MASTERING

DIGITAL
DRAWING
LEAR N FR O M T H E PR O S
Published in Sweden, by 21 Solutions AB.

Go to our website to read about more exciting projects and deals.

W W W. 2 1 - D R AW. C O M
Copyright © 2023, 21 Solutions AB.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording,
or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the copyright owner. All inquiries should be made to the publisher.

Designed in the USA by BookWiseDesign.com

Printed in China

ISBN Hardcover: 978-91-987991-5-6

ISBN eBook: 978-91-987991-6-3

IMAGE CREDITS: p. 3 Tablet with display/Unsplash.com/Norbert Levajsics, Tablet with screen/Pexels.com/Katya Wolf, Tablet without
display/Pexels.com/Varan, p. 7 PureRef window: Woman top left/iStockphoto.com/MrPants, Woman lower left/Pexels.com/Mart
Production, Woman lower right/Unsplash.com/Julia Rekamie, Woman top right/iStockphoto.com/Jacob Wackerhausen, p. 76 Woman top/
Pexels.com/Bruno Salvadori, Woman in glasses/Pexels.com/Konstantin Mishchenko, Woman red hair/Pexels.com/Ali Pazani, Woman red
sweater/Pexels.com/Nichole Sebastian, p. 78 Woman top/Pexels.com/Roy Reyna, Woman in hat/Pexels.com/Polina Tankilevitch, p. 79–80
Woman in yellow/Instagram.com/chelmonet/Chelsea Monet McCollum, p. 84 Woman in hat/Pexels.com/Alesia Shapran, p. 132 Chinese
opera mask/iStockphoto.com/Defun, Peking opera actor/Commons.wikimedia.org/Chinogypsie, Noh Theatre mask top/Flicker.com/Josh
Berglund, Noh Theatre mask bottom/Flicker.com/Aleksandar Bondikov, Japanese Karakuri/Commons.wikimedia.org/PHGCOM, World
Imaging, p. 134 Chimaera left/Commons.wikimedia.org/NOAA’s Undersea Research Program, Chimaera Indonesia/Commons.wikimedia.
org/NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, Whale fall top/Commons.wikimedia.org/NOAA’s Undersea Research Program, Whale fall and
octopuses/Commons.wikimedia.org/National Marine Sanctuaries, p. 135 Mourning dress/Commons.wikimedia.org/Metropolitan Museum
of Art, Buddhist altar/Commons.wikimedia.org/Zarate123, Tibetan Buddhist shrine/Commons.wikimedia.org/Daderot, p. 136 Galaxy/Pexels.
com/Felix Mittermeier, Bone oracle/Commons.wikimedia.org/Gary Lee Todd, Qin Shi Huang/Commons.wikimedia.org/Yuan, Zhongyi,
Ceramic lady/Commons.wikimedia.org/Metropolitan Museum of Art/Gift of Stanley Herzman, Tripod (Ding) bronze/The Cleveland Museum
of Art/John L. Severance Fund, Suzhou star cartography/Commons.wikimedia.org/Wang Zhiyuan and Huang Shang, Qin Terracotta Warrior/
Commons.wikimedia.org/Gary Lee Todd, p. 139 Four rubbings from Xiwangmu-Han murals/Commons.wikimedia.org/Han Dynasty, p. 140
Bronze battle axe/Commons.wikimedia.org/Ismoon, Gui food vessel/Minneapolis Institute of Art/Bequest of Alfred F. Pillsbury, Tripod (Ding)
bronze/The Cleveland Museum of Art/John L. Severance Fund.
 CONTENTS

1 I N T R O D U C T I O N T O D I G I TA L D R A W I N G 1
FRANK CALICÓ

2 I N T R O D U C T I O N T O D I G I TA L C O L O R I N G 17
FEEFAL (LINNEA KIKUCHI)

3 DR AWING MANGA CHAR ACTERS 33

ANDREA COFRANCESCO

4 DR AWING IN PHOTOSHOP 49
ERIK A WISEMAN

5 P A I N T I N G P O R T R A I T S I N P R O C R E AT E 75  
GINEVRA GRIGOLO

6 S C E N E D E S I G N I N P R O C R E AT E 93
SIMONE GRÜNEWALD

7 H O R R O R A N D F A N TA S Y C H A R A C T E R S 131
XIAOFAN ZHANG

8 MEET THE ARTISTS 173

For beginners, students, and masters
THANK YOU
TO OUR SUPPORTERS:
A HUGE thank you to all the incredible Kickstarter backers who have
funded us over the years! This book would not exist if it wasn’t for
you. Thank you so much for your support, input, and patience.

TO ALL THE ARTISTS:

Frank Calicó
Andrea Cofrancesco
Ginevra Grigolo
Simone Grünewald
Linnea Kikuchi
Erika Wiseman
Xiaofan Zhang

Thank you all so much for contributing to this book! It would not
have happened without your support and your help in spreading
the word. It was a pleasure to work with you all.
INTRODUCTION

T
hank you for purchasing 21 Draw’s Mastering Digital Drawing!
This adds another book to our growing library, which includes the
hugely popular Illustrator’s Guidebook series. As with our other books, the
chapters in this volume were created along with a set of video courses. You will
have the option to check out the videos too.

You’ll gain insight into the digital techniques of some of the most popular
illustrators and animators working in the industry today. They will show you
their unique methods for creating awesome images and how to go about
achieving your own artistic goals, no matter if you are a budding artist or a
seasoned pro!

We have worked diligently to condense the artists’ long years of training and
professional experiences into this new volume featuring digital designers.
In Mastering Digital Drawing, you’ll get to compare the artistry and insights
of seven top industry artists from companies like Disney, Marvel, Columbia
Records, Scholastic, and more.

You’ll also learn how they approach concepts from basics of digital software
and hardware, color techniques, fantasy and horror character creation, to scene
design, and loads more.
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

F
eel free to read the book from start to finish in its entirety or just randomly
browse its pages to check out some amazing artwork. Alternatively, you
can look up the specific artistic areas you are interested in exploring in the
contents section. If you’re interested in learning more about a particular artist,
you can skip directly to his/her pages or biography.

A corresponding video course was created along with each book chapter. At
the end of each chapter, you will see that there is a QR Code. To check out the
corresponding video course, open the camera on your phone and scan the
QR Code. This code will take you to our website where you can watch the art
course. Please note that you will have to subscribe to watch the course. If you
already have an active subscription, then you can watch all the courses without
extra cost.

It’s important to note that there was a sincere effort to keep the artists’ own
words and actions as close as possible to what they submitted. This is important
as it allows you to get an understanding of the exact process each artist goes
through when completing an image from start to finish. Some artists use
roughs, proportion lines, and other guides when drawing, and others start
with clean lines and adjust as they go. In most cases, the artists followed the
briefs exactly, but in some instances, they provided additions or minimizations
that were even better than the original briefs. When this occurred, the artist’s
version was chosen over the original brief.

We hope that you enjoy the chapters and videos in this volume, and that they
will help you to reach your artistic goals along the way. So read on and have fun!
 1
INTRODUCTION TO
DIGITAL DR AWING
FR A NK C A L IC Ó
 IN T R OD UC T ION T O DIGI TA L DR AW ING
WITH FRANK CALICÓ

D
o you dream about being
a digital artist but have
very little time?
This chapter is for you!
Here I share how I became a
professional award-winning
artist, without attending art
school, all the while balancing
my new art career and a
demanding full-time job.

I also go over what you

need (and what you don’t)
to begin your artistic
journey—including what
I consider to be the most
efficient and effective
digital drawing tools.

While this is not a character

design tutorial, I do use the
character drawing process
to illustrate how to use digital
tools quickly and efficiently,
integrating these tools into the
creative process, so it’s easier to
understand.

These lessons are not about turning your

drawing process into a cold, sterile, and
mechanical practice. It’s quite the opposite! My
logic is simple: you learn better by doing. When you have
the right tools and techniques, you will draw more often—and faster.
The more you draw, the more you learn, and the more you learn, the
more you will enjoy drawing. By the end of this chapter, I’m confident
you’ll be ready to start your own journey as a digital artist!

2 M A S T E R I N G D I G I TA L D R AW I N G
LESSON 1: GETTING STARTED
TABLETS
Let’s begin with the biggest (and most expensive)
question: Do I need a graphic tablet to start drawing
digital characters? And if so, which one? The short
answer is YES! To create digital art, it is important
to have a tablet. But, you don’t need an expensive
tablet. The following is my advice on tablets:

• Any graphic tablet you can afford will work to start

out in digital drawing. I’ve used an inexpensive
$80 tablet for most of my career. In the last year, I
purchased a tablet for around $300.
• If you already have an iPad that can be a good
option as well, as iPads are convenient and
portable. Their cons can be smaller size, higher
price, and some technical limitations.
• Graphic tablets made for drawing come in two
options: screened or screenless that connects to a
screened device.
• The vast majority of drawing applications are
available for all platforms.
• Tablets with a lot of features and buttons are not
necessary. You won’t use a lot of features to get
started (or even at a professional level).

Basically to begin drawing digitally, use what is

affordable. So please don’t worry about it—get any
device with a pen and start drawing!

TABLET OPTIONS
TYPE PROS CONS

iPad Convenient, portable, may already have one! Small size, higher cost, some technical limits

Can take time to adjust to looking at screen while

More affordable, portable, have similar
Screenless drawing, instead of at your hand—not a big issue
functionality to screened tablets
(I’ve used one of these tablets for many years)

Advantage of drawing directly on screen, Cost is much higher based on screen size (starting
Screened
can have greater comfort and control at $250 to thousands of dollars), not as portable

I N T R O D U C T I O N TO D I G I TA L D R AW I N G 3
 SOFTWARE It is important to understand, while you can
easily change canvas height and width at
Next, let’s review the software I consider
any time, increasing the dpi is not as simple.
best for digital drawing. I’ve used several
After a drawing is in process, increasing the
different programs in my career, and I
dpi will enlarge your image, but to do this
can guarantee after you learn one, you
the software adds pixels. As a result, your
automatically know how to use the others.
drawing can look jagged or blurry at the
They have very similar features and tools.
edges between color changes and in line
Photoshop and Clip Studio Paint Pro are
work. This is called pixelation and can be
two well-known options. For this tutorial,
noticeable on the screen as well as in print.
you can use any software you like—my
suggestion is Clip Studio Paint Pro. They
Therefore, when you create artwork for
have a premium version called Clip Studio
reproduction, be sure to use a dpi setting
Paint EX, but I don’t find the added features
high enough to avoid the need to enlarge
necessary. For my two-dimensional comic
your image. Note that reducing an image is
style, the Pro version works perfectly well
not an issue and can even sharpen line work
and the cost difference is significant ($50
and details.
and $220, respectively). You can download a
trial version to test before purchase.
TOOL SHORTCUTS
HARDWARE Now that you are ready to start drawing, I
Even a basic tablet or computer can run want to share the importance of Shortcuts
drawing software like Clip Studio Paint, for an efficient digital workflow. Shortcuts
especially if your drawing style doesn’t use make drawing easier and faster, which
a lot of layers. I think, however, that it is means you can learn to draw more quickly.
important to have a keyboard at hand for Shortcuts are keys or key combinations
utilizing the software shortcut keys, which that quickly select tools or functions in
we review in detail later in this section. your software. Such as the P key to select
the Pen tool. On the following pages are
lists of tool shortcuts for Clip Studio Paint;
CANVAS SIZE
other drawing programs have shortcuts
Before drawing on a tablet, you will create too. As a digital artist, you will use these
a new canvas in the software. Any preset tools hundreds or even thousands of times.
size can work for practice, but for artwork So, saving time with shortcuts will greatly
you want to consider resolution as well as increase your speed during the digital
the height and width of your canvas. The drawing process.
minimum standard resolution for printing is
300 dpi/ppi (dots per inch/pixels per inch).
Larger canvas sizes increase file size, which EXERCISE 1: Create a new canvas and
takes up more storage space and may slow create some doodles using the Pen
down your processing speed. I typically and the Eraser tools. Try using the
shortcuts instead of icons. Play around
work with a preset size A4 at 600 dpi. This with other tools, but don’t worry if you
is a good resolution that allows flexibility don’t understand how they all work.
when I reproduce artwork.

4 M A S T E R I N G D I G I TA L D R AW I N G
 CLIP STUDIO PAINT SHORTCUTS

TOOL SWITCH FILE MENU

Press and hold down key to switch tools MENU ITEM KEYS
TOOL AFTER SWITCH KEY New Ctrl + N
Zoom / Open Ctrl + O
Move (Hand) H Close Ctrl + W

Move (Rotate) R Save Ctrl + S

Operation (Object) O Shift + Alt + S

Save as Ctrl + Shift + S
Operation (Select layer) D Ctrl + Alt + S

Operation (Light table) L Print Ctrl + P

Operation (Edit timeline) L Preferences (Windows) Ctrl + K

Move layer K Shortcut settings (Windows) Ctrl + Shift + Alt + K

Selection M Modifier key settings

Ctrl + Shift + Alt + Y
(Windows)
Auto select W
Quit (Windows) Ctrl + Q
Eyedropper I

Pen P EDIT MENU

MENU ITEM KEYS
Pencil P
Undo Ctrl + Z
Brush B
Ctrl + Y,
Redo
Airbrush B Ctrl + Shift + Z

Decoration B Cut Ctrl + X, F2

Eraser E Copy Ctrl + C, F3

Paste Ctrl + V, F4
Blend J
Paste into position Ctrl + Shift + V
Fill G
Delete Del, Backspace
Gradient G
Shift + Del,
Delete outside selection
Figure U Shift + Backspace
Alt + Del,
Frame border U Fill
Alt + Backspace
Ruler U Hue/Saturation/Luminosity Ctrl + U
Text T Reverse gradient Ctrl + I

Balloon T Transform [Scale/Rotate] Ctrl + T

Correct line/Remove dust Y Transform [Free Transform] Ctrl + Shift + T

I N T R O D U C T I O N TO D I G I TA L D R AW I N G 5
 CLIP STUDIO PAINT SHORTCUTS

LAYER MENU WINDOW MENU

MENU ITEM KEYS MENU ITEM KEYS

New raster layer Ctrl + Shift + N Next canvas Ctrl + Tab

Canvas
Create folder, insert layer Ctrl + G Previous canvas Ctrl + Shift + Tab

Ungroup layer folder Ctrl + Shift + G Show/hide all palettes Tab

Clip to layer below Ctrl + Alt + G Hide title bar/menu bar Shift + Tab

Merge with layer below Ctrl + E

Merge selected layers Shift + Alt + E BRUSH SIZE PALETTE

OPERATION ITEM KEYS
Merge visible layers Ctrl + Shift + E
Select smaller preset than current [
Change selected layer (above) Alt + ]
Select larger preset than current ]
Change selected layer (below) Alt + [

SELECTION MENU DRAWING COLOR

MENU ITEM KEYS OPERATION ITEM KEYS

Select all Ctrl + A Switch main and sub colors X

Deselect Ctrl + D Switch drawing and transparent colors C

Reselect Ctrl + Shift + D

Invert selected area Ctrl + Shift + I, Shift + F7 TOOL PROPERTY PALETTE

OPERATION ITEM KEYS
VIEW MENU Reduce opacity Ctrl + [
MENU ITEM KEYS Ink
Increase opacity Ctrl + ]
Zoom in Ctrl and +
Reduce density Ctrl + Shift + O
Zoom out Ctrl and - Brush tip
Increase density Ctrl + Shift + P
100% Ctrl + alt + 0
Reduce density Ctrl + Shift + K
Spray
Fit to screen Ctrl + 0 effect Increase density Ctrl + Shift + L
Reset display Ctrl + @
Reference On/off of referring 0
Ruler Ctrl + r

Snap to ruler Ctrl + 1

PRO TIP: View shortcuts by hovering
Snap to special ruler Ctrl + 2
over a tool icon, or you can go to
Snap to grid Ctrl + 3 File > Shortcut Settings, to view,
Change special ruler snap Ctrl + 4 customize, and create shortcuts.

6 M A S T E R I N G D I G I TA L D R AW I N G
LESSON 2: REFERENCES
ORGANIZING REFERENCES TRACING REFERENCES
Using visual references is a first step in Tracing references as a learning exercise
learning how to draw—and an essential is beneficial, however, tracing references
one!   It is important as an artist to have correctly is key to getting the most from
image libraries containing different this practice. Below are two ways to trace a
character types, body poses, clothing, reference. On the left, I’m simply outlining
and accessories. I mainly use three sites the shapes, but at right I use the reference
to search for reference images: Google, to learn about body structure, line of
Instagram, and Pinterest. All three work in a action in the pose, and anatomical forms.
similar way—simply enter your search terms This will help me understand the correct
and go from there. proportions, perspective, and volume, so I
can become better at drawing.
However, what do you do with all the images
you find? I use PureRef software, which
creates an easily accessible screen on
my desktop to gather and save image
libraries. The cost is donation-based, so an
affordable option if you want to give it a
try (PureRef.com). Below is a screen grab of
online references saved in PureRef. For my
character image at center, I took a screen
grab of a video, then saved it to PureRef.

EXERCISE 2:
1. Create a reference library for your
character—you can try PureRef
to organize images. I recommend
drawing a human-like character, but
you can draw a monster, animal, or
alien . . . anything you like!
2. Trace some of your references
using the Pen tool in your drawing
software. If you feel a little lost,
don’t worry—move on to the next
PureRef is a simple software for gathering, lesson and return to this exercise.
organizing, and saving references.

I N T R O D U C T I O N TO D I G I TA L D R AW I N G 7
 LESSON 3: SKETCHING
Sketching can seem a bit boring when
compared to a finished drawing with all the
vibrant colors and lighting effects. Naturally
we want to move as quickly as possible
to the polished drawing stage to see our
completed design. But sketching is actually
the most critical step in the drawing process.
A sketch is the foundation for your drawing.
As with a house, it doesn’t matter how
strong the walls are, or how lovely the paint
looks, if the foundation is bad the house will
fall. Here are examples of my sketches, along
with the finished illustration. Sketches are an
invisible structure working underneath to help
us build a successful character design.

CANVAS AND INTERFACE

Before starting a sketch, we need to create
a canvas. Since I am planning a character
drawing, I start with a vertical canvas, size A4
at 600 dpi. I keep the background white
for now, but the color can be easily
changed later on if I want.

When you start drawing using

digital software, it is common
to feel overwhelmed by all the tool
menus and program windows. Please
know that you will likely only use 20%
of the tools available. So it can be
helpful to focus your desktop view
on the tools you need. The rest
can be collapsed, moved, or closed
to optimize the interface so it works
well for you. Window panels collapse
by clicking arrows, and the sidebars
minimize or expand by moving the lines
at their borders. I suggest adjusting these
windows and menus to see what works
Menus can collapse or move
best as you work on character sketches. in the software interface.

8 M A S T E R I N G D I G I TA L D R AW I N G
BRUSHES
All drawing programs offer a wide variety of
brushes and painting tools. Most are pressure
sensitive, which means the look of the brushstroke
can change depending on pen pressure. There are
spectacular brush options that imitate traditional
mediums beautifully, like watercolor, chalk, and
airbrush. Some people think all you need is the
perfect brush to help you draw better, but this is
not true. All you need to start drawing is a simple
round brush. As an example, I will draw my entire
character using a simple round brush. This will
help me teach basic settings, such as Brush Size,
Opacity, and Color. When I am ready to paint a
drawing, I use the same brush, just a larger size to
fill in more area. There are a couple of options in
brush settings I want to draw your attention to:

• Anti-aliasing: Adjusts the smoothing effect on

the edge of brushstrokes.
• Stabilization: Allows you to draw with more
stable lines; very helpful for drawing digitally.

I suggest experimenting with these settings to

see what works best for your drawing style. The
Eraser settings are similar. I set my eraser using
the same settings as my brush, a hard solid round,
then I change the size as needed. CURRENT
PAINT COLOR

ROUGH SKETCHES
Now we are ready to draw our first character
sketches, focusing on proportions and the line
of action. I like to sketch using a blue or red line
color—this is helpful later in the inking stage so
my black ink lines stand out from the sketch. You
can choose any color you like and easily change
colors by opening Color Settings or by clicking
the current paint color in the toolbar. The Hue
Circle selection tool pops up, and you can move
the Color Picker to select a different color. I like to
sketch using a lower brush opacity setting, 50% or
60%, so I can build lines up as I sketch.

I N T R O D U C T I O N TO D I G I TA L D R AW I N G 9
 During the sketching process, I keep
my references open and refer to them
continuously. This helps me draw a line of
action, perspective, and correct anatomy.
This is a good time to review tools I use
throughout the sketching process. The
first is the undo shortcut: Control + Z
(Command + Z on Mac). It is normal to
use this hundreds of times to remove
and change lines. Next is flipping canvas
view: View Menu > Rotate/Invert > Flip
Horizontal, or the shortcut key F. This
allows you to check for flaws from a new
angle. It is surprising how many errors come
to light using this technique. I often Rotate
my canvas to draw strokes from a more Rough sketches like these should be very quick,
taking five minutes or less for each.
comfortable position. This can be done
using the Move tool or the shortcut key R.

A rough sketch is not detailed and should Reduce

take under five minutes to complete. I think opacity on
it works best to quickly draw two to three first sketch,
rough sketches, then pick your favorite and draw in a new
move on to the next step. layer above

EXERCISE 3:
1. Create a new canvas and trace
three to five references using any
brush you want.
2. Draw at least three rough sketches
of your character, then pick your
favorite to use in the next step.

SECOND SKETCH: For our next sketch,

create a new layer from the layer panel,
or press Control + Shift + N. Anything
drawn in this new layer will not affect the
first sketch layer below—this is helpful as
we make corrections. We can easily turn a
layer on and off using the eye icon in the
layer panel. I like to reduce opacity of the
first sketch as I draw my second sketch in a
different color. This time I focus on volume Second sketch drawn in a new layer above the first.

10 M A S T E R I N G D I G I TA L D R AW I N G
and perspective, being sure to check my references. A
simplified human anatomy model can be useful at this
stage (easy to find online). But don’t worry too much
about getting your anatomy perfect—that takes time
to learn and will improve with practice and study.

EXERCISE 4: Create a second, more detailed

sketch in a layer above your chosen rough sketch.
Focus this time on volume and perspective.

I start my third sketch by working on

CLEANING SKETCH LINES the facial features and expressions.
Once your rough sketch is working, it’s time to clean
up line work and prepare for inking. A powerful tool
for adjusting sketches is Liquify that allows you to
manipulate an image in various ways: push, inflate,
shrink, rotate, but I typically only use push. Liquify
speeds up the process by gradually making line
adjustments so we can avoid the time-consuming
task of erasing and redrawing. I continue to check
my references during this clean-up phase. I think it is
best, especially for beginners, to draw characters in
tight-fitting bodysuits or as nudes. This will allow you
to focus on learning the correct body structures and
anatomy for your character.

THIRD SKETCH: This final sketch is a good time to

introduce another way to draw and edit lines in Clip
Studio Paint by using a new type of layer—a Vector
Layer. I think you’ll like how quickly these lines can be
adjusted. Vectors are easier to edit because they are
made from mathematical line segments. Rasterized
lines are made of many small pixels, so to edit them
each pixel needs to be fully erased and redrawn. Vector
lines can be moved and adjusted quickly and cleanly,
which saves time while drawing, editing, and erasing.

Delete or turn off the first sketch layer, leaving only the EXERCISE 5: Draw a final sketch
second sketch visible. Add a new layer, but this time and clean up the line work by
applying tools you’ve learned.
choose Vector Layer in the Layer panel. Note: Vector
Try Liquify and Vector layers to
layers can be converted to raster layers in order to use see how they can save time at
pixel-based tools (like Liquify), but make a copy of your this clean-up step.
vector layer, since this change is not reversible.

I N T R O D U C T I O N TO D I G I TA L D R AW I N G 11
 LESSON 4: INKING
Inking consists of using a solid color to define the
outer and inner lines of a drawing. There are many
techniques for inking characters. I suggest you start
by analyzing the line work of your favorite artists. You
can practice by tracing designs to determine the brush
sizes needed to create various inking styles. I’ll share
my inking process, then you can adjust to suit your
style preferences.

Here are my inked character and typical brush settings.

My inking style is simple—thin black lines made with
the same round G-pen used for sketching. I prefer to
ink using a Vector Layer for the same reasons as the
final sketch: the lines are easier to adjust, which saves a
lot of time. Here are some tips to use during inking:

• Lower the opacity on the final sketch layer (I use 20%

opacity).
• Create a new Vector Layer above the sketch layer.
• Zoom in, flip, and rotate the canvas to view and draw
at a more comfortable angle. I do this frequently
while drawing.
• You can save time adjusting lines using the Pinch
Vector Line tool and Vector Eraser. I suggest trying
both of these vector tools to see how they can save
you time drawing and inking.
• Use separate layers for different areas of the body
and face. You can group into folders (image below)
or merge layers after finishing the line art.

G-Pen tool
settings
for inking
thin lines

12 M A S T E R I N G D I G I TA L D R AW I N G
AUTO SELECT
The Auto Select tool allows you to make
quick, clean lines within enclosed selection
areas. This can work inside already drawn
areas where you want to add lines without
drawing over other lines (image at right). Or
you can use this tool to select the negative
space (outer area of the canvas), so you
can draw around your character without
drawing over already completed line work.

ADJUST LINE WIDTH

Another reason to use vector layers for
inking is the Adjust Line Width tool,
located in the Correct Line menu. This
tool works like a brush—as you ”paint”
over lines, they grow thicker. You can
quickly add variation to line width; this
is useful to emphasize certain areas and
add visual impact.

EXERCISE 6:
1. Analyze inking styles by studying
references, and trace a few to get
a feel for the brush (size, shape,
opacity) needed for similar results.
2. Ink the line art for your character by
applying the tools and techniques
covered in this lesson.
3. Try Adjust Line Width to add interest
and variation to your line work.

I N T R O D U C T I O N TO D I G I TA L D R AW I N G 13
 LESSON 5: COLORING
Adding color to our characters is much faster
because of all the vector line work completed in
previous lessons. We have a few time-saving tools
to use during coloring. The Fill tool (paint bucket)
is perfect for adding flat color quickly. You can
click and drag the Fill tool to keep painting inside
multiple areas with closed lines (top image). It is
important to use the Area Scaling Setting so the
color will run slightly beyond the black line edges.
This way you won’t have white areas where the
painted colors meet black ink lines.

The Auto Select tool is a big help for making

quick color changes without repainting. If you
want to change a specific color, use Auto Select
and uncheck Apply to Connected Pixels. Now
you can select all areas of the same color and
change them at once (middle image).

SHADING
I add shadows using tools you’ve already learned,
along with a few helpful settings. First, I add a
new layer above my color layer. I use Clip to Layer
Below, which keeps any shadow layer painting
inside the areas already painted on my layer below.
This basically helps so I do not color outside the
lines. I also set the shadow layer Blending Mode to
Multiply, efficiently blending shadows over other
colors in my drawing. I typically lower the shadow
layer opacity to 30% to 40%. An easy way to adjust
the shadow color is by using Hue/Saturation/
Luminosity menu, Control + U.

FINISHED CHARACTER
You can see the full process step by step on the
following page, and at the end of the chapter
is my finished drawing. I hope you enjoyed this
introduction to digital drawing techniques, and Top: Fill tool can quickly paint multiple areas.
that you use these skills to draw more, so you can Center: Auto Select is helpful for changing colors.
learn more, and have more fun drawing! Bottom: Multiply used on a separate shadow layer.

14 M A S T E R I N G D I G I TA L D R AW I N G
 DIGITAL DRAWING STEP BY STEP

I N T R O D U C T I O N TO D I G I TA L D R AW I N G 15
 LEARN MORE
ONLINE AT
21-DRAW.COM
Learn and be inspired from
Frank Calicó and other amazing
artists in our online art courses.
VISIT WWW.21-DRAW.COM
TO LEARN MORE!
 2
INTRODUCTION TO
DIGITAL COLORING
FEEFA L
 IN T R OD UC T ION T O DIGI TA L C OL OR ING
WITH FEEFAL (LINNEA KIKUCHI)

W
ant to draw
digitally but
find yourself
intimidated by the over­
whelming options? It can
be difficult to navigate the
endless sea of choices in
devices, software, brushes,
and settings. Especially
when, as a beginner, even
the process of sketching
on a screen feels awkward,
leaving you longing for the
texture of paper.

That is why for this chapter

we start traditionally,
using a paper and pencil
sketch. This provides us
a base drawing to work
from, which can be less
intimidating than starting
on a blank screen. I think
the resulting artwork looks
cool too—a blend of digital
and traditional in one
illustration.

I have a background in both digital and it finally clicked. I found success by using
traditional mediums. These days I’m best the techniques I’m about to explain to you.
known for my digital art, but I spent most I’ll show you how to apply digital coloring
of my career avoiding it like the plague! techniques to hand-drawn sketches without
I thought it was too difficult and felt compromising your original line work. So, if
overwhelmed by the countless options you’ve ever wished to embark on a digital
in brushes and software features. I made art journey—I’m here to share tips and
several attempts over the years to learn tricks that helped me find success in this
digital drawing, and failed each time until expansive medium.

18 M A S T E R I N G D I G I TA L D R AW I N G
LESSON 1: FINDING INSPIRATION
Let’s start off by brainstorming what to
draw. Inspiration can be difficult to come by
at times, which is why I often start drawing
sessions by browsing Pinterest until
something strikes me as cool and exciting.

Your idea doesn’t need to be completely

original—so don’t put too much pressure
on yourself! Instead, focus on putting
your own unique spin on a concept. I
used to get stuck for days (or even weeks)
trying to think of the “perfect” idea . . .
something deep, thought provoking,
and beautiful. After I finally got an
idea, I’d be too intimidated to draw it
on paper. I simply didn’t feel skilled
enough to execute my concept. When
I finally did manage to draw an idea,
I’d often be disappointed because it
didn’t look as good on paper as it had
in my mind.

This is a common problem for artists—the

feeling that things never quite turn out
as well as they look in our mind’s eye. We
strive to improve in order to lessen the gap
between our vision and the execution.
Don’t let this hold you back from drawing!

Once I accepted this fact, I became more

comfortable with drawing out my ideas,
even when they ended up looking “bad”
compared to my vision. I soon discovered
this helped me become more efficient
at generating concepts—new ideas
were starting to surface more easily and
frequently. Like every aspect of making art, EXERCISE 1: Brainstorm concepts for your
creativity is a learned skill that comes from drawing but don’t stress about the “perfect”
idea. Have fun and let your creativity flow. If
practice. I like to say: ideas are cheap and
you feel stuck, sketch what you already feel
meant to be spent. The more you practice comfortable drawing and try adding a new
and draw your ideas, the easier they will element, border, or trait inspired by nature.
come to you!

I N T R O D U C T I O N TO D I G I TA L C O LO R I N G 19
 LESSON 2: SKETCHING
For sketching, I prefer a paper
with a smooth surface, because
it allows me to draw finer details.
Rough paper can provide good
structure and texture to drawings,
but it also retains more graphite
from the pencil which can make
rendering a bit tedious.

This example is drawn on a

Moleskine sketchbook, (5 x 8.25
inches), using two mechanical
pencil sizes (0.5mm and 0.3mm). I
use 0.5mm for sketching because
I like a fine line. To draw in even
higher detail, such as the eyes or
strands of hair, I use the 0.3mm.

I always have a kneadable eraser

close at hand—a really fantastic
tool! You can blot it on areas of a
drawing to lighten marks by only
partially picking up the graphite.
After I’ve finished a rough sketch,
I often use a kneadable eraser
to blot the entire drawing. Then
I revise the sketch using firmer,
more decisive line work. These new
darker lines will be visible once the
piece has been finished, so I strive
to keep it as neat as possible.

Another eraser I like to use is a nifty

pen style—it’s retractable and has
a fine tip, so it’s handy when you
need to erase out fine details.

EXERCISE 2: Create a paper

and pencil sketch of your
concept using your favorite SKETCHING TOOLS: Moleskine sketchbook and white graphite
traditional drawing tools. eraser, kneadable eraser, and fine tip retractable eraser,
and mechanical pencils (0.5mm and 0.3mm).

20 M A S T E R I N G D I G I TA L D R AW I N G
LESSON 3: DIGITIZING A SKETCH
Now It’s time to photograph our
sketch and prepare it for a digital
transformation. This is optional, but
I like to add some pizzazz to the
background. I think it adds another
layer of cuteness to my designs. I’ll
forage for leaves or flowers to place
around my sketch, or maybe a few
crystals if I don’t feel like going
outside. Placing a sheet of pretty,
aesthetically pleasing paper behind
the drawing can be a nice touch too.

I often photograph sketches with

my iPad—it’s convenient to take
the photo directly on the device I’m
using to paint on. It’s also easy to
take a photo with your phone, then
transfer it into Procreate. Photos of
a sketch are typically darker than
the original and need adjustment.
Colors can be too warm or cool
depending on the lighting where
they were taken.

I edit directly in Procreate or use a

free app like MOLDIV or Snapseed.
For this example, I first adjust White
Balance to cool down the image
and neutralize warmer tones. My
sketch is grayscale, so I don’t want Before
the photo to be colorful. Yellow in editing
the sketch will show and affect my
color work. I decrease Saturation
and increase Contrast to make the
lines stand out well since we want
them to show in the final piece.
A fter
editing
EXERCISE 3: Take a photo of your
sketch and, if needed, prepare it
for color by using editing tools.

I N T R O D U C T I O N TO D I G I TA L C O LO R I N G 21
 LESSON 4: ADDING COLOR
Now for the fun part—painting digitally! We want our sketch to
remain visible throughout the coloring process. To do this, open
the Layers panel in Procreate, select the sketch layer. You’ll see a
small letter N next to the checkmark, tap on it and a list of Blend
Modes will expand. Scroll up to select Multiply and the letter
changes to M indicating the Blend Mode is set to Multiply (see
below). Your sketch will now remain visible as you paint on layers
beneath it. You’ll also see an Opacity slider, and leave this set at Color layer set to Normal
Max (100%). Now we can add layers below the sketch layer for
each area we want to color, such as skin, hair, etc.

When it comes to creating a color palette, I like to play with

different colors to see what works best with the design. I prefer to
use one main color, such as blue, then add an accent color, like red
for details. Sticking to a limited number of colors helps avoid the
final illustration looking cluttered. I find a limitation also helps me
discover ways to add depth and variation to my colors. Color layer set to Multiply

Multiply setting in Procreate projects a layer over the layers beneath it,
allowing my sketch to be visible throughout the painting process.

22 M A S T E R I N G D I G I TA L D R AW I N G
 My painting above uses a limited palette, Above shows a palette generated using one of my
variations of blue with a pop of gold. illustrations in the Procreate Palettes menu.

If you’re struggling to create a color

palette, Procreate has a neat feature
to help. Select Color in the navigation
menu and the Palettes window will
pop up. Click on the + icon to open a list
of options for generating new palettes.
To generate using an image, the choices
include: New from photos or file, and
camera to take a new photo. Now you
can sample color from any illustration
or photograph you like—Procreate will
create the color palette for you!

For painting my base colors, I use a basic

Studio Pen Brush located in Procreate
under the Brush Library > Inking
menu. I draw a line around all the areas
of skin, then use the Color Fill tool to
automatically fill color inside my outline.
Before using Color Fill, be sure the
outline is completely closed, because if
you don’t, it will fill the entire layer!

EXERCISE 4: Create a color palette

for your design, then start painting
in base color. Set blending mode
on your color layers to Multiply and
place them above the sketch.
Base colors applied using a Studio Pen Brush and Color Fill.

I N T R O D U C T I O N TO D I G I TA L C O LO R I N G 23
 LESSON 5: ADDING DIMENSION
Once the base colors are blocked in, I’m Since my accent color is red, I want to add
ready to add shadows and dimensional in pops of red to the shadows and line work
line work. Before painting, I add a Clipping as well to give the illustration more color
Mask layer above the base colors. This variation and add interest.
keeps my new paint strokes within the
boundary of the base color. I set this
new layer to Multiply, which helps the PRO TIP: To easily paint inside the
shading automatically blend well with the shape of your base colors, clip a
established base colors. I add shadows to new layer to the base color layer,
the left side of the face, around her neck, creating a mask for your shadows.
and on her nose (see next page).

Sketch

Red color

Hair lines

Shadows

Skin color

Hair color

The Clipping Mask keeps paint strokes within the shape of the clipped layer below.
This is a great way to add detail while coloring within the lines!

24 M A S T E R I N G D I G I TA L D R AW I N G
 I add pops of my
ac c ent c olor red to
add c olor variation
and interest.

25
 BRUSHES
Now is a great time to introduce you to
my favorite brushes. I’ll start with the Dry
Ink brush, located in the Procreate Brush
Library window under Inking. I use this
brush for practically everything. It has a
rough texture, a nice line weight, and works
equally well for line work or coloring—so
it’s versatile too. I also use the Shale brush a
lot, which you can find under Calligraphy.
This brush offers smooth lines and texture.
The 6B Pencil brush is also a favorite and is
located in Sketching.

All of the brushes used in these lessons

are default brushes that come with the
Procreate program download. When
it comes to brushes, I think it’s best to
keep things simple. It can easily become Let’s recap—so far we added base colors
overwhelming when you’re faced with and simple shadows, so now it’s time to
endless brush options, finding it difficult spice things up a bit with enhancements. I
to know which to choose. When you find like to mark the edge of shadow areas using
a brush you’re comfortable using, it’s darker lines. These harsh lines are called
completely fine to use the same brush for “terminator lines” and act as a transition
line work as well as shadow and coloring. zone between light and shadow. The
darker area of shadow begins directly after
Once you’ve found a brush you like drawing the terminator line ends. This technique
with, try altering the Stabilization setting. is commonly taught in figure drawing
Click on the brush name to open the Brush because the lines are useful for conveying
Studio window. Stabilization is key for form. Adding a darker band to a highlight
drawing line art, because it removes that edge separates the lighting more clearly to
jittery look that can otherwise plague you. I give a better sense of shape and volume. I
typically stick with the 30% setting. find it aesthetically pleasing too!

If you want to get creative, try adding a

terminator line in a contrasting color. I
marked the edges in the image above with
pink. Since an ambient pink light is already
present, it still looks pretty natural.

EXERCISE 5: Add dimension using

the shadow and line work techniques
covered in this lesson. Try out new
brushes to find your own favorites.
STABILIZATION 0% STABILIZATION 30%

26 M A S T E R I N G D I G I TA L D R AW I N G
 DRY INK

SHALE BRUSH

6B PENCIL

G re at fo r
b le nd in g
Soft Noise from
Brush Pack Pro II,
by Ilya Tuljakov

Hair and Fur from

Brush Pack Pro II,
by Ilya Tuljakov

I like brush es with

texture, so m ost of my
favorites h ave a sketc h-
like qu ality to th em.

I N T R O D U C T I O N TO D I G I TA L C O LO R I N G 27
 LESSON 6: FINAL DETAILS
We’ve arrived at our final lesson!   This is my I use the Dry Ink brush to paint highlights on
favorite step on any drawing, because this the tip and bridge of the nose, apples on the
is when we truly get to see all our hard work cheeks, inner corners of the eyes, and the top
come to life. It always amazes me what a of the cupid’s bow above the lips. Basically,
touch of highlights, a few thicker lines, and paint highlights on any areas of the face that
accent colors can do for a piece of art.
protrude or shine due to moisture. If you feel
First, I work on the highlights by placing a unsure of where to place your highlights—
new layer at the very top, above the sketch it’s hair, nose, cheek, and a bit on the lips!
layer. I don’t want the highlight colors You really can’t go wrong following that,
muddied by the sketch lines. and it adds a nice liveliness to any portrait!

Highlights

Sketch

Colors

Background color

Add the highlight layer at the top so the color isn’t affected by the other layers.

28 M A S T E R I N G D I G I TA L D R AW I N G
HAIR TUTORIAL
STRAIGHT OR WAVY HAIR
When I draw hair, I keep one main thing in
mind—to have the thickness of lines vary
throughout the entire head of hair. This will
help keep the hair dynamic and interesting.

I also like to draw hair starting from one

side of a strand, then following a
path across the strand to the other
side (top right). I continue drawing
lines that move from one side of the
strand to the other and they end in
a nice spiral together. This makes
the hair appear more flowing and
gives the hair strands better variation
and thickness compared to drawing
strands next to one another.

If you draw all strands of hair falling

straight down, the end result looks
flat. You’ll get a more natural and
voluminous looking result if you
draw strands falling in different
directions—some framing the face
and others curling away.

COILY HAIR
When it comes to drawing coily hair,
I like to divide it into larger shapes.
Then I layer locks of hair drawn in a drill
shape onto each other. I have a base
layer of dark curls that’s set at the very back,
and I add lighter colored drill curls on top of
the base layer. Then I add some highlights
and shadows to the front curls to make
them pop!

I N T R O D U C T I O N TO D I G I TA L C O LO R I N G 29
 If I want to spice up my colors a bit, I play Another treatment I often use as a final
around with Gradient Map found under the touch is a Vignette. Create a new layer and
Adjustments menu (see above). This will fill it with a light color, then set the layer
recolor your layer, and you can adjust the to Multiply. Next, you erase everything in
intensity based on how much you want the the middle using a soft airbrush, leaving
colors affected. the edges of the illustration slightly darker.
This increases the depth in your piece, and
Sometimes I want to accentuate highlights pulls a viewer’s eye to the center. It also is a
further and add a glow effect. To do this, useful tool when you find the edges of your
I go into Adjustments and use the Bloom drawing are competing for attention with
function. This setting blurs the edges of the rest of the illustration.
your colors, giving them a nice glow.
And that brings us to the end of our
When I want to add texture to a layer, I tutorial! I hope you gained some good
create a Clipping Mask layer, fill in with a techniques and tips, so by the end you feel
lighter color, then set Blend Mode on the much less intimidated by all these digital
clipped layer to Multiply, and then try out tools. Maybe some of these techniques now
the Noise setting that’s under Adjustments. feel similar enough to traditional tools, so
This results in a grainy finish that you can that you feel digital isn’t all that different
easily adjust to your preferences. from drawing with a pen and paper!

If you want to introduce texture and further

imitate the look of traditional art, you can
EXERCISE 6: Finish your drawing with
upload a photo of textured paper to use as highlights, adding any textures and
a top layer and set it to Multiply. This adds special treatments to see if they can
a paper texture to the entire piece bringing bring another level to your design.
the design together and working as a noise
Remember to sign, save, and share
effect. Remember to play with the opacity your new artwork!
of this texture layer to see what works best.

30 M A S T E R I N G D I G I TA L D R AW I N G
LEARN MORE ONLINE: 21-DRAW.COM
Learn and be inspired from FEEFAL and all the other amazing artists in
our online art courses. VISIT WWW.21-DRAW.COM TO LEARN MORE!
 END OF SAMPLE

Make sure to check out our books on books.21-draw.com

Did you know we also have online courses? See here www.21-draw.com