I'm adding this because I scanned every step of this piece for some reason, and I'm a process nerd. And I have to imagine DeviantArt has no shortage of process nerds who may stumble across this, so why not?
1. The Sketch: I own several sketchbooks and Bristol pads and reams of paper designated specifically for sketching, but I inevitably end up doing the majority of my sketching on the back of a print-out or xeroxed piece of paper, as is the case here. I worked the idea of the Swastika into the background and even went so far as to put it in the worked-up color piece, but it made the whole thing feel like a "Hero Shot," and I didn't want to celebrate the character's Nazi beginnings. It just felt hinky.
2. The Pencils: I worked and reworked Valkyrie's arm in this stage. I had the "arm akimbo, gun straight up" thing for awhile, and the more relaxed "arm at side" look, but I ultimately went back to the original sketches designation. I liked the operatic John Woo-style pose (for full effect, I would need to add flying doves, I suppose).
3. The Inks: I know I need a lot of work on my inks. That's one area where I have tried to improve over the past two, three years. I use a lot of Pigma Micro pens, but would love to find the right brush to use. Odd that I don't, since I've had a lot of watercolor training, so brushes shouldn't exactly be foreign to me.
4. The Flats: As I mentioned in the final piece, I stuck close to the color scheme Dave Stevens used on Eclipse's "Airboy" #5 cover. Like Valkyrie's costume, the colors are a little bold.
The final piece can be seen here:
[link]
`ChewedKandi has certainly gone out of her way to keep the vector community on the right path. Always making sure that her talents are infinitely scalable, Sharon has put her bezier curves to excellent use, and firmly anchored herself as an inspirational leader. We're absolutely delighted to bestow the Deviousness Award for June 2013 to `ChewedKandi. Congratulations, Sharon! Read More
Sta.sh
(And I got your message just now and will respond to you tomorrow. Thanks!)