Captain Dare, Halo 3 ODST -- commission WIP (Patreon)

Here's a look at one of my current in-progress commissions, just to give you all an idea of what things look like halfway done. I first do a loose sketch, which I then ink, followed by blocking out base colors (using the wand tool or the lasso tool -- the paint bucket tool is not as reliable). Once I do that, I pick some area with a consistent color (say, the blue base of the helmet), and start adding texture, shadows, and light. I then move on to another area -- say, the gray areas of the helmet -- and do the same, on and on, until that object is complete.

With this piece, I'm finishing up the armor now, which will be followed by hair, pistol, and skin (I usually do that last). Once the figure colors are done, I use remaining time to focus on the background.