cobalt_kat - Art Blog/Sketchbook

[cobalt_kat]

Hi there! I'm Kata, an aspiring webcomic/visual novel artist. I started drawing digitally 5 years ago but I've never taken a methodical approach to learning art, that's what I want to remedy by studying at the Art School. In contrast to my art school journey topic where I'll only post stuff related to the curriculum, I intend to put up here basically anything that I come up with in the meantime - WIPs, comic ideas, character designs. Feedback and critique is always welcome, you don't need to ask. I'm here to learn

I'm kicking things off with a WIP which I feel pretty stuck on, especially lighting-wise. I'm trying to use multiply and soft/hard light layers to reach a more sophisticated effect, but it just doesn't look right...

Also, if you have any tips on how to adjust image size here on the forums, I'd greatly appreciate it.

[devotionart37]

Cool character with nicely done pose and proportions. I’m just an amateur but partly based on Marc’s YouTube videos on digital coloring I might advise a more yellow main light that is more coming from in front a bit to hit the face and front of the character more, plus a cooler bluish light from the bottom left. I thought his video on how to implement the tint and so on was good. Also perhaps more/darker shadows for more depth. Anyway those are some of my thoughts, very nicely done image

[cobalt_kat]

Thank you for the tips! I can definitely see how more yellowish light from the front would improve the tones, and the blue light sounds interesting, so I'll try these ones next. As for the shadows, I'm always too afraid to paint very dark shadows, so this is an area where I need to improve as well.

[cobalt_kat]

Some basic character designs for a visual novel I'm working on. My main pain point Is the coloring - I can never seem to strike a good balance when it comes to palette or hierarchy.

[devotionart37]

You are welcome for the feedback. I love those two sketches/ideas as well. I look forward to seeing them in color - it’s similar to art I want to make like with long flowing robes and Buddhist symbolism.

[cobalt_kat]

Last week was exhausting and I really didn't feel like drawing, so I thought I'd do some fan art to get myself back into the mood. It's just a rough sketch, but it's better than drawing nothing at all. I might finish it later.

[cobalt_kat]

Hey there! It's been a minute. I'm still alive, I was just busy with other projects, and didn't really have the time, nor the energy, to draw much. However, this week I managed to finish two of them, so here they are.

The first one is a portrait of the four dogs of a friend of mine. I've compiled the painting from three different reference photos, which wasn't easy, and I'm pretty sure it shows in the inconsistent lighting. I'm still quite proud of it though!

The second one is, um, a venture into horror. I really love horror art, provided it's well executed (and not too bloody). I'm putting this one up because there's no explicit violence/gore in it, but please let me know if it's inappropriate, and I'll take it down.

[cobalt_kat]

Okay, got the fanart out of my system. Back to studying.

[cobalt_kat]

Character design for my visual novel.

[cobalt_kat]

The lady above, only posed, with weapons. Character for my WIP visual novel.

[cobalt_kat]

Portrait of a lady (possibly on fire). Pretty dissatisfied with it, but at least I drew and finished something during the finals.

[cedricgo]

I like the portrait. I can understand the dissatisfaction if she didn't turn out quite as you thought, but the style is really neat, the colors and shading are nice, and she has a cool attitude.

Oh, and the horror drawing you posted a few posts up is fine. Nothing inappropriate about it.

[cobalt_kat]

Thank you for your kind words!

[cobalt_kat]

I'm participating in a L5R campaign, and the GM asked me to find or paint a picture of my character's fiancée. Obviously, I chose the second option.

The lesson here is, never complete the figure, lighting and all, before you even thought of what the background will be

[cobalt_kat]

Character concept for a webcomic. Her color palette was based on the green magpie that lives in Asia.

[cedricgo]

Nice! I like the design!

[cobalt_kat]

Quick doodle of Agent Kara, the protagonist of the 2010s flash game series Covert Front.

[cobalt_kat]

WIP painting of the same lady. I'm having much trouble with the lighting, especially the shadow and light colors. It's been a minute since I last painted a realistic portrait.

[cobalt_kat]

Dancing princess, because I needed some comfort drawing.