Prissy Ponders - Process (Patreon)

1. In Manga Studio, a very rough sketch with big fat pencils. The fat pencils force me to keep the sketch loose without getting too caught up in the details. I started with just the basic naked figure, then start sketching in the clothes and hair.

2. Final sketch. Using the rough sketch as a reference, I drew a new sketch layer with a finer pencil. I also imported a 3D model for the collar, which I had created in advance in 3DSMax.

3. Inking. I use a variable width inking brush on vector layers. I use lots of different layers for different parts, which makes it easier to overdraw and erase as needed. When I finished, I realized that the screen-right pigtail was a little smaller than the one on the left so I scaled it up a bit for better balance. Then I exported the line work, with the lines for the biggest bow in a separate layer.

4. In Photoshop, I convert the imported lines to a folder with a mask and put a solid black layer in the folder. (CTRL-click RGB in the Channels tab, invert the selection, create a mask from the selection.) This will come in handy later when I color the linework. Then I create another folder and start creating the basic color blocking. I try to keep the range of colors limited for better color balance.

5. Form shading. I create a dark brown solid color layer (linear burn, 72% opacity) and start painting in the basic form shading with a soft airbrush. Except for the hair, which gets its own dark brown layer but with color burn blending for more richness.

6. Turning off the form shading, I make a new dark brown layer set to multiply (80%) and start painting in the cast shadows with soft brush, using a smaller brush in places where the object casting the shadow is closer to the thing the shadow is on.

7. Backlight. A bright yellow solid color layer (screen, 100%). I turned one of the form shading layers back on, temporarily disabling the mask (shift-click on the mask), to make it easier to see where I'm painting. I used both a soft brush and a soft airbrush.

8. Combine them all and ta-dah! Looking good!

9. Shiny. Now add in the shinies. I used a solid white layer at 48% for basic shine on jewelry and lips, another solid white at 86% for shine in the eyes, and solid white set to overlay at 75% for the hair shine. Painting the hairshine, I use a variable width sharp brush, then go over it with a smudge tool to streak it up, following the direction of the hair.

10. Colored linework. Going back to the linework folder, I started adding new solid color layers, using the mask to paint the color of the linework. Since the new layers are inside a folder with a mask defining the linework, I don't have to be very precise when coloring the lines. I always add new color layers below the ones I already did so that I can be sloppy in the areas that are already covered by colored linework.

11. Final details. Add in a little blush (just a simple pink layer in multiply at 80% with a soft airbrush). Paint in the eyelashes (a folder with a black solid inside, use a variable-width hard brush to paint the eyelashes as a mask for the folder, add a second medium grey color above the black to paint in some eyelash highlights with the same brush). The big bow gets its own folder. I color and shade it the same way I did the rest, then I add a mask to the folder and carefully carve out those parts of the character that should appear in front of the bow. Then I reduce the transparency of the folder to 70%, low enough that you can read the collar.

12. Add in a little gradient and pattern for an abstract background and I'm done!