How To Create A Fantasy Character Concept Using Photoshop Painting Techniques – Poulain Fanny is a digital illustrator from Paris. He loves creating realistic worlds and characters, and in this article he shares some great insight into how to add realism to your own artwork.
I would describe my inspiration process as a melting pot between my own universe that I have created over the last 13 years and the things I love like video games, movies, books and artists. Sometimes I have a clear idea of what I want to draw, but most of the time I just let my imagination run wild.
How To Create A Fantasy Character Concept Using Photoshop Painting Techniques
For this figure I wanted to create something inspired by the Victorian era that I’ve always admired, but add a touch of modernity with big, strange shapes.
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First, I started drawing some interesting shapes in my sketchbook or on my tablet without focusing on the end result. These sketches can be in color, but most of the time I just use grayscale or my pencil. At this point I don’t use any references to ensure it is original. I just want something recognizable that fits my artistic direction. I did several iterations to find the right one.
Then I started looking for references to make it more coherent and consistent. I like to use images from haute couture, there are always interesting shapes and materials that I can use in many different universes.
It’s my usual process, but as far as the twist goes, I didn’t do any iterations this time, I just went with my gut feeling for my references. I created a single random drawing in my sketchbook and used it as a starting point for my concept.
This time I used an image for the atmosphere, it is an Egyptian temple. At this point I’m trying to create a large shape to get an idea of what I’m going to do.
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That’s my expectation, but the reality is completely different… (When I’m naked with myself, my work requires many different turns)
I want to use this plot twist to remind you that it’s important to remember that you can’t be successful right away, but sometimes it takes many tries to get it right.
With that said, I cried, got my shit together and started again in black and white this time! This makes my readings and lighting more accurate.
Then I go deeper into my pictures, try out different lighting and work not just on the shapes, but more specifically on their function, the overall design. That’s a very important part because you’re basically giving life to your character.
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I really want to make sure that every object or detail has a purpose and helps create something logical. (Why does he have a cane? Why does he wear a mask? What do I want to trigger?).
Once I’m happy with my values, I can either do a few color iterations or just try to find something interesting directly in my drawing. First I played around with curves, levels, color balance, color correction, etc.
At this point I continue to work on detailing, but with paint, trying to explore patterns and textures through images.
Even with this step I can change everything if I am not satisfied. For example, here I changed the pose because I felt it didn’t adequately reflect the character’s personality (an old, cold, noble lady). I want him to be very charismatic, confident and sarcastic.
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Then I finished my rendering. It’s a long section, but it’s worth it and you can’t ignore it. It doesn’t necessarily have to be as detailed as an illustration, but people need to understand what you’re trying to draw. For this reason, you need to understand how light works and how materials react to it.
Hello! I’m Fanny and I come from Paris. Creating worlds and bringing them to life has always been my passion. I am now a young concept artist and illustrator ready to conquer this new world!
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