Night Process Insights - Painting Glamorous Characters

Hey everyone!

In this particular process, I found myself wondering how the moon would look if it were represented as a character. For some reason, I imagined a very glamorous woman, wearing a shiny, tight dress, not just any dress, but one from the 1920s, reflecting a very specific aesthetic. Immediately, a series of images popped into my head from gangster movies and films like The Great Gatsby, where the display of fancy outfits at parties was prominent.

While searching for a reference for the moon, I thought, instead of one character, why not create two? The moon doesn’t always look the same. I considered choosing a particular phase, like the "Waxing Crescent," where a small sliver of the moon becomes visible. This inspired me to create one character in white (representing the bright side of the moon) and another in black (the dark side). This duality allowed me to explore a male character with a darker tone, though I eventually changed this for something more friendly and romantic.

I spent quite some time exploring different gestures, aiming to make the moon feel elegant and sophisticated while her companion acted as a gentleman. I experimented with various layers in different blending modes like "light," aiming to convey a sense of nostalgia with blurry lights. You’ll see this better in the process video.

The decision to call this piece "Night" came at the end. Initially, I was focused on recreating the moon, but I thought the coat would be a great way to symbolize clouds. That’s why you’ll notice some white dots around, mostly to evoke the look of a night sky.

Process Video: https://youtu.be/HLW6eMCbofE

I had fun working on this piece! I hope you enjoy it. Don’t forget to check out the PSD file. Thank you so much for your support!