When tackling a picture like this, it’s best to approach it with caution. You’ll want a nice, broad brush for this one. Make sure to really capture those expressions, they hold the key to total thematic unification, at least visually. If you’re struggling to come up with faces then invite your friends over and watch them smile.
If you’re drawing meat produce, you’ll want to get a grip of those fleshy pinks. You may have to smile at yourself in the mirror a few times before you can really capture that expression. Once you get it, it’ll feel like a ray of sunshine has entered your mind. I included type in this piece but you don’t have to.
For a night-time scene like this, I find it most useful to close my eyes whilst ‘painting’. If it helps, blindfold yourself and instead of seeing the image, feel it. Hidden talent will channel through your fingers and only overwhelming bliss can await you upon opening your eyes. Trust me on this.
The image below is of a good friend of mine, Clark Bint. Here I was going for a more realist approach. If you’re going to try something like this, it’s best to spend a few days in ‘real life’ before hand, and soak up some of those pure life waves. When you finally sit down to work on the image it will come out of you in an almost heavenly wave. Tastes good doesn’t it?
The above image shows a kind of romance only possible through certain ‘technical achievments’. Notice the subtle tones in the hair juxtaposed with the basic symbols of ‘heart’ and ‘star’.
For a picture of this ilk you really have to let go of your inhibitions. Select the scrawniest brush that you have and just go crazy. Imagine you’re painting your mother’s own face and that you hate her.
The style can also be applied to children’s picture books, as highlighted here on the right. Use type to your advantage, and make it work in harmony with the character. You want to imagine your character riding on that type into the sunset. Does that seem natural, is that something my protagonist would do? Ask yourselves these questions as you stare into your screen, burning open the centres of your eyeballs, heavily imparing your vision.
Below is an example of how colour can be used subtly to suggest mood and atmosphere. Here the colours work in synthesis to create an eerie, horror type of atmosphere that conjurs up memories of haunted houses. With the correct incantations in place, you too could achieve this effect.
Here I used the square brushes to colour behind hand-drawn linework. You have to really have mastered the technique to reach this level and I don’t expect anyone reading this to be at that stage yet, so stop looking so eager.
Always allow your subjects to interact with each other. Here I have broken up the space of communication with a harsh, diagonal line movement. Make sure your own characters stand out against the background by using subtle, washed out colours.
Action is an important component of any picture. In this example I have used explosions to really bring out that sense of action. You really ‘believe’ that the car is exploding in this image, and I think the various brush strokes help create that illusion.