Pumpkins - Process

1. In Manga Studio, I start with a very rough thumbnail sketch with big fat pencils. The fat pencils force me to keep the sketch loose without getting too caught up in the details. This sketch was based on a suggestion during a sketch livestream.

2. Final sketch. Now I go back and do a more detailed sketch, working out the the body, clothing, and props. This is the longest step in the process because it is when I research the outfits, try out different expressions. This is also when I fix the proportions, make sure the legs are the same length, and so on. I used a perspective ruler for the background.

3. Inking. I use a variable-width inking brush for the characters and a constant-width brush for hard things on vector layers. I use lots of different layers for different parts, which makes it easier to overdraw and erase as needed.

4. In Photoshop, I convert the imported lines to a folder with a mask and put a solid black layer in the folder. (CTRL-click RGB in the Channels tab, invert the selection, create a mask from the selection.) This will come in handy later when I color the linework. Then I create another folder and start creating the basic color blocking. I like to do all my color blocking by making a folder and then filling it with different solid color layers for each section of color, whch makes it easy to change a color later. This is a very fussy way to do it and it's probably much simpler to just fill a single raster layer with flat colors.

5. Form shading. I create a medium blue solid color layer (linear burn) and start painting in the basic form shading with a soft airbrush.

6. Cast shadows. I make a new dark blue layer set to multiply and start painting in the cast shadows with soft brush, using a smaller brush in places where the object casting the shadow is closer to the thing the shadow is on.

7. Shine. I started by adding a blue layer for backlight and a white light for the forelight, both set to screen. When I combine it with the form shading, backlighting really makes the characters pop. I used both a soft brush (for the shiniest parts like the lips) and a soft airbrush (for everything else). I don't use any backlight on non-reflective objects. When it's done right, it should look like real lighting from a different angle. I used a solid white layer at for the brightest shine. Then on the shiniest latexy parts, I added a second blue shine from the direction of the backlight. After painting all the shine, I use the cast shadow layer to make a selection and delete the shine from anywhere covered by shadow.

8. Colored linework. Going back to the linework folder, I started adding new solid color layers, using the mask to paint the color of the linework. Since the new layers are inside a folder with a mask defining the linework, I don't have to be very precise when coloring the lines. I always add new color layers below the ones I already did so that I can be sloppy in the areas that are already covered by colored linework.

9. I added a grey gradient to the colors of the backdrop to act as a spotlight focus on the character and de-emphasize the background.

10. For the drool, I used a white layer with the fill turned down just a little and add a layer effect with white inner glow set to 100%. Then I use the mask to soften where is touches the skin. After, I add a new white layer to paint in the shiny highlights.