First, the sketch: When I start off I sometimes find myself intimidated by the sheer blankness of the paper in front of me. To dispel my anxiety, I drew a small frame, followed by the miserable bird-person and his immediate surroundings. Then I confronted my arch nemesis, Perspective, with a series of frantic lines.
This is what I like to refer to as the "I don't know what's going on!" stage of the drawing. Around this time I realize that I've forgotten what something looks like, or my brain and hands are suddenly not on speaking terms. Backgrounds aren't exactly my strong suit, but I managed to sketch out what vaguely resembles the interior of a restaurant, apparently named "Eats."
Here I've taken a few cautious steps into adding shadows to the picture. Most of the construction lines have been removed for this stage.
After the shadows I tackled the large areas of color in a series of light layers. Then, after gently erasing some of the darker pencil lines, I used a thinner brush to more clearly define the outlines and details such as the pattern on the tables.In retrospect, I could have done with more planning - the composition is too centered, and the figure in the background is stiff and lifeless. Why is she staring across the table if there's no one else there? Did the waitstaff neglect to bring her a menu?
For a long time I was reluctant to take up watercolor painting. It took time to build up the patience to use them after becoming so used to the shortcuts offered by painting programs. How do you approach a medium you're new to? Do you find you prefer working on digital or real media art?
Great tutorial! I love how you explain your thought process here. The hardest part of drawing for me is coming up with ideas to overcome the blankness of the paper as well, but I get myself to start drawing by making small thumbnails (since a 1-inch square is less intimidating than a full page). I think I will try out your method--drawing the frames first--to see how it I like it. Thanks for sharing! =)
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