Wouldn't it be fun to figure out how a mythical creature like the Hydra would stand on just two legs?
My creative process always starts by writing down keywords for the character. This also helps me to ask questions about them. Are they good or bad? Who or what are they? What do they do? Simple answers to these kinds of questions help me on the pathway of creation.
For this Hydra, I wanted to create an evil entity that is unique to a fantasy world; a creature that is worshipped by the weaker ones, and a demanding being that likes to be treated like a god, or an evil ruler.
Next I start analysing real animals. Their shapes, movements and skin textures inspire me a lot! It's also important to practise your human and animal anatomies and gestures to help make your creatures and characters look believable.
After that, I'll progress through the thumbnail process, which consists of doing small, simple sketches to test all the ideas I have in mind. I think it's important to test the possibilities before rushing to finalise the first idea that comes into my head. I never know what unexpected and pleasant surprises can appear when I mix my studies and research.
You can use any software or tool you like to follow this tutorial, but I personally used Photoshop.
1 Inspiration in nature
Before creating any character, I start studying animal or human gestures and body shapes. It helps me to understand their anatomy, how they move and so on. I aim to feel the movement lines (the red lines seen here) around their body when I'm doing the gesture sketches. I do these quickly and simply, I'm not worried about the details. I use just two layers: one for the lines and the other a flat colour.
2 Analyse the animal
This story is from the July 2023 edition of ImagineFX.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 2023 edition of ImagineFX.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A Tribute To Akira Toriyama
Remembering a legend Artists from across the world pay homage to the influential manga artist and genius creator of Dragon Ball
First Impressions
The illustrator reveals his journey through the world of art
DEVELOP 3D SKILLS FOR CONCEPT ART
Gaëlle Seguillon creates a breathtaking fantasy environment by combining a selection of techniques within her workflow
DRAW FUTURISTIC VEHICLE DESIGNS
John A. Frye uses just a single brush to transform his messy thumbnail into a bold and colourful hard-surface creation
PART 5: SIMPLIFY THE VALUE SCALE
Charlie Pickard introduces his top advice for achieving strong values in your artwork to create clear and powerful imagery
Charles Ratteray
Page-turner Library meets laboratory in the artist's studio, packed with inspiration and a mix of media
How to tell a story in an image
Narrative masters Tanya Combrinck talks to four artists about using visual elements to imbue their work with personal and universal human stories
ILLUSTRATE A MAGICAL CHARACTER
For this illustration, I was asked to create a fun, bright image with the theme of making artwork magical by the developers behind the digital drawing app Clip Studio Paint.
First Impressions - Glenn Arthur
Influences from Disneyland shape the artist’s work
THE ART OF BRIAN SUM
Dominic Carter talks to the mech master about honing his cyberpunk visions, character designs, and his new artbook