Hi there
I hope you can enjoy the last days of summer. I certainly try to but I'm also preoccupied with other stuff as usual.
The struggle is real: Coloring my comic
In August I hit a wall. Not a physical one but a mental wall that I hadn’t expected. I knew that coloring my comic would be a challenge and that color, light and shadow are some of my weaknesses but I was confident that I would make it up as I go.
I probably have high expectations for the colors of my comic: I want to improve my use of color compared to my previous work. So far, my approach to color has usually been rather minimalistic; probably due to lack of time and skill (not saying that minimalism can't be a good thing, but that's not what I want for this project). With the colors, I would like to compensate for the previous weaknesses in the composition and execution of the project.
When I started planning the color, I struggled with insecurity and procrastination because I didn’t feel confident in my abilities. Eventually, I decided to give myself more time and learn more about color, light and shadow first.
If you are curious about my tools: I work in Affinity Photo (a program similar to Photoshop) with my Wacom Cintiq (a drawing tablet that is also a screen).
Studying color, light and shadow
A few weeks ago I bought an amazing book on the subject called "Color and Light" by James Gurney. It's actually written for realist painters, but it offers universal knowledge for all kinds of artists. This book in combination with other resources helps me a great deal. I’m trying to learn by painting color studies from reference photos. At the same time, I’m trying to get more accustomed to digital painting.
Here are the color studies I have painted so far:
The roughness of these studies is intentional, as the goal is not to paint in detail and with 100% accuracy, but to learn how to pick color and about the range of colors that occur in the same image/scenery (which is absolutely fascinating).
Study vs. application
I think in the digital age we life in, it's easier than ever to find information on subjects like drawing or illustration, but it's also getting harder to determine what information is useful in your particular situation and when you should actually seek out information instead of trying things out yourself. Personally, I try to limit the amount of new information I expose my brain to because I get overwhelmed very quickly.
I'm starting to suspect that I should apply everything I've learned so far directly to the realization of my projects instead of being overly concerned with theory and studies. As soon as I hit another mental wall (like I did when coloring my comic) I will become aware of the topics I need to brush up on.
Figure drawing class
I couldn’t resist signing up for a life figure drawing class in Bern. I hope to improve my anatomy and figure drawing skills and translate them to drawing comics. Additionally, I want to focus on light and shadow on the human form.
I have to admit that I traveled to Bern with mixed feelings on the first evening. But in the end I had a lot of fun. The atmosphere and the people are very nice.
See you in a month!
Take care,
Ilona