My Process

My artwork lives in a space of analog and digital techniques. Before moving to creating the final artwork, I thumbnail, sketch, tone, and color digitally to create a "map" for my illustration.

Sketch

I use hot-press paper for executing the final artwork. To guide my paint strokes, I sketch with watercolor pencils underneath the painting as I enjoy how the colors of the pencil and paint mix.

Painting and Layering

Now it is time for color! I work with a lot of mixed mediums. I begin with watercolor/ink, figuring out the warms and cools as I go. I make sure to use a variety of brushes, both large and small. Next, I add some watercolor gouache to block in more shapes and details. Lastly, I use a bit of acrylic gouache to flatten some shapes

Details

With the forms painted, I add some details using color pencils. I especially enjoy using a rainbow color pencil for the random variations of color. I keep the linework fairly limited, usually accenting inner shapes.

Digital Touchup

Ta-dah! The last step is scanning my image at a high DPI, or high res photograph, and implementing any last details using Procreate. I make sure to use a texture heavy brush to mimic analog mark making for the final edits.