I’m actually a 3D animator by profession!…not that you could tell from the work I’ve been posting.
I also really, really like NieR, and intend to write about it someday.
I don’t think I’ve ever done one of these before, but this might be handy for those wondering how I work.
1. I prefer to sketch on paper. It allows me to press as hard as I want (I leave indents several pages deep) and work in layers of colored pencil until I get to black graphite. When I scan, I usually go 600 dpi to blow up the image to a decent size at 300 dpi (I work small), though in this case I really should have gone to 1200—it’s still too tiny. I bring the scan into Photoshop, filter out the colors with the “Black and White” command, then fuss with the levels until I’ve got something workable.
2. I color the sketch, and lighten it. I’m about to ink over it, so I need to make sure it stands out from the black ink.
3. Inking! As you can see, I’ve tweaked a few things and added details here and there. If I see something I can adjust at this phase, I do (like her right forefinger), but I can’t make sweeping revisions.
4. Shadows. This is the most fun for me because it’s an interesting mental exercise. Where is the light hitting the figure? I really have to commit to a 3D definition of each aspect—a circle only becomes sphere with proper shading, after all.
5. I hide the shadow layer, then lay in the base colors. Thankfully, I have retained my mastery of coloring-inside-the-lines from pre-school.
6. Using some “multiply” magic, I apply the shadow layer to the color layer.
7. I add in some rudimentary specular highlights, and a “floor” to ground the figure.
8. Blending time! This is trial-and-error every time I paint something, but if I had to explain it, I would say it’s a combination of mid-opacity brushes, the smudge tool, the sponge, and little bits of burn and dodge. This takes a long time and involves lots of swearing and frustration. I still have a long way to go.
…and that’s it. It’s a little late, so I hope that was coherent.
I tend to take too long on paintings, and burn out midway through. For the first third, I feel fantastic and love the work I’m doing. For the second third, I lose all sense of direction and hate it. For the final third, I come around to the piece, realizing that I don’t hate it nearly as much, and wrap it up.
I have a whole story for this character that I might put to paper some day, but for now I’ll leave it to your imagination.
For Varland Gear.
