FINAL I ARTWAR 2 | 2D | Akemi, the Ascendant | Lunasmoon

Your personal details:

Name: Hannah Waring
Email: hnwaring@hotmail.com
Website: https://www.artstation.com/lunasmoon
@Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hannah.waring.982

For the Light side: Akemi, the Ascendant
With her power to manipulate and create the flow of ink, she summons beasts of the Zodiac to aid her in her fight against the Dark Realm's creatures.

Final Illustration:

Akemi_Illustration.jpg2844x2048 2.34 MB

Concept Sheet:

Akemi_ConceptSheet.jpg2048x2048 1.61 MB

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Hi All!

I've only just started sketching ideas, however, after a lot of thinking my character shall be going down the path of Light!

These are some quick silhouette ideas:

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Exploring my favourite silhouettes:

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My next stages are to do some tonal variations and ideas! Exciting stuff =]
I hope to create something interesting for you all!

Thank you!
That's my favourite also! I can't wait to expand on her outfit. I really want to put a lot of arty reference into her design and 'weaponary'. I really love her movement and attitude. I shall hopefully post my tonal variations soon!

Thank you so much! ^^

She does!!! =D I was thinking she could harness the power of ink as her 'weapon' =D
Maybe a warrior of Calligraphy? I wanted to take the Art War literally into my design haha
- Glad you like the idea!

I've done a couple of sheets of tonal ideas!
I really love her brush weapon and I'm loving the idea of her harnessing ink as her power.
Perhaps calligraphy will be her personification? Half-armoured with calligraphy written over the cloth she wears (or parchment?)
I really want to keep the circle's in the design also to show the 'good character' symbolism and link to 'Light' = Sun!

Concepts_Tonal1.jpg4961x3508 1.09 MB

Concepts_Tonal2.jpg4961x3508 1.09 MB

Next will be some more refined work and rough line-work.
(Plus also some face ideas!) =]

These are some colour ideas for my character. I'm looking at traditional Japanese Ink painting for inspiration and colour palette. I've also developed my characters powers and she will summon Ink Japanese Zodiac creatures! I thought this would fit her aesthetic really nicely and gives her brush prop much more context =]

Concepts_Colour1.jpg4961x3508 1.83 MB

Concepts_Colour2.jpg4961x3508 1.89 MB

Next I shall look at her back, colour palette some ideas and then develop my final concept!

This is a basic mood board for my initial ideas for my character =]
I'll expand this as I go, however when I am designing I always have a big google image page open with plenty of inspiration!

ArtWar_Moodboard1.jpg4961x3508 2.32 MB

Concepts_Back1.jpg4961x3508 1.27 MB

Back concepts! I'm feeling the bottom right design =D

I started sketching up some thumbnails - with three values only - to think about how I want to portray my character in the Illustration. I used only three tones as I wanted to concentrate on the values of the painting. Something which I have been practising a lot of lately! Hopefully this will really help me achieve a great sense of depth within my painting.

Two main points I really want to project from my character are: Graceful and Mystical. Something I shall keep in mind!

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Thumbnails_2.jpg4961x3508 768 KB

After sketching these down, I circled the ones I like the most in red. I really like these designs as I really love the movement and points on interest in the idea. I want to create a lovely flow of interest and not over-power the characters design too much with her powers.

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Thumbnails_WIP2.jpg1366x723 136 KB

Next I shall look at the ideas which really draw me in, see what it is which draws my attention, and try finalise an idea!!

ArtWar_Moodboard2.jpg4961x3508 2.51 MB

Turnaround_WIP.jpg1366x768 169 KB

So I'm working on both the Illustration thumbnails and the turnaround at the moment for my Character (Still need to pick a name!!! I shall have a good reflect on this over the weekend =] ). The turnaround is still in its very rough stages as I'm just working out a few pieces of the design as I draw. So currently lots of lines everywhere and simple shapes.

-> But hence another moodboard! I want to make sure that the armour she wears fits right and looks 'right'. I want it to be stylish and practical!
I'm also looking into movement and I'm drawing up another moodboard now - I just love reference and inspirational images whilst I work!

On the turnaround Work in Progress screenshot I have a couple of reference images of ladies with white hair - this is because I'm making sure that when I tone my piece, the skin, hair and clothing are distinct and don't get lost in each other!

RefinedThumbnails.jpg4093x3508 1.07 MB

I've worked up my thumbnails!! After doing this I did change a couple of bits, having ideas springing into my head as I sketched and painted haha. Always the way!
I'm really leaning to the bottom right image - I think it shows off my character and her powers really nicely. The idea is that I would paint a summoning circle behind her as she summons the dragon from the zodiac to help her fight.
The pose would allow me to show off how graceful my character is (I really need to think of a name for her!!) and with some careful flow, I can show off her outfit and bring in some really lovely lighting.

Heya =D
Haha good point!! I've been playing with her layout this morning, tweaking the composition a little and her pose =]
I totally don't want a 'No Parking' sign type of look xD
...I may add more curves =p

Thank you so much for the advise!!!

(This is my progress so far!)

Before:

Illustration_WIP3.jpg6330x4804 1.16 MB

After:

Illustration_WIP4.jpg6330x4804 1.16 MB

Still figuring out her outfit a little at the moment too =p

=]
Progress so far:

Illustration_WIP5.jpg6330x4804 1.23 MB

So over the weekend I changed the composition for my Illustration!
I had a good talk with one on of my tutors to discuss if my idea was strong - I wasn't feeling my painting and couldn't put my finger on what was wrong. Then after chatting for a while and then taking many photos of myself over the weekend, I came up with this shot!

I think it feels much more stronger, with more flow, action and a much more interesting perspective =]

Last week of working on my art for ArtWar2!!! Time to get my skates on!

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Illustration_New_WIP2.jpg4804x6330 1.23 MB

These are some photos my boyfriend took of me last weekend for inspiration for my new composition! It was very amusing to do and I got a very dead arm from holding my brush prop! (It was way heavier than I remembered)

RefSheet.jpg1500x1061 260 KB

I played around with colour on this piece! I really liked the blue/orange background. I think it really helped bring out my character and her colour palette.
The only problem I had now was the movement in the piece!

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I re-studied the pose reference and I've decided to start my illustration over again to get some really good curve and flow. I managed to lose that in my illustration before this, and instead of trying to mend it I thought it would be better to start again and also change the composition. The landscape approach I think gives me more room to explore my character and her summoning ability =]
Next I shall look at the clothing and really try to bring out her figure - I may change her outfit so I am holding off drawing up her turnaround =D I'm finding it much easier to determine her clothing and accessories in the illustration. It gives me a good look into how her outfit would work.

I had a good discussion with my tutor about this illustration - he pointed out the lack of movement/gesture I had in my previous image - to which I thank him! This is a big challenge so I love to hear as much feedback as possible!
I love learning from other people =]

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