of the body, clothes. This is what I had once I did that.


Some little folds here and there are what make the picture look like it well.. is something 3-d. I know everyone (almost) hates making folds, because they never turn out ok, but sometimes a little hint of a fold is good enough.

Step 12
Making hair!

I zoomed in to the face and started re-sketching the hair (different layer than the lineart layer). I used the same brush I use for making the lineart (less problems with getting back the right settings). Do it freely, imagine different layers of hair, the effects of wind, gravity... Not much detail needed yet.

Ok, then start making the lines on the lineart layer again. Some artists say that it's better to make the hair lineart on a separate layer from the other lines since cleaning up might be troublesome otherwise.

My finished lineart! <3
This is all for now. It still lacks color! (and the lineart for the other chap, but it's not that big of a problem. )
I'll be posting the coloring tutorial in the next post or so. This one is getting rather long.