2DArtist - October 2016

130
Issue 130 | October 2016
Re-imagine the
fall of Icarus
Discover how you
can create striking
images by taking a
fresh approach with
familiar legends
plus
• Captivating concept art
• Dramatic game and film concepts
• Mixing nature and geometry
• Dynamic ink sketches
• Speed paint a medic mech
• and much more!
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | ISSUE 130
Editor’s Letter KEEP UP TO DATE

WITH 3DTOTAL!
Welcome to 2dartist issue 130!
This month’s issue features the work of two
incredible senior concept artists, Richard Anderson
and Brad Wright who discuss their careers in the facebook.com/3dtotal
facebook.com/2dartist
game and film industries and share their tips for
twitter.com/3dtotal
success. We also speak to illustrator David Rice
about his work drawing links between nature and youtube.com/
geometry, and comic book artist Koveck showcases 3dtotalpublishing
his dynamic character sketches. vimeo.com/3dtotal
ANNIE MOSS vimeo.com/layerpaint
Junior Editor
Also in this issue you can learn from Thibault Girard pinterest.com/3dtotal
how to speed paint a sci-fi scene featuring a medic
2dartist is now on mech and see how Lorenzo Lanfranconi creates an instagram.com/3dtotal
Instagram! animation style environment. Juan Novelletto is
instagram.com/2dartistmag
back with a tutorial re-imagining the fall of Icarus, google.com/+3dtotalcg
discover how to design a character imbued with

mystery with Emi Chen and Cathleen McAllister kicks 3dtotal.tumblr.com
off our new series on digital plein air painting!
Contributors
BRAD WRIGHT EMI CHEN
Brad Wright is a concept artist with twelve years Emi Chen is a freelance illustrator based in Providence,
experience working within the game and film industry. USA. She currently works for Blizzard Entertainment and
He is currently working at Creative Assembly, UK on Halo specializes in creating fantasy illustrations with dynamic
Wars 2. lighting and intense color.
RICHARD ANDERSON CATHLEEN MCALLISTER

Richard Anderson is Senior Concept Artist at Rocksteady Cathleen McAllister is a visual development artist
studios. He has previously worked on high profile projects from Los Angeles, USA. She currently works for
such as Prometheus, Guardians of the Galaxy and Batman: animation company Reel FX. She specializes in painting
Arkham Knight. environments, architecture, props, and generating
mood paintings.
DAVID RICE JUAN NOVELLETTO

David Rice moved from Colorado to Portland, Oregon in Juan Novelletto is a concept artist and illustrator from
2012 to work as a commercial illustrator. He became a Buenos Aires, Argentina. He works at NGD Studios,
studio assistant to Blaine Fontana in 2013 then turned developing the Master of Orion reboot and is also Art
full-time independent artist in 2014. Director at indie game studio Nastycloud.
KOVECK LORENZO LANFRANCONI

Koveck has worked as a comic book artist and freelance Lorenzo Lanfranconi is a 2D artist from Italy. He is
illustrator since he graduated in Fine Arts. Currently he currently working on some editorial projects including
works in the videogame industry as a senior concept ALPHA beta test, a personal art book based on an
artist at Ubisoft Barcelona. environmental journey.
THIBAULT GIRARD KEN BARTHELMEY

Thibault Girard is a concept and environment Ken Barthelmey is an illustrator specializing in creature
artist at FuturLab. He lives in UK, is a French and character design. He has worked on many film
native, and is passionate about Japanese projects including The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials.
culture, sci-fi art and books. Ken also works on his own IP project.
2 | 2DARTISTMAG.COM
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Contents Issue 130

006_ Captivating concept art
Game and film artist Brad Wright showcases his
story-driven works
020_ Dramatic game and film concepts

Discover the impressive work of Senior Concept
Artist Richard Anderson
036_ Mixing nature and geometry

Illustrator David Rice showcases his bold
paintings personifying nature
050_ Dynamic ink sketches

Illustrator and comic book artist Koveck
showcases his energetic sketches
062_ Gallery
Vera Velichko and Florian Aupetit’s work feature
among the top ten inspiring new artworks
082_ Speed paint a medic mech

Paint a scene featuring a sci-fi medic in under
two hours
094_ Design a mysterious character

Illustrate a masked character with
symbolic imagery
104_ Paint a plein air sunset

Improve your light and color studies with digital
plein air paintings
114_ Re-imagine the fall of Icarus

Juan Novelletto gives the traditional Greek tale
a sci-fi spin
124_ Developing animation style

environments
Learn how a limited brush set can be used to
create a stylized environment
134_ Digital Art Master: Ken Barthelmey

See how Ken creates his exotic fantasy creatures
SAVE 30%!
Subscribe today
Go to page 132 for details
36
5
The Artist
Brad Wright
artstation.com/artist/
bradwright
Interviewed by:
Annie Moss
Brad Wright is a concept

artist with twelve years
experience working
within the game and film
industry. He is currently
working at Creative
Assembly, UK on Halo
Wars 2.
Captivating
concept art
Senior concept artist Brad Wright discusses his symbiotic
process and shares his advice for maintaining creativity
© OBSIDIAN REVERIE Bradley Wright7

2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Captivating concept art The ground level of the huge super towers around the city, where old Berlin fuses with
the new techno-industrial architecture © OBSIDIAN REVERIE Bradley Wright
Brad Wright is an experienced concept artist

in the film and games industries whose work
you may have seen on renowned projects such
as Halo Wars 2, Alien: Isolation and Syndicate.
However, Brad’s path into concept art was not
an entirely smooth one. Lacking direction,
Brad originally considered a career in computer
science, before starting on a path towards
graphic design. He then switched to studying
advertising before eventually finding an area
that really grasped his imagination; concept art.
It is the storytelling aspect of concept art which

excites Brad the most, allowing him to pioneer
new worlds and explore fresh ideas. In fact
Brad actively seeks out inspiration from works
that are the direct opposite of his own style to
help him generate new narrative ideas. This
month we speak to Brad about the projects
that have had the biggest impact on his work,
how he maintains his creativity and he tells us
how he has been strengthened as an artist...
2dartist: Hi Brad, thank you for talking to

2dartist! Can you kick things off by telling us
a little bit about yourself and your work?
Brad Wright: Well, I have been working in studios

for twelve years now. I’m currently in the south of
England working for Creative Assembly on the Halo
Wars franchise, having joined the team originally
to work on Alien: Isolation. Both have been IPs
which I hold dear, and inspire my work greatly.
Although I was born in South Africa, I grew up in

Northern Ireland. A lot of that upbringing in troubled
Ireland has stuck with me and is always somewhere
in the work I do. Storytelling is what really excites
me, whether that is in concept design, comics, or
illustration. Concept art appeals the most for my
needs, as it allows me to explore world building
more effectively. Outside of my concept duties and
personal endeavors, I enjoy more traditional art.
Portrait and figure drawing are passions of mine.
2da: How would you describe your job

to a group of aliens, who have no idea
what a concept artist is or does?
BW: A communicator, solving visual problems.

When I explain my job to my father I might as well
be explaining it to an alien. So for that I simply
say, I draw things which make people to go “oooh
cool.” Though, in my experience, many industry
producers and directors struggle to understand
2DARTISTMAG.COM
9
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Captivating concept art
what a concept artist is or does. So aside from beautiful and engaging, and for me, it led to greater
being a visual communicator and problem solver, things in my own work and ability. So to be able
a concept artist needs to be adaptable. Whether to contribute to that legacy was rewarding.
that is to the project or the direction they are given.
“I devoted a year to
2da: You’ve worked on a wide variety of learning how to draw
projects including Halo Wars 2, Syndicate properly. My studying
and Chronicles of Riddick. Which project have verged on obsessive”
you most enjoyed working on and why?
2da: What made you want to pursue a
BW: As a fan of science fiction, I have been fortunate career in the digital art industry?
to predominantly work within that genre. Cyberpunk
is my first love, so Syndicate hit that mark. The work BW: I set off, like many, with no clue what I wanted
was freeing and allowed to me to develop and to do in life. I didn’t pursue art in any way; no
strengthen as an artist. Both through the project drawing, designing, or even analyzing and absorbing
itself, and also the team I worked in as there were art. I took the logical steps and went towards
strong artists to feed off and grow. So for these a career path in computer science that offered
reasons I would consider it the most important financial rewards. However, I realized very quickly,
project and most fun project to have had worked on. I lack any kind of aptitude for such endeavors.
Alien: Isolation though is the project I consider With no other options available to me I followed
myself most fortunate to have worked on. It’s a my brother’s path and went into graphic
franchise that every concept artist owes some design. Studying advertising at university
part of their journey to. We created something led me to realize that I hated it, but I loved
Danny, the hero of Obsidian Reverie, is a gun-slinging, cyborg, cyber-cop

© OBSIDIAN REVERIE Bradley Wright
2DARTISTMAG.COM
Keyframe art for Obsidian Reverie. The hero, Danny, saves the girl
© OBSIDIAN REVERIE Bradley Wright
11
2DARTISTMAG.COM
Before Brad works on detailed concept paintings, thumbnail upon thumbnail needs to be done to flesh
out the design. Iteration equals a successful design © Bradley Wright
illustrating. So after university, I devoted a BW: My day-to-day tools are simply Photoshop and program designing, everything is roughed out in 2D
year to learning how to draw properly. 3ds Max. I’ve seen the growing need to understand first. It has become a symbiotic process, switching
and use 3D software in concept design. Turnarounds back and forth throughout any given design process.
My studying verged on obsessive, and almost are so quick, that throwing 3D files back and forth
exactly a year from deciding on that path I landed around the studio for quick iteration, is vital. “With game engines
my first industry job, taking me to Sweden. It was becoming more impressive, it
only then that I knew with complete absolution Of course the fundamentals are completely vital, and also means sometimes I need
that this was my path in life, and I still maintain should never be overlooked. Being able to realize to push the realism in renders
that obsessive devotion twelve years later. any task quickly on paper, will always serve you well. of my concept art”
When we hire in the studio, the first thing we look for
2da: What are your preferred tools is fundamental drawing skills. Everything I do starts 2da: Are there any tools, techniques or software
to work with and why? with a sketch. Even when I spend five hours in a 3D you would like to explore in the future, and why?
BW: I’ve been touching upon digital sculpting in

Brad’s significant artwork ZBrush. Not in the hopes of creating precise sculpted
Although dated in age and technique, and very hard to look at, this image is important in my pieces of work, but more to aid the sketch phase. It
work because it opened many doors for me. It brought me into the gaze of editors for high-level is useful to quickly block-out shapes, to take forward
magazines, and even film directors. It was a personal exploration in creating these dead space
later in either 3ds Max or paint in Photoshop.
travelers that I enjoyed immensely, with no intentions of pleasing anyone else. Sadly this imagery
has become clichéd and diluted since this time period, some seven or eight years ago. As much
With game engines becoming more impressive, it
as I’d love to paint more of this, I’m tired of being asked if it is a reference to Doctor Who!
also means sometimes I need to push the realism
in renders of my concept art. Understanding
photography has helped to light scenes more
effectively and hopefully present a more
believable design. Though all these digital
techniques are wonderful, I still continue to push
my traditional work. Design on paper is a skill
that I need to continuously train and hone.
2da: Which artist or group of artists

particularly inspires your work?
BW: These days I tend to spend less and less

time viewing online art communities. The work
is all incredible, but I fear it will lead me to being
too inspired and add to the pool of inbred
visual design. Latching on to fads and trends are
needed for the shot-callers in the industry, but
do me no favors in my personal development.
Instead, I search out films that are at a glance, very

much the polar opposite of the work I tend to do. The
films of Terrence Malick for example have inspired
just about everything I do. Analyzing such films will
only be an aid to maybe the most important aspect
of concept design, the storytelling. Even props
in a game need some element of storytelling.
As I mentioned earlier, cyberpunk is a love of mine,

so the classic movies of the genre really inspire me;
both the films themselves and the development
behind the scenes. Understanding where the origin
of these masterpieces came from can hopefully
help me in creating something memorable myself.
13
2da: If you could meet any artist (past or

present) what would you ask them and why?
BW: I would ask Syd Mead for a little insight into

his thought process regarding shape language.
Obviously I lack his engineering background, so more
than likely it would be lost on me. Having a better
understanding of composition would come from
asking the cinematographer Roger Deakins about
his approach to composing and coloring a shot.
With every artist I have met, no matter their

level or discipline, I have no desire or patience
to hear how they created something. I want to
know why they did what they did. Understanding
someone’s motivations to do something is key.
Vast gleaming super towers house the more affluent populace, leaving the dregs to
We can all learn the right buttons to push or inhabit the slums that remain of old Berlin © OBSIDIAN REVERIE Bradley Wright
strokes to paint, but learning where the need to
do so comes from is a valuable education.
2da: Where (and when) do you feel

you are at your most creative?
BW: In bed about to drift off, of course.

When I’m relaxed, that is when the ideas
flood in but it is not the best time for it.
I think I’ve trained myself over the years to

avoid many lulls in creativity. I keep my mind
constantly evaluating possible solutions and
explorations to pursue. I think that comes from
a studio environment, and the need to always
be on the ball and ready to tackle a task. Even
in freelance work, you can’t really afford to
not be able to tap into your creativity. I’m not
paid to sit around scratching my head.
Like everything, it is just something that

needs to trained and exercised regularly. If I
disappear for a week on vacation, I feel that lull
trying to creep in... so I don’t do vacations.
For Brad’s personal project Obsidian Reverie. The hero arrives

2da: Artist block is a problem for many creative on scene © OBSIDIAN REVERIE Bradley Wright
people. Can you share a couple of tips you
use when the inspiration stops flowing?
good source to kick-start something. I myself love good starting point to run with, and in a lot of
BW: I touched on this previously, and really I a spot of poetry. The works of W.B. Yeats always circumstances, a good selection of reference.
don’t believe in artist or writers blocks. At my flood my mind with imagery and inspiration. This happens especially with movie briefs, where
lowest levels of creativity I can still hold a pencil the director needs to get as much out of you as
and make marks on paper. That’s enough 2da: What initial steps do you take when you are possible and as quickly as possible. In my game
to start to build up towards something. first given a brief for a new project? Do you dive concept work, I go right to the sketching with
straight in or do you have a more analytical process? simple line art usually; just post-it style throwaway
Maybe nothing will come of it, but it keeps the mind stuff. I would usually dip in and out of my own
ticking over and in a constant mode of searching. BW: Usually for me, it’s a dive-right-in-there reference gathering as I do this, as ideas evolve
If that fails, then films and books are always a approach. A good brief will always have a and develop. I’m not the most analytical thinker,
2DARTISTMAG.COM
so chaos is a lot less constricting for me. It just feels

like a more fluid process for developing ideas.
PRO TIP
Be original and creative
2da: What advice would you give to someone who is Take the time to develop your own ideas. As a concept artist it should be paramount that
struggling to launch their career as a concept artist? you demonstrate original thinking. Create your own worlds and populate it with design. Your
portfolio will stand out to studios, show that you can design, and you have the staying power to
stick to a consistently coherent stream of design.
BW: Be a UI artist. They’re always in demand.
But if concept is your path in life, then you need
to put the work in. Avoid the online “clicks” and
the constant need for social gratification, and
15
Exploring the possibilities of what a more anime, animated approach to

Obsidian Reverie might look like © OBSIDIAN REVERIE Bradley Wright
2DARTISTMAG.COM
Classic sci-fi archetypes of hulking spaceships, have
always appealed to Brad © Bradley Wright
instead train your craft. No one is going to give

you the golden ticket or tell you the shortcuts to
PRO TIP
success. You will be a success if you grind at it. Traditional practice
Don’t ever stop drawing. Photo-real and 3D methods have become and will continue to be
It isn’t glamorous and at times, it isn’t fun. It’s a required means to work in. But traditional knowledge and training will always be the solid
a job like any other, which requires hard work, foundation to build upon. Solid knowledge of composition, value, and observational skills will
take your work to a level that elevates it.
commitment and sacrifice. It will reward you
for this though by seeing your little seed of an
idea sprout into wonderful experiences which
will hopefully add to some sort of legacy.
not at a computer or designing much, that it that. It is very different to the work I do for myself. My
Please draw too! The amount of young aspiring separates itself and feels like a break from the personal project Obsidian Reverie is what I occupy
concept artist who can’t draw is terrifyingly high. job. But of course it is all training for the job. most of my free time with, writing and illustrating.
We hark back to the likes of Syd Mead, Ron Cobb, It will be realized more collectively in the future,
and Kow Yokoyama, to name a few, for a reason. Other than that, I enjoy making poor attempts at in the form of a story-driven concept art book.
writing stories. As I mentioned earlier, storytelling
2da: When you’re not working hard on your is a driving force, so being able to write more I’m also developing collectible products with a
art, what do you like to do with your time? than the image can tell, is very fulfilling for me. colleague, 1/6 scale action figures and statues,
which we will be touring the conventions with
BW: I lift heavy weights and write prose. I tend 2da: Finally, where will we be able to see your work next year. So look out for that, and hopefully
to fill all my time with art though. I have found next? Are there any projects we should look out for? get stuck into this world we are developing!
that my hobbies these days have become the
observational stuff, like portrait and figure drawing. BW: Halo Wars 2 will be out early next year, so Thank you Brad for talking to 2dartist!
It’s different enough from my work in that I’m hopefully I’ll have lots of concept art to show for
17
2DARTISTMAG.COM
An aerospace shuttle capable of atmospheric and space flight. For fast

transit of goods or people © OBSIDIAN REVERIE Bradley Wright
19
Dramatic game
and film concepts
With thirteen years’ experience creating exciting concepts for the
entertainment industry, and a Spectrum Gold award to his name,
Richard Anderson shares his knowledge and top tips
The Artist
Richard Anderson
flaptrapsart.com
Interviewed by:
Debbie Cording
Richard Anderson is
senior concept artist at
Rocksteady Studios. He
has previously worked on
high profile projects such
as Prometheus, Guardians
of the Galaxy and Batman:
Arkham Knight.
All images © Richard Anderson

21
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Dramatic game and film concepts
When a friend of his brother presented ten- as Prometheus, Guardians of the Galaxy and the career started on the Guild Wars franchise in
year-old Richard Anderson with two crates Batman: Arkham Knight game, a move to London, 2003, and at the moment I’m working as a
of comics, it initiated a life-long love of comic and winning a Gold Spectrum award. This month senior concept artist at Rocksteady Studios.
and fantasy art. At the age of nineteen Richard we catch up with Richard to hear about his
moved to Seattle to study animation before recent work, how his peers have influenced his 2da: When we last spoke to you in 2008, you
beginning his career as a 3D environment artist at artwork, and how he overcomes creative block... were working on Guild Wars 2. What have
ArenaNet, working on the Guild Wars franchise. you been up to in the last eight years?
2dartist: Hi Richard, thanks for talking to 2dartist
Back in 2008 (issue 031), 2dartist spoke to again! Could you reintroduce yourself to the readers? RA: Well, I moved from concept artist to cinematic
Richard, by then a concept and illustrator for illustrator on Guild Wars 2 in 2008, and worked at
the entertainment industry, about his work on Richard Anderson: Hi! My name is Richard ArenaNet for a few more years. I got married in
Guild Wars 2. Since then Richard’s career has Anderson, also known as “flaptraps.” I’ve been a 2010; my wife is French, and we were thinking of
gone from strength to strength, seeing him busily concept artist and illustrator in the entertainment moving to Europe at some point. Then in 2011
working on major film and game projects such industry for about fourteen years now. My I was contacted out of the blue by MPC who
A personal piece
2DARTISTMAG.COM
A paint sketch for Richard’s dailies
Artist Timeline Richard’s career so far

2003: Started working at ArenaNet on the Guild Wars 2008: Work published in Spectrum 2013: Started as senior concept artist at Rocksteady
franchise as a 3D environment artist Studios on Batman: Arkham Knight
2011: Richard won a Gold award in Spectrum
2007: Became official concept artist at ArenaNet 2014: Awarded excellence award by the Art Directors
2011: Moved to London, UK to work at MPC on Guild for work done on Guardians of the Galaxy
2008: Work shown in Into The Pixel art show at E3 Ridley Scott’s Prometheus film
which gave Richard a lot of recognition 2016: Nominated for a Hugo award for the cover of
2012: Started at Framestore working on Marvel’s The Dinosaur Lords by Victor Milán, created for
2008: Work featured on the cover of Guardians of the Galaxy Tor Books
2dartist magazine
23
2DARTISTMAG.COM
A personal piece for ArtOrder’s The Journal, called David and Goliath
25
PaintingMAGAZINE
2DARTIST on to a photo
| Dramatic game and film concepts
2DARTISTMAG.COM
What do you think has been most influential

to your career success?
I think being willing to try new things. Being able to adapt to new places and situations. For instance,
moving from Montana to Seattle in 2000 was a very big move for me and really scary actually, but it
turned out to be the best decision of my life.
Also, the move from Seattle to London was a major move again that was very scary, tough and exciting,
but it opened up amazing opportunities I would have never had if I had stayed in one place.
were looking for a senior artist to relocate to the results I need. On the 3D side of things I use
London and work on a few projects for them. 3ds Max for modeling. There are a few tools I’m
trying to learn in the meantime such as 3D-Coat,
From there I’ve been living in London for the last 5 ZBrush, and KeyShot to help with my concepts. I
years, moved around from MPC’s art department believe the future is really headed in that direction,
to Framestore’s art department working on pre- but I’ll always come back to Photoshop.
production of multiple film projects. In 2013, I was
looking to get back to games and a great opportunity 2da: Artist block is a bane for many creative
came up with Rocksteady Studios to help with people. Can you share a couple of tips you
Batman: Arkham Knight, where I have been since. use when the inspiration stops flowing?
2da: How would you describe your job RA: I work a ton! I really enjoy what I do, and I like
to a group of aliens, who have no idea creating things, both inside and outside of my day
what a concept artist is or does? job. However it weighs a lot on me creatively. So
when I lose inspiration or feel blocked, or just feel
RA: It’s the same when I explain my job to my like a bad artist, these are some tips: take a break
grandparents, or my dad for that matter! My job and don’t look at art for a while. Go to the gym
is to solve visual problems, inspire, and visually or park and exercise to get the frustration out.
develop ideas at the best possible quality for the
team. That can mean using 2D skills along with 3D I like to cook, so I might try a new recipe, listen to
skills; whichever communicates the idea best. an audiobook, or podcast. If I have the time, I’ll
take the day, and I’ve learned over the years that
2da: What are your preferred tools to I’m most productive and creative in the morning.
work with? Are there any tools you find
yourself using again and again? Being a professional in a studio you need to stop,
take a walk, look out the window, don’t look at
RA: I use Photoshop the most. I have tried a screen. Re-think your process a bit, and also
other programs, such as Painter and so on, but get some feedback from your peers – that might
Photoshop is the best for me to get the tools and give you a kick-start, confidence or inspiration.
PRO TIP
Photo paintover
In this paintover, I found a strong image of a city, and used it as a background and establishing
shot for light direction. You can then find similar photos to crop in that have the same light
direction and perspective to make a compelling image quickly, such as the foreground building
on the left.
On top of that I used the same values in the background with the Eyedropper tool, and set my
brush to Darken to draw the robot in the background, making it match the buildings in the
distance. It’s okay to use photos; just make sure you change them enough so the original is
almost unrecognizable.
27
2DARTISTMAG.COM
David and Goliath themed illustration done
for an art book called Art Order Journal
29
2da: Is there a particular artist or group of artists projects. How have you adapted and developed
whose work you find particularly inspires you? your skills over the course of these projects?
RA: The main people that have inspired my work the RA: Thank you, I really try to stay open to new
most are my peers, who I went to school and worked ways of learning, but also always working on my
with at ArenaNet: Levi Hopkins, Kekai Kotaki, Jason fundamentals, drawing and so on. I find it fun to
Stokes, Horia Dociu, Doug Williams, Jaime Jones, challenge myself and to try new things digitally with
Matt Barret, Aaron Coberly, Katy Hargrove, my 2D work. I learned a lot when moving over to film,
Tom Scholes, Ryan “the temp” Demita, and from my co-workers, on certain techniques that I
my art director Daniel Dociu helped a ton. believe I would never learn anywhere else. It helped
to get the results the client wanted. I would learn one
Famous artists I’m inspired by would be: Craig thing and try to adapt it to other areas of my work.
Mullins, Ashley Wood, Bill Watterson, Sean
Gordon Murphy, Dermot Power, John Berkey, 2da: Are there any other areas in the digital art
John Harris, and Bob Peak, just to name world that you would like to branch into and why?
a few. The list could go on and on!
RA: Sometimes I think I would enjoy animation, it’s
2da: Over your career you have what I studied, but I’m really not sure. Right now
worked on some pretty amazing I’m really happy with the position I’m in and the
work I get to do. I get a lot of opportunities to do
tight concept work to illustration. I just love drawing
too much to want to move on to anything else.
2da: What is the first thing you do when you start

a new project? Are you super organized and follow
a set plan or do you allow the work to just flow?
RA: Each project is different; some places have

a set protocol that they follow because they are
starting new projects every couple of months,
but other places have a free-flow way of working
when it’s a project that they know will take years,
and the creative pre-production is a lot looser.
For myself when something new comes up, I first

take some bullet-point notes on what is absolutely
needed, then scroll through my reference folder,
and then on to the web for further references.
Next would be mood panels, which I would maybe

just create for myself to stay on task and focused.
After, I’d create loose sketches, then review,
before moving on to a more finished product.
Another fun sketch

using three words (cat,
chic, gun) and playing
with ideas for a comic
Richard’s significant artwork

This image is significant to me because I still look at it and enjoy what I accomplished in the illustration. I remember experimenting and trying new things
with the layers and brushes, and I felt like I had made a leap and learned a lot.
A friend of mine and artist I greatly admired, Jaime Jones, told me that what I did with the circular-shield shapes, and negative-to-positive shapes was very
smart. He said it was a great illustration, which really meant a lot. Now on top of that it is also the image, with which I won a Gold award in Spectrum, which I
never thought could happen. Good memories.
Illustrations done for The

Dino Knights by Victor Milan,
published by TOR publishing
2da: Several of the films you have worked

on are based on comics. Do you think David and Goliath themed illustration done
for an art book called Art Order Journal
being a fan of comics makes these projects
easier or more difficult, and why?
RA: It makes them easier! My brother’s friend

Aaron Steadman, bless him, gave me two crates
of comics in 1991. I was ten years old and man,
there was everything in there. It really kicked off
my love of comics and fantasy art (such as some
of John Buscema Conan the Barbarian works). I
fell in love with the art of comics. When I first had
the opportunity to work on Thor: The Dark World,
and Guardians of the Galaxy, outside I was like:
“Cool man, just doing my job,” but secretly I was
thinking “How did I get here, this is amazing!” So
yes, it was a huge, huge highlight of my career.
2da: What can we expect from you

in the next twelve months?
RA: I have a personal series that I’m working on

at home which I’ll be showing on my Instagram
account (@flaptraps). I also have some new
art coming out for an amazing book called
The Journal by ArtOrder, including legendary
illustrators like John Harris, Brom, Iain McCaig,
and a whole list of others. I’m just honored to
be in an art book with such amazing artists.
2da: When you’re not creating wonderfully

dynamic concept art, what do you
like to do in your down time?
RA: I really enjoy cooking, so I’m trying to get better

at it. I find it to be therapeutic almost; calming.
Other than that I’m a big basketball fan, so I play
a few times a week. The rest of my free time is
spent with my wife and playing with our cat Foxy.
2da: And finally, if you could meet any artist (past

or present) what would you ask them and why?
RA: Good question! It would be Bill Watterson,

the creator of Calvin and Hobbes. I have no idea
what I would ask, I would actually just want to sit
around and sketch with him; drawing cartoons!
Thank you Richard for talking to 2dartist!
2DARTISTMAG.COM
33
3 D T O TA L ’ S A N AT O M I C A L C O L L E C T I O N :
N E W F I G U R E S AVA I L A B L E N O W
Affordable anatomical reference figures for

traditional and digital artists, including male and
female planar models and the impressive biosuit
figure designed by Alessandro Baldasseroni!
ORIGINAL MALE
AND FEMALE
FIGURES STILL
AVA I L A B L E F R O M :
S H O P. 3 D T O TA L . C O M
The Artist
David Rice
xplrstudios.com
David was born and raised

in Colorado. He studied
studio and digital art at
the University of Colorado,
and in 2012 moved to
Portland, OR to work as
a commercial illustrator.
In 2013, he became a
studio assistant to Blaine
Fontana, and has been
a full-time independent
artist since 2014.
A R T I S T S P O T L I G H T
Mixing nature
and geometry
Discover the work of artist and illustrator David Rice who uses acrylic paint
to explore the cohesion between organic and man-made forms
All images © David Rice

2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Mixing nature and geometry
Featuring bold colors, patterns and animal independent artist in 2014. David and Blaine 2da: What or who encouraged you
imagery, David Rice’s paintings and murals still collaborate on projects together and to take up a career as an artist?
combine the natural world with geometric create large-scale murals combining their
and man-made elements. By bringing these styles. This month, David talks to us about DR: My older brother was probably the reason I
separate worlds together, David draws his career so far, and offers advice on how first had an interest in art. He was always drawing
attention to the individual personalities to develop your drawing techniques... comic book characters, and I wanted to emulate
of the creatures he observed growing up everything he was doing when we were young.
in rural Colorado, and suggests a cohesive 2dartist: Hello David! Thanks for talking to We wanted to create characters and worlds that
existence between the two worlds. 2dartist. First off, could you introduce yourself we would see in these comic books. As I got
with a bit about your background and projects? older, my interests shifted from following comic
David has been inspired by many book artists, to following contemporary artists.
contemporary artists but his work is David Rice: I am an artist from Portland,
mostly influenced by fellow Portland Oregon, and I work primarily with acrylic One artist I have always admired and had the
artist Blaine Fontana, whose work excited paint. Most of my work has an element of the opportunity to work with is Blaine Fontana.
David into pursuing a career as an artist. natural world in it combined with something I love his ability to bounce around between
In 2013, David began assisting Blaine in man-made or geometric. I like bridging these organic and graphic styles, and to use different
his studio, before becoming a full-time two worlds that we normally see separately. mediums like painting and sculpture together
Wacom Mural, Commissioned mural at Wacom’s Portland headquarters
2DARTISTMAG.COM
in one piece. Seeing his work was what really Receiving Transmission, 12 × 18″ acrylic on panel
got me excited to further pursue a career in art.
2da: Your work is heavily influenced by nature

but also often combines geometric shapes. Can
you tell us a bit about the ideas behind this?
DR: Most of my work is drawn from experiences

I had growing up as a kid in western Colorado. I
grew up in the mountains surrounded by wildlife.
It was always a fascinating experience to see a
fox or big horn sheep in its natural habitat; to
have deer walking through your yard and bears
sleeping in trees outside the local shops.
I felt like these creatures were more than just

props in a pretty setting. They had goals and fears.
39
They had personality. I wanted to portray their my camera and take a bunch of pictures of 2da: If you could meet any artist (past or
individuality in my paintings. I wanted to bring landscapes. I imagine what happens in these present) what would you ask them and why?
their connection with humans to an even playing environments when no one is around.
field rather than being thought of as separate. DR: That’s a really hard question! I think it
Paintings portraying wildlife and nature are There are a ton of artists who inspire me would be fun to talk to Michelangelo about
nothing new. I wanted to bring these subjects these days, especially with social media like painting ceilings, or Banksy about street
outside of the traditional landscape scene and Instagram and Facebook introducing me to art and remaining anonymous for so long.
put my own take on them. I use a lot of faded so much of the great talent that’s out there. But when it really comes down to it, I think
wallpapers and layered backgrounds in my work. Some of the artists that I find inspiration from I would ask Duchamp who R. Mutt is.
These represent the surrounding environment, are Andrew Hem, Etam-Cru, Phil Hale, Seth
once pristine, but now starting to fade. Armstrong, and most importantly my friend, 2da: In addition to your paintings, you also
colleague, and mentor, Blaine Fontana. create incredible murals. How did you get into
2da: Where do you turn to for inspiration? mural painting and how have you adapted
Are there any artists you like to reference? I also find myself referencing a lot of your work for these large-scale pieces?
early- to mid-twentieth century illustrators
DR: My biggest inspiration comes from spending like Norman Rockwell, J.C. Leyendecker, DR: I got into murals by helping out a few other
time outdoors. I love to go on big hikes with Robert McGinnis, and so on. artists with their walls first. It helped me see
Corrected Course, 42 × 91″ acrylic on canvas

2DARTISTMAG.COM
how these large scale works come together, and DR: Practice! As with anything you do, the more of my tools are pretty rudimental. I will keep
how to change your perception of what details you do it the better you will get. Make a point old brushes that are worn down because
need to be added and what aren’t necessary. to draw or paint something every day, even they can create interesting textures like fur
if it is just something small in a sketchbook. or wood grain. I don’t find it necessary to get
There are certain boundaries like scale and The greatest thing that helped me to grow brand new equipment with each piece I do.
time that need to be addressed when first my skills was becoming a studio assistant to
approaching a mural. In most of my experiences a professional artist. I learned more in three 2da: Do you have a particular place you like
the mural needs to be painted in about a week, months as a studio assistant than I did in four to go to draw or paint? Do you create your
so the main objective is getting the composition years of going to art college. There is nothing works in a studio, at home or out in nature?
blocked in as quickly as possible, before better than getting real-life experience.
building up the details. Everyone has their own DR: I like to draw and sketch things from my
approach to large scale works. It gets a little 2da: What are your preferred tools home but I do all of my painting from a studio. I
bit easier with each new piece I get to do. to work with and why? share a studio with two other extremely creative
people. It is great to have an atmosphere where
2da: What advice can you give to our DR: I mostly use acrylic paint because it is we are all working on separate projects at
readers who want to develop their what I am familiar with, and it is much more once and everyone can give feedback to each
drawing and painting techniques? cost efficient than other types of paint. A lot other. It takes a typically individual job and
41
Totem, 30 × 30″ acrylic on panel

2DARTISTMAG.COM
Wild Sprites, 30 × 30″ acrylic on panel

43
Guide, 24 × 36″ acrylic on canvas
Rattle, 9 × 16″ acrylic on panel
2DARTISTMAG.COM
Close Encounter, 24 × 36″ acrylic on panel
DAVID’S SIGNIFICANT ARTWORK

This piece was something I had been thinking of painting for a while before I finally decided
to bring it to life. I wanted something that was bold and slightly different from what I had
painted in the past. I wanted the subject to not be conveyed as more human, but rather
having what it perceives as its identity revealed. In this case, not how a human would view
a chimp, but how the chimp would see himself.
The actual production of this painting had a lot of ups and downs. It was my first painting
on canvas and while I was a bit nervous to work on a new texture, I actually really enjoyed
the look and feel the canvas provided. As you could imagine, the space blanket was quite
an undertaking. At first I felt very overwhelmed, but after I got in about a fifth of the blanket
I could see the overall effect starting to take shape and I knew it was going to be worth the
struggle. This piece has really helped me set the tone for the type of imagery and themes I
want to continue exploring in my work.
Final Approach, 42 × 56″ acrylic on canvas
45
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Mixing nature and geometry Rise, 14 × 22″ acrylic on panel
2DARTISTMAG.COM
Roost, 24 × 36″ acrylic on panel

gives a sense of community to it. I don’t think member is gone, the rest suffer, but if all members DR: I feel like I still have a lot to learn with
I would get as much done if I didn’t have my play their part then the ecosystem thrives. the techniques and tools I am currently
studio mates to inspire me to keep working. using, let alone other mediums. I would love
2da: How do you deal with a challenging to experiment more with sculpture and 3D
2da: What has been your favorite piece project? Do you have any tips for our readers? mediums. I really admire artists that can turn
or project to work on so far? their 2D works into 3D sculptures. There are
DR: Every once in a while I start a piece so many more possible compositions when
DR: I did a large 4 x 8 foot painting called that I have been thinking about for a long you are not confined to the flatness of 2D.
Corrected Course which was an interpretation time, hoping it is going to be my next big
of a Norman Rockwell piece entitled From the breakthrough. Then, halfway through, I realize 2da: What does a working day in
Earth to the Moon. Rockwell’s painting portrays it might not turn out how I had anticipated. At the life of David look like?
the crew involved in the Apollo 11 mission these points I find it important to take a step
to the moon. His piece directly shows the back and ask myself what’s not working. DR: I usually get up at around 8 am, check my
hope and persistence that the human spirit email and prepare for any paintings or projects
is capable of. I wanted to show those same I will take a picture of the piece to view it from I am working on that day. At least once a week
themes and ideals through the subjects I paint. a different perspective and try to get a fresh I go to the lumber yard in the morning to grab
look at what is going on. Sometimes it is the wood for panels or frames. I get to the studio
I replaced all of Rockwell’s subjects with North colors that need to change; sometimes it is the around 10 or 11 am and start painting. I typically
American animals. My interpretation continues entire background or composition. Whatever paint till around 6 or 7 pm and then head home.
the sense of hope Rockwell achieved through a the issue I always tell myself the same thing, My studio is not too far from my house so I am
different lens. It takes an entire team of people “It is just paint, you can always paint over it.” often on my bike. The rest of the evening is
working together to achieve something great like usually a combination of food, wine and Netflix.
space travel. All members are necessary for the 2da: Are there any other skills and techniques
goals to be met. The subjects in my painting are would you like to learn in the future? Are there 2da: How do you like to spend your time
necessary parts of a successful ecosystem. If one any materials you would like to experiment with? when you aren’t creating beautiful art?
Timeline, 24 × 36″ acrylic on panel Vista, 24 × 36″ acrylic on panel
47
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Mixing nature and geometry SODO Track Mural, a collaboration with Ola Volo, in Seattle, Washington
© David Rice and Ola Volo
DR: I like to hang outdoors. I love being able

to paint for a living but that keeps me trapped
inside most days. It is nice to run around outside
when I can. I love hiking, biking, skiing; all the
usual outdoor pursuits. I really love to go on
big hikes with my camera and shoot hundreds
of pictures no one will ever see but me.
2da: And finally, what can we look

forward to from you next?
DR: I have been asking myself this question

a lot recently. I am growing as an artist and
an individual so the themes I am interested
in are starting to shift. I want to create more
of a narrative in my works. I want there to
be more of a story to interpret from the
piece. I have started to make that shift by
introducing more figurative subjects into
my work, creating a tangent between the
natural world I have already explored, and its
connection with the humans that share it.
I want to pair the physical world we see with

themes we cannot see, such as time. I don’t
think I will ever get bored of painting animals
and I think there will always be an audience
for it. I honestly would be fine painting birds
for the rest of my career. But as I grow, so
does my work, and I am excited to explore
some of these new themes and directions.
Thank you David for taking the time

to speak to 2dartist today!
2DARTISTMAG.COM
49
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Sketchbook of Koveck
The Artist
Koveck
koveckart.com
Koveck has worked as

a comic book artist and
freelance illustrator
since graduating in
Fine Arts, and currently
works in the videogame
industry as a senior
concept artist at Ubisoft.
Sketchbook of Koveck:
Dynamic ink sketches
Digital illustrator Koveck discusses his inspirations and how sketching in ink
helps him break free of the digital cage
All images © Koveck
50 2DARTIST MAGAZINE
51
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Sketchbook of Koveck Theseus is coming, my lord combines a love
of mythology and giants in one image
Koveck shares his top tips for traditional media, but in 2006 I made the jump
improving your sketches... to digital art. Yes, I like it a lot, and yes, I can’t
imagine returning to acrylics, airbrush and
I’ve been drawing for as long as I can oil paintings. However, traditional media is
remember. All my life I’ve been around art in so special, so romantic... so “real.” That’s the
one manner or another. When I was young my reason I make these ink sketches: to escape
ultimate goal was to become a comic book the box of work and the cage of digital.
artist, but when at last I published my first
professional comic, I realized I didn’t like the “The best feeling I
experience of working in comics. The reason is experienced as an artist was
that I didn’t like repeating the same characters becoming the inspiration for
a million times one page after another. somebody who wanted to join
Then I made the jump to illustration, which the artistic circle”
better suited me. Up until then I worked with
Playing with the smoke frames

for sketches
53
Any image can tell a story if you

place some “baits” to the viewer
Inspiration and ideas
As I usually say, you can find inspiration in any
place. Sometimes it’s a movie, a photo, a phrase,
a stain on the wall... For me, a thing that always
works to spark my creativity is horror movies. I
like the feelings they evoke in me, and also how
they encourage me to try to provoke feelings
of any kind in the viewer. When you grow as
an artist, it is a pleasure to pass from the time
when you copy the dreams and nightmares
of other artists, the ones who inspire you, to
the time when you can make real your own
dreams and nightmares. And maybe, for me,
the best feeling I experienced as an artist was
becoming the inspiration for somebody who
wanted to join the artistic circle.
About my own inspirations,
I can’t name all the
artists that have forged
my style, and they
are so different from
one another: like Richard
Corben, Katsuhiro Otomo, Juan
Giménez, Dave McKean... Actually, the
artists that I most admire are Phil Hale and
Sergey Kolesov. As for inking, the two artist
that have had the largest impact on me over
the years are Brian Bolland and Satoshi Kon.
Materials
I have tried a lot of materials throughout my
career. In fact, in the beginning, I was obsessed
with trying everything. One of my comic books
was a nightmare to produce because each
panel was made using a different technique.
Now, it is very different. A couple of years ago
I discovered the perfect combination of tools
that suits my inking work perfectly, and I don’t
have plans to change them for a long time. First
of all, I need to say that I don’t like penciling. In
fact, I hate it. My pencil work is a mess of rough
lines only understandable to me. Because of
this, I draw the draft with two pencils: red to
make the initial mess of lines, and blue to try
to find order in the red chaos. The next step for
me is just inking the silhouettes of shapes with
a Mitsubishi Uni Pin 0.1. For me, this part is not
yet the inking, it’s only a step that allows me
to erase the red and blue pencil. Then, when
I have that aseptic and boring initial line, the
real fun starts, inking with a Pentel brush – the
tool I like the most. After that, I usually make
two passes of shading with a couple of Copic
markers: cool gray C3 and C5. And last, if needed,
I add some fine detail with a 0.05 fine liner.
Doodle images made in ink

without any plan on mind. Koveck
draws lines until he finds some
interesting shapes
Astronauts are possibly the thing Koveck likes to draw

the most, and this side view is quick and easy to produce
55
KOVECK’S SIGNIFICANT ARTWORK

Arms anatomy 4
For several years I drew without a real knowledge of the basics. I managed to be a professional and work in illustration for many years but without
enjoying it at all because I always drew with doubt and fear of the blank page.
Suddenly, some years ago, I decided to take a break from my career and dedicate a whole year of my life to learning the basics: anatomy, color,
lighting and so on. I made hundreds of studies like the one here. I filled a tiny notebook with myriads of composition, lighting and art tips. It is my
own “Holy Grail” notebook, like the one from Indiana Jones, and it was the best decision I ever made in my professional life. When you understand
what you are doing you can enjoy it, make it better, faster and adapt to other styles.
“My main tip to newcomers

is not about technique, but
instead about not getting
obsessed with the end goal”
Sketching techniques
I have a sentence that I repeat to everyone
that asks me for advice: “Becoming an artist is
about progression, not perfection.” My main
tip to newcomers is not about technique, but
instead about not getting obsessed with the
end goal. Enjoy the process of becoming an
artist itself. Allow yourself to make mistakes.
Sketches are a perfect way to train that.
Don’t draw for other people, draw for yourself.

Are you not doing it well? Don’t worry if not, draw
more tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow.
The ink process in four steps: pencil drawing

in red and blue, contour line to define shapes,
inking with a Pentel brush, and shade passes with
Copic markers
57
This image symbolizes being dragged out from your artistic comfort zone
PRO TIP
Comfort zone
If you want to become a concept artist you must be open to other art styles, techniques
and workflows. The trick is to have a clear knowledge of the basics: composition, anatomy,
color and lighting. It does not matter if it is cartoon style or hyperrealism, if it’s a robot or a
dragon egg, the light has physics, the color has rules, the body has structure. If you know
them, you can play with them and break the walls of your comfort zone. Learn the basics,
open your mind, and draw everything.
59
Draw every day if possible. Not big drawings, not

challenges, only simple things to lose the fear of
PRO TIP
the blank page. To progress quickly I suggest you Doodles versus sketches
combine: a) copying reality; b) copying from other In my sketchbook there are two types of images: the regular sketches that are made from
artists (this is important because they have solved an idea previously captured in a thumbnail and with a pencil base, and the other type I call
“doodles.” These are made without any idea in mind and no pencil, only direct inking on
and found their solutions to the same problems
automatic mode. They are made directly in ink, which means there is no going back, and no
you will face); c) the study of anatomy and
correcting. You will be forced to solve the inevitable errors with more inking, and during that
lighting (it’s a lot easier to copy anything if you
process you will start to use the blacks wisely to mask the line mistakes.
understand how it’s made and works, trust me);
and d) drawing from imagination. If you combine
these four ways of learning, they will produce a
synergy between them. You will notice how you
improve with each step, even when drawing from
imagination, the thing that newcomers fear most.
Princess is dead tells a story that the viewer

can complete with a title that can evoke some
context for the story
Giant characters such as the one in Out of my

way are one Koveck’s favorite drawing topics
More doodles of astronauts
Would you like to see your sketches

featured in 2dartist magazine?
We’re always on the lookout for talented artists
and their artwork to adorn the pages of our
magazine. If you think you have what it takes, get
in touch!
To submit, simply email Annie at

[email protected] with a selection of your
images or a link to your portfolio online, plus a
little information about you.
We look forward to hearing from you! 61

2DARTIST MAGAZINE | The Gallery
Each issue the 2dartist team selects 10 of the best digital images from around the world. Enjoy!
Submit your images! Simply email [email protected]
Reyh and Wisdom

Pierre "Asahi" Raveneau
Year created: 2016
Web: artstation.com/artist/asahiart
© Pierre "Asahi" Raveneau
idiots
Ömer Tunç
Year created: 2016
Web: artstation.com/artist/mertun
© Ömer Tunç
2DARTISTMAG.COM
65
Raven
Vera Velichko
Year created: 2016
Web: artlacertus.artstation.com
© Vera Velichko
Delivery
Andrzej Dybowski
Year created: 2016
Web: andrzejdybowski.com
© Andrzej Dybowski
The Traveler
Hueala Teodor
Year created: 2016
Web: artstation.com/artist/htartist
© Hueala Teodor
2DARTISTMAG.COM
69
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | The Gallery
Heaven of Softness
Florian Aupetit
Year created: 2016
Web: florianaupetit.com
© Florian Aupetit
2DARTISTMAG.COM
71
Odus Apartments
Frank Hong
Year created: 2016
Web: crushvisual.com
© Crush Visual Inc.
2DARTISTMAG.COM
73
Front Line
Dominik Mayer
Year created: 2016
Web: artstation.com/artist/dtmayer
© Dominik Mayer
2DARTISTMAG.COM
75
Thieves Den
Shahab Alizadeh
Year created: 2016
Web: facebook.com/ShahabAlizadehArt
© Shahab Alizadeh
77
Little gifts
Manuel Castañón
Year created: 2016
Web: manuelcastanon.carbonmade.com
© Manuel Castañón
Meteora
ScottUminga
Year created: 2016
Web: scottuminga.com
© ScottUminga
*a selection of our alumni ’s achievements , c o n g r at u l at i o n s to them all .
Speed paint
a medic mech
Learn how to quickly create an action scene with
lighting effects using limited brushes
The Artist
Thibault Girard
kailyze.com
Software Used:
Photoshop
Thibault Girard is a concept

and environment artist at
FuturLab. He lives in the UK,
is a French native, and is
passionate about Japanese
culture, sci-fi art and books.
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Speed paint a medic mech
See how focusing on core

elements can help you
tell a story quickly...
Whether it is within thirty minutes or two

hours, time is short when speed painting so
you have to focus on how to tell an exciting
story in little time. Here I will show you how
to create a speed painting using a “Medic
Mech” as a theme. You will need to prepare
Start with a cloudy background with a bad weather atmosphere. Paint the corners
some references from your favorite pictures
darker than the center
or artists, anything to feed your mind while
painting. A speed painting is not a finished
concept; you are painting something from
what you are familiar with and are here to
make another nice piece of art with its story.
We will focus on very few key elements. Above

all, keep your topic in mind and do all that
you can to express it in your artwork while
keeping it as simple as possible. Keep your
silhouettes, colors, contrasts, and composition
simple too. Do not use lots of characters or
any crazy perspectives with hundreds of
wires or circles in it. Ideally you should paint
a maximum of one to two characters and any
other character should be a simple rough
shape. Most of the time evoking a simple
Add a dark foreground with an opening and a lighter background layer
human shape, barely defined, should suffice.
You will see that you have to sacrifice surface

and texture painting for composition and
a clean contrast. Depth is important to get
a nice vibe and it can only work if you keep
the different foreground, middle ground
and background layers separated. To
summarize, a speed painting is quite similar
to any painting, the main difference will be
in what you spend your time working on
and choosing how to make some sacrifices.
For this entire process, we will use basic
brushes (the simple Photoshop Round brush
in either 100% or 0% Hardness will do most
of the strokes). Smoke, dust and particle
brushes are also useful here, and that’s it!
01
Add the main characters in three different layers. One for the injured soldier, one for
Creating an abstract background:
the mech, and one for the mech’s arm
First let’s create a story for the medic
mech. Quickly brainstorm a situation that helps
you to understand what is going on and what the
story is. For instance, the medic mech could be
healing an injured soldier on a battlefield. You
Start by creating, in a landscape canvas using a
cloudy brush, an abstract background in a color
of your choice depending on the ambiance you
02 Surface placement: Go back to a
simple round brush with the Hardness
setting at 100% to stay clear. Place in the bottom
would need to paint the mech, an injured guy, wish to show. Here I create a cloudy, abstract third of the composition, the foreground surface
and the battlefield (let’s keep this simple, the background which is darker in the corners so where the action of the scene is taking place. This
clock’s ticking) and of course the action itself. that the focal area will stay in the center. third is much easier to control in the time given.
2DARTISTMAG.COM
Then paint the background surface too in a lighter the scene. Since you do not have the time for more on the characters, add a middle ground
shade. This gives you the first level of depth in details keep the silhouettes clear and simple. mountain to create more depth in your
your scenery. One surface where the main focus More than two characters will rapidly become a scenery. This also helps the composition
(the medic mech and the injured soldier) will be hard task to manage when you have to be fast by filling the space on the left and therefore
and a second surface for the battlefield action. (unless you are painting a roughly shaped crowd). pushing the eye of the reader to the right, into
the main action point of your characters.
“The positioning of your For now, keep your characters in different Start also to add some background action.
characters is extremely colors and on separate layers. Refine your This helps give an ambiance to the story in
important and should give a silhouettes until you are satisfied with the your painting and therefore give more depth
rough idea of what is going on shape but remember that spontaneity is the of story to the injured soldier. A simple spider
in the scene” key. Also remember that many less important tank shooting and causing an explosion clearly
elements like the legs of the medic mech shows that the scene is on a battlefield. As
Sculpt the shape of the foreground so that you don’t have to be finished at all, just drafted. before, focus on the silhouettes and keep
have an opening to see what’s going on in the Here, focus on the healing act centered on everything in the background grayish in
background. Add a little area on the foreground the hands of the mech and the torso and color because this is not the main focus.
surface where your main action is taking place. head of the injured soldier. Create another
03 Signaling the main subject: Let’s not

separate layer for the mech’s arm.
05 Material composition: It is time to
start some material texture painting.
lose any more time – add your main
protagonists in the foreground. The positioning
of your characters is extremely important and
04 Background story: There is too
much space in the picture. Use the
Crop tool to erase the empty space around
Always remember that your foreground,
where the main action is happening, is your
priority. So let’s add grass and some puddles
should give a rough idea of what is going on in your characters. Now that the focus is directed to it by using “bad weather” colors with a flat
Crop the painting to get closer to the characters, adding some background story and a middle ground
Paint material textures in the foreground and begin detailing the characters attributes
85
brush (you could simply flatten your round

brush in the brush parameters window).
Use a grass brush for the edges. You can make this
brush by drawing a couple of sharp shapes on a
separate PSD and saving it as a brush. You can
then scatter it in the brush presets. The rock on
the left of image 05 is made using a rocky texture
with a solid center and noisy edges. Do not
contrast these textures too much otherwise they
will catch the attention more than the characters.
Finally for this step, paint the first details of your

characters. Indicate the eye of the mech to show
where he is looking then detail the healing gas
tank on his back, a bit of his hands and also
the soldier’s uniform. All of these will help the
viewer identify what is happening in the scene.
06 Directing focus: I Erase any excessive

details that you know will be too
much to produce in the time you have left. This
is a speed paint so you will need to do some
cuts otherwise you won’t be able to focus
properly on the essential points. You think it
may be too complex? Then make it simpler. Add more details to the mech such as the cross symbol on his head and paint the healing device
Crop the scene again, darken the corners and add details to the rest of the mech’s body
2DARTISTMAG.COM
Darken the area surrounding the characters then brighten the healing device and the mech’s head
The heads of main characters are visually

important most of the time so focus on these.
Even on a mech they show you who and what
08 Lighting focus: Focus only on the
lights for now as enough has been
done already for the shape and textures. Again,
a bit of the area around the injection. Make it
look like a magical, powerful light if necessary.
it is, and where to look. Continue working on use multiple layers to darken the corners. Now that the explosion and the injection
the gas tank and the tool the mech is using Darken everything a little except the explosion are much brighter than the rest of the
to heal the soldier. Again, all these details are and of course the action between the two scene, they are linked, and the cause
painted using the very basic Round brush with main characters. Now with an Overlay layer, (explosion) and consequence (the injured
100% Hardness. At this stage, flip your image brighten the mech’s head, the injection, and soldier) in the scene’s story is clear.
horizontally to get a fresh look on your painting.
PRO TIPS
07 Overall construction: Crop the
image again and add some ambient
occlusion to help center the focus of the
Practice within groups
If you want to see some progress in your speed painting make one every day, even a
twenty or thirty minute one. Of course it won’t be absolutely every day but try to achieve
scene even more. Use your Round brush with
that objective until you think you have managed to reach a new level.
0% Hardness and set to a very big size. Use
a Multiply layer and a dark color (preferably You can also join social network groups and participate in those. It is very efficient for your
blue) for the corners. However, do not use too learning since not only you will train, and have fun painting those random themes, but you
much of this color on the corners in the sky. will also learn a lot from the others posting in the group. You will see crazy ideas and get
useful critics, and posting in a group will push your work further as you know that people
Add more details on the mech and the little will see and comment on your work.
robots lying next to the soldier. Now the
painting of the mech is practically done. You The Lasso tool
This tool will be your friend for speed paintings. Using the Lasso, you will be able to create
don’t need to add much more to him for a
a selection shape and paint a simple gradient in it in seconds. For instance, using the Lasso
speed painting. These details include another
tool, you can get a mountain selection silhouette and then use gradients to darken the top
cross on the arm (to suggest a medic mech
and brighten the bottom. You will have a mountain in the far distance done in ten seconds.
unit) and new metallic parts of the body.
These details are mostly top parts and are The Lasso tool will let you have perfect control on your painting inside a shape and that
only what is necessary to tell the story. shape edge will stay clean. It will also save you time at the end of your painting as you
won’t need as much time for cleaning.
87
09 Background adjustments: Let’s return

to the background. Give more depth
to the sky by refining the clouds (any cloudy or
dusty brush will do for this). A classic way to give
depth is to paint the top of the sky darker and
progressively paint brighter towards the horizon.
The middle ground needs a bit of a polish too,

and a clearer separation between this and
the foreground will help the depth. Using a
basic very soft Round brush, add a gradient to
the bottom of the middle ground picking the
color from the bottom of the sky. Then add
some details to the rocks by using the Lasso
tool to make sharp shaped selections with a
Round brush or a rocky brush. Finally, help the
explosion look more powerful by adding an
orange gradient in the area surrounding it.
10 FX adjustments: We can add more

definition to the surface of the grass
since this occupies a lot of the picture and
is in the main foreground. Again, a grass
brush and your good old basic hard Round
brush will do for this. Add some details Add more definition to the sky and create texture details on the middle ground mountains
on the spider tank too, such as light from
the explosion to give it some volume. brighter center and a darker outer edge.
In the background, reduce the explosion size In the foreground, create a Color layer to add
while keeping its powerful orange color. You some green colored effects to the healing
need to adjust the size of your elements so injection area. Compared to the global gray, the
that the background is not taking too much green will become the main focus. Create a Color
attention away from the main focus. Using Dodge layer for the effects now and use a very
a cloud brush paint the explosion with a soft Round brush and a bright color to brighten
Make the explosion smokier with particles and add a green light effect to the healing device
2DARTISTMAG.COM
Use a Selective Color layer to rework your colors, grays, whites and blacks making the picture more dramatic
the explosion, as well as the injection. Lastly,

add some particles with a scattered brush and a
powerful light on the tip of the healing device.
“This is the power of digital

painting, you can change
colors and contrast in the
blink of an eye”
11 Mood coloring: The mood of the scene

is not quite right so we will need to
adjust most of the colors. Luckily for us, this is
the power of digital painting, you can change
colors and contrast in the blink of an eye. Add
a Selective Color layer on top of everything.
Play with the colors to make them warmer or
colder and make the grays, blacks and whites
shine or disappear. Here a warmer sepia color
will give a nice dark battlefield feeling. A gradient between the characters and the foreground gives you a clearer picture of them
Make the main characters colder in color so

that they feel and look different from the rest medic unit. By playing with the colors try to get foreground and by using a soft Round brush,
of the scene. Blue works for a more peaceful an even brighter effect on the injection too. with color picked from the sky, add some light
atmosphere in the foreground compared to fog behind the contours of your characters. Try
the battlefield in the background. Although do
not let the red crosses on the mech’s shoulders
disappear or you will lose the impression of a
12 Silhouette cleaning: There is not
much to do here to tidy the silhouettes.
Create a layer between your characters and the
to add some between the characters too. Doing
so will make their silhouettes clearer and detach
them further from the battlefield. After a good
89
Refine the foreground surface and paint debris and dust on the explosion in the background
amount of work, and especially when speed

painting, the clarity of the scene may be lost a
bit. That clarity must be repaired if you want
your image to be easy to read at first glance.
Your main characters are your main story and
your focus point so keep them clean and clear.
13 Foreground details: Playing with

the contrasts and colors spoiled the
foreground surface a bit. At some point you may
have to refine it in a different way. To do this,
add ground texture using a flat brush and then
some pebbles using a flat rock brush. Using flat
brushes helps you to paint surfaces without
having anything popping out too abruptly so
that the focus point stays on the characters.
Make the fog layer between your foreground

and middle ground brighter to help separate
these layers even more. Now, you can start to
add little dust particles and debris effects. For
instance, add some debris to the explosion in
the background, using a scattered rock brush, to
suggest an explosion of soil. Now add some dust
in the foreground with a layer on top of all the
others. Very importantly, carry on pushing the
details on the mech such as his healing gas tank
and the injector. They are your key elements.
“Add a bouncing light on the

hairs and shoulder of the
injured soldier to link him to
the explosion” Paint more detail on the mech and soldier and add a bouncing light from the explosion
2DARTISTMAG.COM
14 Story details: Now we will focus

only on the main characters again.
The rest of the image is considered finished
to link him to the explosion. It is not a big
detail but it shows that the fight is behind
him and that he went through it.
for a speed painting. I push the details on the
injured soldier so that we can see his pain
and how that healing is necessary but also
difficult. I make the hand clearer since after
15 Final adjustments: In the final step
there is not much left to do. You should
have a couple of minutes to spare so use them
the face, hands are useful to show emotions. for adjustments and polishing. Play with the
contrast of the mech’s injector and darken
Continue also working on the bounce light from the mech’s forearm, but make the green really
the injector impacting on the mech’s torso so bright and colorful to show it is being used.
you can see him a bit more. Again the injured
soldier, the mech’s top, and the injector are your Add some smoke to the soldier’s injury with a
core elements so stay on them. Add some green very blurred, soft brush and a super bright green
color to the injector to make it clear that it is emitting from it showing a rough healing process.
injecting the green gas from the mech’s tank. This will improve the drama in the picture. Finally,
make some small corrections on the brighter
As a little extra, add a bouncing light on the parts of the characters such as the rim lights, and
hairs and shoulder of the injured soldier clean any dirty brushstrokes, and you’re all done!
91
2DARTISTMAG.COM
The Artist
Thibault Girard
kailyze.com
© Thibault Girard
93
Design a mysterious
character
Learn how to imbue your artwork with mystery using symbolic
imagery and muted colors
The Artist
Emi Chen
emichenart.com
Software Used:
Photoshop
Emi Chen is a freelance

illustrator based in
Providence, USA. She
currently works for
Blizzard Entertainment,
and specializes in creating
fantasy illustrations with
dynamic lighting and
intense color.
FREE
CHAPTER
Get tips on adding emotion
into your illustrations...
In this tutorial I will show my process for

creating a fully rendered illustration. I will
focus on topics including idea generation,
creating mood and atmosphere, and
symbolism. In addition, I will go over
some formal aspects of illustration such as
composition, design, value, and anatomy.
In this image the theme is “mystery,” and

a lot of the decisions I make are based on
trying to portray a mysterious feeling; I need
to create an image that has an enigmatic
sense to it. There are many aspects of this
illustration that work towards trying to
achieve that theme, and I will go through all of
them step by step. By the end of this tutorial
you will have the tool set to create your The mind map used for this illustration. Don’t be afraid to really explore at this stage!
own illustration with a mysterious theme.
01 Mind map: A mind map is a graphical

diagram of related thoughts and words
about a subject. It includes a branching-out
of ideas from a central starting point. In this
case, I want the illustration to revolve around
the concept of “mystery,” so I create a mind
map with the focus on this word and what
comes to mind. From there, I keep exploring
various themes and subjects that relate to the
word. I try to exhaust all possibilities, exploring
everything that I can until I am sure there
are absolutely no more related ideas left.
“This is when I begin to

think about composition
and what would look
aesthetically pleasing”
02 Thumbnails: Once I have a good

understanding of the concept through
words, I start creating thumbnails. This is
when I begin to think about composition and
what would look aesthetically pleasing. I also
consider narrative. I typically limit myself to
only three values for thumbnails. This helps
me break down the shape design more
easily, and allows me to organize the image
into manageable parts. Typically, I make
about twenty thumbnails for an illustration,
but sometimes I make more depending on Notice how small and rough these thumbnails are, just focusing on shape and design
how many ideas I come up with that day.
03 Sketches: Next, I choose three of

the thumbnails that I think work
best both narratively and compositionally,
and start to flesh out these ideas further. I
begin to paint in the anatomical gesture, and
hint at material texture. I try to avoid over-
rendering and detailing at this stage, since I
know that I will eventually be throwing two of
the sketches away. At this point, it is still only
about the story and design. If adding something
contributes significantly to either of those two
aspects, I add it. If not, I leave it out for now.
Three compositions chosen from the thumbnails. The ideas that show potential
are explored further in this sketch stage
I choose the first sketch in image 03 to take
to the next step because it has the clearest
flow and contrast, and the smoky, ethereal
background fits the concept of “mystery.” 04 Designing the character: Now that
I have chosen the sketch I will take
to completion, it is time to add specificity.
at classical sculpture as well as ancient Greek
clothing design when designing the costume.
“I decide to turn towards

Greek mythology for
Because this is a character illustration, the
figure is the focus of the image. I therefore
need to make sure that it is well designed and
05 Adding details and symbolism: Now
that I have the basic character design
laid out, I can start to add detail and render the
inspiration; I’ve always found interesting to look at. I decide to turn towards costume. At this stage, I pay more attention to
that the idea of an afterlife is Greek mythology for inspiration; I’ve always making sure all the materials are readable. For
shrouded in mystery” found that the idea of an afterlife is shrouded example, fur needs to look fluffy and metal needs
in mystery, as is the character Hades. I look to look reflective. I work on refining my brushwork
Focus on the character design here In this step, start to build up the costume
97
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Design a mysterious character
so that it looks neat and clean. During this stage, I therefore always end up painting over the
I realize that it would be conceptually strong adjustment or erasing portions of it.
to add a scythe to the image because it evokes
themes of death and the Grim Reaper, a well-
known figure who is also conjures up mystery. 07 More symbolism: In order to really
push the symbolism and story
in this image, I decide to add some rams.
06 Levels adjustments: I realize that the

image no longer reads as well as the
smaller sketch did because there is too much
Traditionally, herding sheep is known to be an
action associated with heavenly or angelical
themes. I want to use this symbolism to my
midtone and darkness in it. In order to correct advantage; not only is the character inspired by
this, I add more contrast, making the overall Hades, but the black ram is an animal known
image brighter and darkening the darker values. to symbolize Hades himself. I decide to show
him herding sheep, but with a darker twist.
Using Levels in Adobe Photoshop is a great Instead of holding a shepherd’s staff, he is
way to add contrast, but it usually leaves the controlling the sheep using the Grim Reaper’s
image looking a bit messy, often changing scythe. This presents something of intrigue to Correcting the amount of contrast in the
image to improve its readability
certain areas in a way that I did not intend. the audience, adding to the feeling of mystery.
A close-up of the sheep and scythe
2DARTISTMAG.COM
08 Checking anatomy: In order to make

sure the proportions and anatomy
are correct, I produce a quick overlay drawing
PRO TIPS
Attend local figure drawing sessions
If you have figure drawing sessions available in your area, you should take advantage of
where I only look at the placements of the
them! Figure drawing teaches gesture, and allows you to practice working under a time
major bones. From here I can spot anatomical
limit. The presence of a live model is also great for gaining a sense of light and form that
issues and make adjustments accordingly; I
cannot be seen in a photo. Because the poses are usually very quick, it pushes the artist to
suggest referencing Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian
capture only what is necessary. Even the longer poses are often limited to twenty minutes,
Man. His calculations base everything around so I have found that figure drawing sessions have taught me how to pace myself when
using the head as a reference measurement, drawing.
a method which improves accuracy and helps
to simplify everything. Other things you can do If you haven’t already, learn traditional mediums
to improve anatomy are attending live figure From an educational standpoint, traditional mediums are great because they are limiting.
drawing sessions and memorizing muscle There are no undo buttons or layers, so working traditionally teaches you to think and
shapes. After I know what needs to be adjusted, plan out your design before you work. In addition, there are no quick color adjustment
options either, so you really have to think about color a lot more. When painting, you have
I can start working to make those changes.
to mix your own colors (rather than selecting them from a menu), which requires advanced
understanding of color theory. Personally, my favorite traditional mediums are graphite,
“Although details like this are acrylic, and oil.
small, they really do help a lot
with the storytelling, and with
creating a convincing image”
A quick overlay drawing of a skeleton on top of the painting to help

correct the anatomy Details of the battle scars and hardened skin
99
The bright triangle on the figure’s head is one of the elements added to improve the image’s flow
09 Adding anatomical details: I want

the character to have a more worn-
down, old look, as if he has been through some
hard battles. This will add to the narrative
behind the image and invite the viewer to
wonder where he has come from. I add some
textures and battle scars to his skin, making his
exterior slightly tighter to imply that he’s not a
young hero. Although details like this are small,
they really do help a lot with the storytelling,
and with creating a convincing image.
“Being able to move through

the image with ease is one of
the most important elements
in establishing gracefulness
in design”
10 Improving flow and composition:

In order to improve flow, I add a bright
triangle near the top of the figure’s head. This
helps direct the viewer’s attention to the focal
point. I’ve found that triangle shapes are great
to work with compositionally because they can
act as arrows that point the viewer in the right
direction. Other parts of the image that help
improve flow are the lines in the background,
which all lead to the figure. In my opinion,
being able to move through the image with
ease is one of the most important elements
in establishing gracefulness in design.
11 Abstract details: This image in

particular has a lot of abstract qualities
to it (which are necessary for the theme of
Adding some interesting water-like abstract details to the painting
2DARTISTMAG.COM
“mystery”). A great way to get quick abstract

amorphous shapes is to use the Forward Warp
tool in the Liquify filter in Photoshop. It creates
an almost water-like texture which fits very well
into the overall image. However, it’s important
not to go overboard. I make sure I only choose
a few places to use this technique in as the
image can quickly look garish if it is applied too
much. Look at references of smoke and water
if you are painting this effect traditionally.
12 Adding muted color: Now I start to

add a hint of color. I don’t want this
image to be too saturated, because that would
take away from its enigmatic quality. I opt for
a limited palette with red as the accent color.
In order to quickly add color to a black and
white image, I use Photoshop’s Color Balance
feature. This allows me to control the hue of the
highlights, midtones, and shadows separately.
In addition, it makes very subtle changes to Adding subtle color into the black and white image
the values, which are usually pleasing.
13 Darkening the image: After looking

at the image for a long time, I realize
that the lighting would make more sense if the
figure was backlit, putting him in silhouette.
Having a silhouetted character will help my
goal of creating mystery because the character
will be darkened and thus appear more
obscured. This step also helps to simplify the
composition, making the image easier to read
visually. I tend to flip the image horizontally a
lot during these final stages to make sure there
are no small errors or mistakes in the image.
14 Last tweaks: I now refine the tiny

details and render things out. This
is the step when I can relax and not really
focus on making any major changes. All
the hard work is done; I can just focus on
getting all the final details right to enhance
the feeling of mystery in the illustration.
AVAILABLE IN THE 3DTOTAL SHOP
Flipping the image to check for errors
101
2DARTISTMAG.COM © EmiChenArt
3DTOTALPUBLISHING
The Beginner’s Guide series is back with a clear and comprehensive look at working in Adobe Photoshop Elements.
In this sequel to the best-selling Beginner's Guide to Digital

Painting in Photoshop book, a new set of talented artists
break down the best and simplest techniques for creating
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guide offers easy-to-follow steps that guide you through
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With a simplified interface and fewer variable parameters to learn than

its big brother, Photoshop, Photoshop Elements is an ideal tool for any
artist’s first digital adventure. This book is therefore a perfect resource for:
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Available from www.3dtotal.com/shop

Paint a plein
air sunset
Cathleen McAllister demonstrates how digital plein air studies can be
used to practice light, color and value painting
The Artist
Cathleen McAllister
cathleenconcepts.com
Software Used:
Photoshop
Cathleen McAllister is a
visual development artist
from Los Angeles, USA.
She currently works for
animation company Reel
FX. She specializes in
painting environments,
architecture, props, and
generating mood paintings.
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Paint a plein air sunset
Get tips for working

outside and painting a
changing environment...
Alternatively, you can follow this tutorial
using ProCreate on the iPad for a quick
block-in, and export the layered image to
02 Finding a spot: When painting
during golden hour, it is important
to remember that the sky at sunset changes
Photoshop during the later steps. ProCreate rapidly, and can go from beautiful and bright,
In this tutorial, we will cover how to paint a is an inexpensive app, especially if you to night-time very quickly! For this reason, it is
cloud-filled sunset from life on a digital plein already have an iPad or even an iPhone, and important to set up early, at least an hour and
air setup. Golden hour, the hour before the works well with a Wacom or Apple stylus. a half before sunset. This way, you can do your
sun sets, is one of the most beautiful and Although I will be explaining this tutorial in sketching and value compositions first, and then
engaging times of day. Learning what a real Photoshop, it should be relatively easy to follow focus on just the colors when the lighting is ideal.
sunset looks like, and how to paint it, can along with ProCreate. Regardless of which
really help your concept art and illustration. setup you choose, make sure your devices When looking for a spot, I love to find hiking
are fully charged before going anywhere! trails, fields, parks, or even outdoor cafés that
Plein air painting is a vital skill for any
concept artist because you can build a
mental library of color palettes and lighting
scenarios to use in your paintings. In this
tutorial, we will cover composition, value,
color, lighting, and shape design, and how
all of these fundamentals come together
in plein air painting. I will be working on a
laptop and Wacom tablet for this tutorial,
but you can also use ProCreate on an iPad.
01 Digital plein air setup: My plein

air setup consists of a laptop (I use a
Surface Pro 4) stacked on top of a small Intuos
Pro tablet, and a glare protection hood. I have
all of the buttons I will need hot-keyed into
the tablet. These include shortcuts to: Brush
Size, Zoom, the Lasso tool, Alt, Shift, the Hand
tool, Free Transform, Enter, and a menu of
common Photoshop adjustments like Hue/
Cathleen’s setup of a laptop, Wacom tablet and pen, and a glare protection hood
Saturation, Levels, and Color Balance.
A huge storm cloud at about 5 or 6 pm somewhere in the middle of California is the reference for this piece
2DARTISTMAG.COM
Treat clouds as solid forms which need to have

flowing forms, weight and cast shadows
Take plenty of your own reference photos with different light focuses to help you study cloud forms
have a good view of the horizon and the sky. same principles of form, color, and shading that to form at a specific height, and then get
Find a shady spot to minimize screen glare, and you have for any solid object apply to them. wispy towards the tops where wind may
make sure to choose somewhere comfortable be blowing them, which will cause them to
that won’t leave your legs numb after a few The first thing to keep in mind is shape. It can have flatter bottoms and fluffier tops.
hours. For this particular tutorial, I will be using be easy to repeat the same sized bumps when
an interesting cloud that I saw on a road trip for painting a cloud, so try to make a conscious Another important aspect of clouds is their
reference. I wasn’t able to stop in the middle of effort to make a variety of sizes of shapes. solidity which will impact the way you render
the road to paint, but I made sure to memorize You can see in image 02 that the cloud on the the shadows. I will discuss this in later steps, but
the colors I saw and take plenty of photos. right has a big bump (which makes up 75% of make sure to study the cast shadows of clouds
the cloud) next to a much smaller one (which upon other clouds when you are in the field!
03 Demystifying clouds: Clouds may

seem like a challenge to paint, but
they can also be one of the most fun things
makes up 25%). Together these differently sized
shapes make up the whole length of the cloud.
04 Reference photos: Because clouds are
constantly moving, it can be impossible
to paint if you understand them. The most Clouds also have a great deal of weight, so to to paint the same exact cloud for more than a few
important idea to keep in mind is that clouds convey this weight we will make the bottoms minutes. It is important to take lots of reference
appear to be solid forms. This means that the of the clouds much more flat. Clouds tend images on your phone or camera for you to use.
107
A quick black and white composition sketch with a previous rough drawing underneath it
Draw arrows representing where you want the eye to travel. When switching from line to
value, some edits will improve the composition
Unfortunately, photos will alter perspective,

color, and value, but they can be a great reference
for cloud shapes, texture, and composition.
When taking photos of the sky with your
phone, make sure you take several photos. In
some of your photos tap to focus on the light
05 Composition sketch: To begin the
plein air, we will do a gestural sketch
that establishes the ground plane and general
areas, and in others focus on the dark areas. placement of shapes. In this step focus on
Since photos are not completely reflective of what This way when you look at them later, you creating depth by overlapping little cloud shapes
you see in real life, it is vital that you accurately will be able to see the difference between the over the huge cloud. These little clouds will get
paint the colors and values while in the field. Here overexposed photos and the too-dark photos. smaller as they go back in space, which will
is a photo I took from a different location and create a nice illusion of depth. Additionally the
time of day that better demonstrates the forms “Focus on creating depth sketch should encourage your eye to move.
of clouds. I will be using this photo, in addition to by overlapping little cloud I like to do variations of the sketch by lowering
my original photo, when I start rendering forms. shapes over the huge cloud” the opacity of the first sketch, and then redrawing
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the sketch on a new layer. This can be repeated Some of the brushes that can be used for painting clouds
which will create interesting colors and texture
as necessary, and keeps your sketches loose and
fast instead of drawing, erasing, and redrawing.
Try to keep the eye moving in a circle around the
composition by creating shapes that flow. Keep
messing around with your composition until you
feel that you have found an interesting rhythm,
and don’t be afraid to stylize, simplify, or even
completely change what you see in the field!
06 Value pass: A good painting must read

first in black and white. I always create
a quick value block-in for plein air works by
painting major shapes on separate layers. I chose
to make the biggest cloud darker than the sky.
I then make the foreground clouds darker still,
because the biggest cloud is casting a shadow
over them and they are closer to the camera.
areas of smudging where wind may be blowing. brush, use brushes that have a lot of scattering, so
It is important to maintain this value structure For this reason, use solid brushes with a bit of that when you smudge, it creates some texture.
when you move on to color. An easy way to texture to block-in shapes and lighting. Then
check this is to go to View > Proof Setup > use the Smudge tool only when necessary. “Paint the sky as a gradient
Custom and select “Working Gray - Dot Grain from dark blue to a pink, and
20%” under “Device to Simulate.” Now when For the brushes, turn on a slight color jitter by then yellowish or cyan where
you press Ctrl+Y it will toggle to black and going into Brush Settings, and turn on Color the sun is strongest”
white, allowing you to check the values. Dynamics and uncheck “Apply Per Tip.” By slightly
07 A quick note on brushes: When people

paint clouds, there is a tendency to
increasing the Hue and Saturation jitter, and
keeping the Brightness jitter very low, you can get
more interesting colors with each stroke. This is
08 Blocking-in shadow: In an
environment painting, the main
factor that will affect the colors is the sky
make them look too mushy, blurry, or smudgy. similar to how you may pick up random colors gradient. The color of the sky will fill in all of
Clouds in reality are very solid shapes, with small with a traditional paintbrush. For the Smudge the shadowed areas of the painting. Keeping
If the clouds are only lit by ambient sky color they will be mostly blue in color
109
this in mind will help to keep the colors of the to check the grayscale version of your image from the blue shadow to the yellow highlight,
painting unified. For this reason, I like to jump after you have done some rendering to make try to paint mid-transition colors in solid strokes.
into color by establishing the sky colors first. sure your values still work. When you are This will help to keep the painterly essence of a
happy with the values make a merged copy plein air, and is also more visually interesting. It
During a sunset, the sky turns a dark, rich blue of the image and completely paint on top! also helps viewers read plane changes better,
or purple, and the reds and pinks come from rather than look at a smooth, airbrush-like
light passing through clouds or atmosphere. It is important, during this step, to not blend mess. Using the Smudge and Brush tools as
Although the reference photo is a bit washed the colors into mud. To prevent this from mentioned in step 07, blend some of the very
out because of the strong sunlight hitting the happening, think about transition colors. For hard edges while still maintaining the original
clouds, paint the sky as a gradient from dark example, instead of having a smooth gradient light shape. The sunset study is now complete!
blue to a pink, and then yellowish or cyan where
the sun is strongest. For the clouds, select
the darkest color in the sky gradient, shift it
PRO TIPS
more towards purple, saturate it, and darken it The benefits of plein air
I learned almost everything I know about light and color from plein air painting and
(making sure the value matches the grayscale
studying different lighting scenarios. Even if you live in an urban area and you think the
composition). Once you have done this for all of
skies are generally similar, you would be surprised to see how much lighting can change
the clouds, we will move on to the light shapes.
simply based on the atmosphere and weather! Knowing which colors and values to use in
a large amount of lighting scenarios will greatly benefit your illustration, and make your
09 Rendering the forms: To keep you

from rushing into detail too quickly,
block-in the light shapes using clipping masks.
paintings feel more grounded in reality.
Clip a new layer to each individual cloud shape

by holding down Alt, hovering between the
two layers until a little arrow appears, and then
The transition colors on the left gradient look muddy while the
clicking. This ensures that anything you paint on
scale on the right is lively, with colors that appear to pop out
the new layer will be locked to the one below it.
To paint the light shapes start with a medium-

light color that you can see; in this case, it is
a slightly desaturated purplish-pink. I like to
paint shapes that I find appealing, and then
cut back into those shapes with the Eraser.
The nice thing about clipping masks is that
they allow you to focus on the light shape
without affecting the color underneath.
Another thing to note is the presence of bounce

light and sub-surface scattering in the cloud.
The cloud is a solid form, but since it is made
of water vapor, light can still pass through
it and bounce around, creating a variety of
colors. Make the underside of the biggest
cloud more cyan to imitate the light bouncing
from the ground into the cloud. Also give the
cloud a small amount of rim light towards
the left side and make the sky more yellow to
harmonize with the warm tones of the clouds.
10 Finishing touches: Once the light

and shadow shapes have been
established, merge the layers to work more
efficiently and emulate more closely traditional
painting. For a while, I will still keep the clouds
on different layers, but I merge the light shape
onto its respective cloud layer. Do not forget
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The clouds now have basic light shapes painted onto them to indicate bounce and rim light
111
2DARTISTMAG.COM
The Artist
Cathleen McAllister
cathleenconcepts.com
© Cathleen McAllister
113
The Artist
Juan Novelletto
novelletto.com.ar
Software Used:
Photoshop
Juan Novelletto is a concept

artist and illustrator from
Buenos Aires, Argentina.
He works at NGD Studios,
developing the Master of
Orion reboot and is also
Art Director at indie game
studio Nastycloud.
Re-imagine the
fall of Icarus
Discover how you can create striking images by taking a fresh
approach with familiar legends
Learn to use masks,

transform tools and blur
effects to save time...
01 Sketching three ideas: Whenever
I have to start an illustration or
a concept, I start sketching some ideas in
from a height, and possibly giving the idea that
the viewer is the one who brought Icarus down.
With security I can say that the majority of

people know the Greek myth of Icarus. If not,
the form of thumbnails. These are small
illustrations that give you a fast idea for an
image, focusing only on exploring ideas and
02 Initial line art: I choose the
thumbnail I’m going to work with,
the third option. So I scale it to the final size
I’ll summarize it in a few words: Daedalus, not creating something finished. In this case that I want the final image to be. In this case
father of Icarus, manufactures for himself I start in grayscale, painting three options. I will need a very large image, about 4,000
and his son artificial wings made of feathers pixels in width and a resolution of 300 dpi.
and wax to escape from the island of Crete. In the first thumbnail I try to be dynamic, and play
Daedalus warns Icarus not to fly too high, with the idea of Icarus looking at the viewer. In the By scaling the image it will have a high quality
because the sun could burn the wings, nor second option I move to something more classic from the beginning and I will not to have to
too low because he may fall into the sea. showing Icarus falling with his back in view. In the redo anything in the future because of the
Icarus does not listen and flies higher each third option I show Icarus already fallen, but place low resolution. On the scaled thumbnail I
time until his wings are destroyed by the sun. the camera fully overhead. I choose the third lower the opacity by 50% so the image is
As a result, Icarus falls to the sea and dies. option because I like the idea that the viewer barely visible. I choose a hard brush, and
will be in the position of a God, observing Icarus quickly start to define the lines, without
In this tutorial we are going to rethink this
myth and set it in a new context with an
illustration painted entirely in Photoshop.
We will start with some ideas in the form
of thumbnails, without worrying so much
about aesthetics. Then, choosing one of
these thumbnails, we will refine the idea
until we have a neat line drawing to paint.
We will also explore values to play with light
and help focus the composition to where
we want the attention of the viewer. With
some textures we will aim to quickly and
realistically create an environment. Finally,
with various tricks and effects we will give
Three options drawn quickly, focusing exclusively on generating ideas
the final touches to the image, so it gains
dynamism and drama. So, let’s begin!
Rough lines drawn over the original thumbnail focusing on the proportions of the character
115
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Re-imagine the fall of Icarus
Repeat the same process as step 02 a number of times until you obtain a well defined line
being very neat. Focus on the proportions Choose an element and repeat it to save time and
and elements that make up the scene. keep the image tidy
“Uncertainty is a very good

thing in an illustration
because it leaves the viewer
with a lot of questions”
03 New elements and line art: To

improve the line art I repeat almost
the same process as in the previous step.
To the first sloppy lines, I lower the opacity
and put them on a white background. I
also add a little more canvas, to give me a
margin to play with a possible reframing.
Now it is time to choose the idea. Even though

there is nothing concrete, the idea of a sci-fi
Icarus is tempting. Icarus was brought down
by challenging the Greek gods, as he was a
simple human trying to reach the sun.
Why not think of Icarus is a simple human,

trying to challenge to machines with
robotic wings? Uncertainty is a very good
thing in an illustration because it leaves
the viewer with a lot of questions.
With this in mind, start now to define

with lines the design of the costume and
04 Final line art: With the line sketches
from the previous step, we repeat the
process again, drawing the final line art neatly,
becomes more refined. Another option could
be working from stains (abstract blotches which
can be used as a starting point for developing
the character as a whole, still working in and with almost all of the elements that the final forms), and I recommend this method when
a sloppy way. For the design I mix sci-fi image will have. This process has the advantage you have no idea of what you want to do.
themes with a superhero costume, since of allowing us to concentrate on improving the Every process is unique, but you have to
superheroes are a kind of modern myth. painting and the rendering because the idea choose one that will feel comfortable and is
2DARTISTMAG.COM
best for the image. Wings are the last addition

to the line art. To accelerate this process I
draw a single element and then repeat it to
create full wings. Use the transform tools to
locate the individual elements on the wings.
All the layers together form the volumes of the image
05 Lights and shadows: Once the

line art is ready, proceed to give the
image volume, working in grayscale. A detailed
and realistic way to do this is to imagine
you have to render passes of a 3D program.
But in this case we are painting them.
The first thing I do is make a layer of ambient

occlusion which create the shadows produced
by ambient light. I paint these shadows with
a soft brush creating shadows similar to those
on a cloudy day, and add a Multiply blend
mode to them (always keeping the line art layer
above). Then I separate the figure from the
background in two values, with a plain color,
because each material has its own value.
Finally add two further layers. The first layer

is for projected shadows and the second
layer is for the lights which will project the
shadows. Different shadows will be projected
according to where the light is placed, and
we can also suggest elements just using
shadows. Light can also be used to guide the
human eye, which is why I am only going to
illuminate the part that interests me most.
06 Color palette: We now return to

the lines, and deactivate the layers
from the previous step. In this step we will
concentrate only on the color palette. Define
some complementary color palettes which
always work and use them to populate different Separate colors in squares aside from your canvas to maintain a consistent palette
117
Color Balance adjustment layers can dramatically change the color of your image
parts of Icarus’s costume, and the background.

In this way we are defining the materials.
You always have to think about the balance

of colors, and a way to do this is through the
proportion of brightness between colors. For
example, use the brightest colors the least
and the duller colors in greater quantities.
07 Combine color with values:

Combine the two previous steps
to show the image with color and values. To
do this, replace the values layer from step
05 with the color layer from step 06. Then,
add a Color Balance adjustment layer over
the image. I choose warm colors, since these
will be visible in the illuminated areas.
Add a new Color Balance layer, this time

using cold colors. To this layer generate a
mask selecting the shadows, so only these
are affected, and a contrast between cold
and warm colors is generated. With that,
we are ready to start to polish the image.
08 Detailing with paint: Now comes

the slower part of the process which
is to begin to detail the image. I start to paint
Paint details to focal points
like the face that add more
the part which has the most importance in the information to the image
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image which is the illuminated area of the face Final details painted on Icarus without a detailed background
and the body. I add more detail, since this is
going to be the focal point. Do not play with
rebound lights yet, but simply paint volumes
in the shaded and illuminated areas.
Continue this process, repeating it

throughout the image. However, always
focus on the areas that are of importance
to the scene and are visible in the light.
09 Paint final details: Keep on painting

all the areas that are lacking detail, but
always concentrate on the focal points. In this
step we will do the same thing we did in step
03 with the wings: paint something and repeat
it, then position them with transform tools. For
now you do not need to change the colors, since
we will do this in a later step. Once this process
of painting details is finished, we are going to
focus on the background and add textures.
10 Adding photo textures: Now

concentrate on the background, since
it is still without detail. I will use photo textures
to give realism and quickly cover this stage of the
illustration. Be careful not to use too many, since
the background is not complex. For my references
The three textures used with blend modes to

quickly create a realistic background
119
I use the site http://freetextures.3dtotal.com

where you can find a lot of free textures.
Cut out the silhouette of Icarus and separate

it from the background so the textures do not
affect it. Then paste a concrete texture on the
floor and select Multiply, lowering the opacity.
With this you get detail and realism quickly.
Do the same thing with two more textures, and

generate certain random forms that suggest
details hidden in the dark. This is something that
you can do as much as you want, since it is fun to
combine photos and build details and new forms.
“Paint smoke with a soft brush

on both wings, this reinforces
the idea that Icarus has been
brought down”
11 FX and secondary lights: We now

have an almost finished image and are
at the most fun part of the process; adding FX. In
this case we will add fire, smoke, and sparks to
Paint smoke with a soft
the image. The first thing to do is to paint smoke brush on both wings
with a soft brush on both wings, this reinforces
the idea that Icarus has been brought down. As
the smoke is generated by fire we need to paint
a bit of fire at the base of the smoke. Do this with
a soft brush in Overlay to light that area slightly.
PRO TIPS
Finally, add a few small sparks in a Color Dodge Motion Blur to generate dynamism
layer. All these effects are secondary light With Motion Blur you can quickly create dynamism in an image. In this case I cut pieces of
the image and apply the Motion Blur in the direction that I want, so it gives the sensation
sources, so I paint some rebounds on to Icarus’s
that it is moving. For elements in the foreground you can also use this to give realism.
armor. You can also use this method to add
effects in areas that you want to illuminate.
12 Final retouches: It is time to conclude

the image. The first thing I do is reframe
the image by cutting margins to put greater
importance on Icarus. Then add some more
fire and particle effects to give it a greater visual
impact. Finally, duplicate the whole image and
add a Radial Blur that will give dynamism.
So now we are finished with Icarus. I hope

that this tutorial has been useful for you,
and now the big question looming over
our illustration is “Who shot down our
modern Icarus?” I will leave that to you!
2DARTISTMAG.COM
© Juan Novelletto
121
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Developing animation
style environments
Lorenzo Lanfranconi shows how he developed an animation style tropical
environment using limited brushes and texture effects
All images © Lorenzo Lanfranconi
The Artist
Lorenzo Lanfranconi
facebook.com/RENDIHsART
Software Used:
Photoshop
Lorenzo Lanfranconi is a
2D artist from Italy. He is
currently working on some
editorial projects including
ALPHA beta test, a personal
art book based on an
environmental journey.
2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Developing animation style environment
Pick up tips on how to primordial island enclosed only by the sound the sensation of being in the environment,
quickly create atmospheric of wild nature. I started sketching with this walking from the foreground to the background.
depth and add texture... in mind and when I found the right colors to I chose a few key colors and always kept the
give life to the sensations I could finally start brush opacity at 100%. I never touch the
In this article I will show you how I created working, feeling highly inspired. For me this opacity, as it is better to calibrate using the
a complete environment using just a single is the key to enjoying my work and to giving Pen Pressure from the brush panel options
brush. By avoiding the use of many different life to the final drawing. Remember that the which creates a more carved design.
textured brushes, I had a more uniform and most important thing in an illustration is that
personal work. In my works I often change it has to transmit something to the observer. When I had some sketches, I chose the
technique because I’m always trying to find a one which felt better, asking some friends
better solution to render realistic things with
fewer brushstrokes, but I found in this brush
the perfect basic instrument for my methods.
01 Rough color sketching: I started
sketching quick compositions
remembering that it was only a sketch, so I
which was the best one. It is always good
to share your work with someone external
who can give you some fresh advice.
did not lose time on it. I was impulsive, and
For my series ALPHA beta test I usually start to
work by thinking about the sensation I need
to instill in the image. In this case I imagined
put down colors with rough brushstrokes.
A perspective grid helped me to bring the

02 Tonal sketching: Now I had to
transform the color concept into
something more concrete. I applied an 80%
being lost somewhere in the ocean on a observer’s eyes into the composition giving white Levels adjustment and, with a third
A rough color sketch created by changing Pen Pressure on one brush
A second sketch was drawn on a new layer over the color sketch to improve the composition
2DARTISTMAG.COM
layer on the top, start sketching my final

idea for the illustration. I did not want to
make a nice drawing because I would do
this later with colors. This sketch was like a
second concept based on the first one.
I used gray tones to start studying the depth and

often flipped the canvas horizontally to adjust
the elements and calculate the correct weight
of the composition. You can also, if you want,
study the light using two gray tones for each
element. In this case I did not do it because
it was more or less mid-day in the illustration
and there were no particular light effects.
“To give atmospheric depth The tonal sketch was rebuilt with colors
I used gradient layers, with
a cyan color, to distance the
background elements”
03 Giving life to the idea: I then rebuilt

the tonal sketch using the colors from
the first one. Remember to create a layer for
each element you think is convenient; you can
merge them later if you think there are too many.
Always give a name to your layers so you will not
lose time finding the right one in your panel.
In this step I had to return mentally to the

first one. After I had created silhouettes of the
elements, and blocked the layers, with rough
brush strokes I started studying the light and
atmosphere. To give atmospheric depth I
used gradient layers, with a cyan color, to
distance the background elements. You could
give the different layers colors which helps
a lot if you have many different elements.
04 Developing the scene: I still did not

worry about the textures, for me this
step was only a transition from the previous
step to the next. I spent my time studying
the lights and the atmosphere. You could
also add or clear some elements to adjust
the composition. In this case I added some
rocks on the beach to increase the sense of
involvement with the environment and I erased
a peak to give more space in the background.
To help me create the right atmosphere

I imagined part of the scene so I could
feel sensations like the warm sunlight or
the damp forest. I was a pirate searching The atmosphere was built up to increase the observer’s involvement in the scene
treasure and needing to explore the island
127
through the illustration. Bringing out my

fantasy helped me to tell the story.
05 Texture time: This step was perhaps

the longest but it was also essential to
the work. I had to render every single material
(rocks, plants, water, and so on). Remember that
there is not a “fixed code” for each element so you
have to meditate on the effect you want to give
and try to render it with your brush. If you can’t
make something don’t give up, just remember
that if someone else can do it, you can too.
I searched photographic references to see how

light reflects on different elements and tried to
recreate it. To make realistic textures you don’t
have to make thousands of strokes searching
for the smallest details, remember that you
only need to find a few essential strokes.
06 Giving depth to the sky: Generally

I leave this step to the last part
of my process because I love clouds and
“Gaussian Blur and Motion

Blur from the Filters menu are
interesting Photoshop effects
to mix with brushes when
rendering clouds” Each element was textured individually
Clouds were rendered with a soft brush and the Smudge tool
2DARTISTMAG.COM
because finishing the sky and adding Small characters were added with simple line art, flat color and a shadow layer
characters means that all the other elements
are completed. Obviously if the sky is the
subject you have to work on it earlier.
For the clouds I employed the same brush
that I used for the other elements. I started
painting some strokes and then mixed and
blurred them with the Smudge tool (see image
06) with a basic soft brush with 70% opacity.
There are many different clouds and as they

are gassy elements you can serenely work
them with different brushes if you prefer.
Gaussian Blur and Motion Blur from the Filters
menu are interesting Photoshop effects to
mix with brushes when rendering clouds.
07 Adding characters: Finally I could

work on the characters. I added
them in at the end so I could work on the
style image I used thin line art filled with flat
colors and just a shadow layer. This helped
your eyes for a little while. Then, open them
again and with some adjustment layers,
entire illustration as if it were an animation me a lot to detach the characters from the regulate the Curves, saturation and colors.
background. In this case there were only some environment and to give my work a style
little monkeys in the foreground and birds in similar to an animated film screenshot. In this work I increased the contrast a little
the center to add. They were really small so I and balanced more of the colors in the light,
worked them differently from my usual stuff.
Usually if I have bigger characters I like to

08 Final adjustments: Now my work
was almost done! When you get to
this point of the process in your own work I
mid-tones and shadows to accentuate the
warm sunlight. I suggest that you add a layer
mask for these adjustments so you can easily
render them realistically but with an animation suggest that you close your work and relax modify every single control in each moment.
After a break, the colors and contrasts were adjusted slightly to finish the piece
129
2DARTISTMAG.COM
The Artist
Lorenzo Lanfranconi
facebook.com/RENDIHsART
131
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2DARTIST MAGAZINE | Digital Art Master: Ken Barthelmey
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DIGITAL ART MASTER:

Cantoris
by Ken Barthelmey
Learn how Ken Barthelmey, creature and character designer
for films, paints his unusual fantasy creatures
All images © Ken Barthelmey
134 | 2DARTISTMAG.COM
The Artist
Ken Barthelmey
theartofken.com
Software Used:
Photoshop
Ken Barthelmey is an illustrator

specializing in creature and
character design. He has
worked on many film projects
including The Maze Runner
and The Scorch Trials. Ken also
works on his own IP project.
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135
The first thing I like to do before I start to

Here are some of my scribbles to come up with ideas. As you can see, some of these
paint my fantasy creatures is envisage a
sketches are very rough and don’t have many details
background story for them. I push myself to
make my creations as realistic and believable
as possible, so having a background story
in mind helps me to reach that goal.
I consider where they live, what they eat or

what evolutionary adaptation they need to
survive in their living environment. In this
image, which was created as a personal
project, I designed a hybrid creature that was
somewhere between a reptile and a monkey.
It is called Cantoris and it feeds on insects.
These creatures make beautiful sounds and
are known as The Singers of the Forest.
I know a lot about anatomy and

subsurface scattering but it is always
a huge challenge to paint colorful skin
that looks authentic. My technique is
very similar to classic oil paintings.
The initial sketch, colored in

Sketching & finding a key pose
Photoshop. Shadows or other
Because I wanted to bend the visual
details were useless because it
characteristics of a chameleon and monkey,
was just the base
I used several reference images from these
animals that helped me to get started.
To design an interesting creature it is also very

useful to make a lot of pencil sketches first to
come up with ideas. Later on, I usually doodle
several thumbnails to find a good composition
and an interesting pose for the final illustration.
These drawings don’t need to be detailed. It’s a

great trick to scribble very fast and just put down
on paper all the spontaneous ideas that come up.
Usually, I use a pencil or a Copic Marker for

these messy drawings. When I was satisfied
with the design I started to work on a more
detailed pencil sketch, which I then scanned
into my computer for work in Photoshop.
The final sketch can be more detailed. The

head was the focus of this painting, so I put
most of my attention into this area. This sketch
served as a guideline and a base, making it
easier for me to color the picture afterwards.
“I carefully mixed a color

palette with the main
colors I wanted to use in
my painting’”
Find the base colors

It was then time for one of the most important
steps: adding color. The technique I use for this
is very similar to those used with traditional
oils or acrylic paint, in that I apply color
through the shades from dark to light. At
this stage, it was very important that I chose
the right colors at this stage because the
painting would be built upon this palette.
In the Multiply layer I could paint underneath to fill the basic colors without
I changed the layer of the sketch to Multiply losing any strokes
blending mode in Photoshop. By doing
I prefer to have a full view of the

painting so I can see that the
colors will match

137
this, I could paint beneath the sketch. I then

placed another layer under the Multiply layer
(the sketch) to fill out the basic colors.
I carefully mixed a color palette with

the main colors I wanted to use in my
painting. I used a separate layer for this.
Afterwards, I picked the colors with the

Eyedropper Tool. I didn’t zoom in on the picture
while painting these basic colors, so that I
had a full view of it. These are only the base
colors, so I didn’t focus on the details yet and
tried to work with only a few brushstrokes.
The character slowly comes to life. I love the look
of real oil paintings, so I used different custom
brushes with a texture to achieve a similar look.
Using different brushes gives the painting a more
artistic look so that it doesn’t look too digital.
“Adding details and textures

gives the picture a realistic
look. However it’s important
that the details always fit
the picture”
It’s always good to work with many layers

because if you make a mistake, you can correct
it very fast and easily. If the document is too
big, I simply convert the layers into one.
Painting details & lighting setup

After finishing the basic colors I started with the I often paint the background first and use separate layers for the background and
detailed work. I began to overpaint the sketch, for the creature
creating a new layer and placing it above. I love
Here are some of my scribbles to come up with ideas. As you can see, some of these
sketches are very rough and don’t have many details
painting texture details; this part is the most fun is missing: sometimes the colors are too Experimenting with color
and, accordingly, takes the most amount of time. dark or just not as gorgeous as you would Designing and painting creatures is always huge
like. As we work digitally, we can solve fun for me. I usually add more brownish tones
Adding details and textures gives the picture these problems very quickly and easily. to my paintings, so making this image was a
a realistic look. However it’s important that very fresh and enjoyable process. I enjoyed
the details always fit the picture because too I used separate adjustment layers including working on the colorful skin, as the strong
many details can destroy the realism. If you Levels and Color Balance, to slightly brighten rim light offered the possibility to tap the full
draw a lot, with time you will develop a feeling the painting up. For the final touches and to potential of the colors. I’m also very happy
for balance. By painting a suggestive depth of increase the impression of a classically-inspired with the pose as I feel that it looks dynamic
field, I was able to accentuate the creature. painting, I added a noise effect. To make this, I and very mysterious. Every painting you create
created a new layer and filled it with a gray color. is unique in its own way. However, sometimes
When you work on a painting, try to imagine you may find that you just don’t like the end
from which direction the light comes from. In this Then I clicked on Filter > Noise > Add Noise. I set result of your work. But I must advise that if
case the light source comes from the left side, the amount to 21.27% and clicked OK. After that you work hard and paint every day, you will
so I painted the left corner a little bit brighter. I I clicked on Filter > Blur > Box Blur and set the constantly learn new stuff to improve your skills
always start with the highlights so I can better radius to 2 pixels. Once I had that, I changed the and techniques. Simply stay passionate and
imagine the light setting. I will often paint small layer to Soft Light and set the Opacity to 54%. motivated to always push yourself to the limits!
directional arrows on a separate layer. This is
a great trick to remind yourself where the light
comes from and where the shadow has to be.
Again, the head was the focus of the painting,

so I put most of my attention in this area.
The pencil strokes from the sketch disappear
under the colors. Because of the brightness
of the ground, I painted some green
reflected light on the character’s body.
Color correction & final touches

You surely know the feeling when you aren’t
satisfied with the colors of your painting
I used these adjustment settings to brighten the painting up
afterwards. That feeling that something
Here you can see the comparison from before and after. I often experiment with different adjustments until I like the final result

139
140 | 2DARTISTMAG.COM © Ken Barthelmey

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Paint an industrial cityscape
Incredible nature inspired drawings
Top ten gallery images
In-depth artist interviews
Practice speed painting
Original character sketches
Re-invent a heroic scene
AND MUCH MORE BESIDES!

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130

Issue 130 | October 2016

Editor’s Letter KEEP UP TO DATE

back with a tutorial re-imagining the fall of Icarus, google.com/+3dtotalcg

discover how to design a character imbued with

off our new series on digital plein air painting!

RICHARD ANDERSON CATHLEEN MCALLISTER

DAVID RICE JUAN NOVELLETTO

KOVECK LORENZO LANFRANCONI

THIBAULT GIRARD KEN BARTHELMEY

Advertising Manager Get the most out of it!

For lots more tutorials and exclusive articles, visit

Special thanks to 3DHype,

Contents Issue 130

020_ Dramatic game and film concepts

036_ Mixing nature and geometry

050_ Dynamic ink sketches

082_ Speed paint a medic mech

094_ Design a mysterious character

104_ Paint a plein air sunset

114_ Re-imagine the fall of Icarus

124_ Developing animation style

134_ Digital Art Master: Ken Barthelmey

Brad Wright is a concept

© OBSIDIAN REVERIE Bradley Wright7

Brad Wright is an experienced concept artist

It is the storytelling aspect of concept art which

2dartist: Hi Brad, thank you for talking to

Brad Wright: Well, I have been working in studios

Although I was born in South Africa, I grew up in

2da: How would you describe your job

BW: A communicator, solving visual problems.

Danny, the hero of Obsidian Reverie, is a gun-slinging, cyborg, cyber-cop

BW: I’ve been touching upon digital sculpting in

2da: Which artist or group of artists

BW: These days I tend to spend less and less

Instead, I search out films that are at a glance, very

As I mentioned earlier, cyberpunk is a love of mine,

2da: If you could meet any artist (past or

BW: I would ask Syd Mead for a little insight into

With every artist I have met, no matter their

2da: Where (and when) do you feel

BW: In bed about to drift off, of course.

I think I’ve trained myself over the years to

Like everything, it is just something that

For Brad’s personal project Obsidian Reverie. The hero arrives

so chaos is a lot less constricting for me. It just feels

Exploring the possibilities of what a more anime, animated approach to

instead train your craft. No one is going to give

An aerospace shuttle capable of atmospheric and space flight. For fast

All images © Richard Anderson

A paint sketch for Richard’s dailies

Artist Timeline Richard’s career so far

What do you think has been most influential

2da: What is the first thing you do when you start

RA: Each project is different; some places have

For myself when something new comes up, I first

Next would be mood panels, which I would maybe

Another fun sketch

Richard’s significant artwork