I created a new layer and set the Composite Method to Gel so the sketch lines in the underlying layer remained visible while I applied color with the Round X-Soft Pastel variant. I worked out a color scheme for the girl based around khaki and pink. I often change the composite method and adjust layer opacity as I work. This tutorial uses several composite methods - Gel, Multiply, Overlay, and Screen. The Composite Method setting determines how a layer interacts with the underlying layer. The variant is added to the list of brush variants. Type a name for the variant in the Save As box, and click OK. You can save a custom brush variant by clicking the menu arrow ( ` ) on the Brush Selector bar and choosing Save Variant. I sketched the final design using a custom 2B Pencil variant. On the Size palette, choose the Pointed Profile for the tip, set the Min Size to 25%, and change the Expression (Size Expression) setting to Pressure.Ĭombining our ideas, I sketched the final design using a custom 2B Pencil variant from the Pencils category, switching between a size of 3 pixels for detail work and 5 pixels for broader strokes. Lower the brush Opacity and Grain to 22%. On the General palette, change the Subcategory to Grainy Edge Flat Buildup. To create the custom 2B pencil that I used, start with the standard 2B Pencil variant, and choose Window > Brush Controls > Show General to open the Brush Controls palettes. These sketches helped me decide which design elements and colors to use for the character's outfit. I enlisted the help of fellow artist and partner, Lindsay Cibos, to create a couple of conceptual character designs based on my criteria. I added my own twist to create a nontraditional design. The cowgirl's costume was inspired by western clothing: cowboy hat, chaps, gloves, and boots. I like to design the characters before I work on the actual image, so I can concentrate on their appearance before I consider pose and composition.

adding texture, details, and final colorsĬharacter Design This picture focuses on two characters: the cowgirl and the boar.

creating a rough sketch of the composition.

I came up with the idea of an action scene portraying a cowgirl breaking in an aggressive oversized boar.

In the image, I wanted to evoke a feeling of an American Southwest desert with a fantasy twist. The inspiration for Bronco Boar comes from my interest in fantastical beasts, Mesoamerican design motifs, and my background in Japanese manga-style imagery. Manga-style comic books, graphic novels, and artwork are gaining international popularity.īronco Boar, created by Jared Hodges in Corel Painter X Creating manga-style artwork in Corel® Painter™ X Jared Hodges

Corel color palette changed to pastels