Methods to create a colourful fan artwork portrait in Procreate

On this tutorial, we’ll discover ways to draw a portrait in Procreate from scratch. We’ll draw Jinx from Arcane sequence, and we’ll take some inspiration from comics and Artwork Nouveau kinds.

We’ll discover completely different drawing strategies, and we’ll be taught to make use of textures to make your fan artwork portrait expressive and vibrant. Making a fan artwork portrait in Procreate is a really enjoyable course of, particularly utilizing some cool brushes. We’ll use a number of Procreate brush units from Envato with nice ink brushes, stamps, and halftones.

Earlier than beginning our portrait, we have to obtain and set up these brush units:

1. Methods to make a sketch

Step 1

Step one in studying how to attract a portrait in Procreate is making a sketch. Begin by making a New Canvas for our work. Tap to Create Customized Canvas and create a 3000 x 3000 px canvas dimension, RGB, 300 DPI decision. 

Step 2

It is best to start out the method by gathering reference photos to take some inspiration. Since we’re drawing a fan artwork portrait, I relied on screenshots from the sequence, in order to not miss all the small print characterising the character. In our case, it is Jinx from Arcane.

Let’s begin with pre-sketching. It is a good way to experiment with completely different concepts and strategies. Additionally it helps us to seek out harmonious proportions for every aspect and create a balanced composition.

Open the Layers panel, faucet “Layer 2”, and rename it “pre-sketch“. Select any shade you want from the Coloration menu within the top-right nook, and any brush from the Brush Library. I like to make use of blue or crimson and enormous textured brushes for this stage. So I select a default Procreate brush, the Gloaming brush from the Drawing set, for this pre-sketch.

Begin by sketching a normal form of the silhouette, maintaining the picture free and easy. Don’t deal with any small particulars at this stage.

Step 3

Create a New Layer for the detailed sketch on high of the “pre-sketch“ layer.

Let’s refine the sketch utilizing a smaller brush. You can also make your brush dimension smaller by shifting down the highest slider on the left aspect of the display, or simply select one other brush you like to make use of for detailing. Begin by drawing Jinx Arcane’s facial options in additional element.

Whereas refining our sketch, we nonetheless work loosely. This model must be a bit extra detailed than our pre-sketch, however clear sufficient to assist us to work on the subsequent steps shortly and simply.

Draw the define of the complete portrait in order that we will test if the silhouette of the character seems balanced and cohesive. 

It is also going to assist us to flip our canvas horizontally and repair the proportions if wanted utilizing the Liquify device from the Changes menu. Simply push the areas it’s worthwhile to shift.

Lastly, let’s add some graffiti to the background. We are able to make it fairly random at this level.

2. Methods to create the road artwork

Step 1

As soon as we’re accomplished with the sketch of our Jinx Arcane artwork portrait, let’s deal with sprucing the drawing with a clear line.

However first, let’s change the strain of the pen in order that we will use a really gentle contact for the road work. The strain is essential for good line artwork, particularly for high-quality and detailed work. It helps to create quite a lot of line weight and makes your line artwork extra fluent.

Go to Motion within the high panel and faucet the Preferences icon. Select Stress and Smoothing from the drop-down listing. Change the curve as proven under.

Step 2

Now we’re prepared to start out creating our line artwork.

First, decrease the Opacity of the sketch layer to about 40% and create a New Layer for the traces on high.

We’ll work with ink brushes, so let’s select the proper one for our line artwork. Discover the Ink.15-Trembling blade brush from the Ink by Eldar Zakirov set. This textured brush is ideal for drawing clear line artwork and tiny particulars.

Set the comb Measurement to about 10% with 100% Opacity. The thickness of the traces will depend on the urgent power of the stylus.

Step 3

Begin by drawing Jinx Arcane’s face with clear traces, following your sketch. You may modify any options within the course of to create an attention-grabbing look and add emotion. Create assured traces by various the road weight. It’s going to give extra life to your drawing.

Now let’s draw Jinx Arcane’s hair, beginning with the principle traces after which including extra particulars with tiny strands.

Draw the physique form, tattoo, tank high, and ornamental components utilizing the identical ideas. Don’t hesitate to make use of photograph references that will help you make the small print correct.

Step 4

Now that the principle determine is completed, it’s time to finish the portrait by drawing Jinx’s beautiful braids.

However first, let’s scale back the Opacity of the “traces” layer to about 50% to make our work on the braids simpler.

Create a New Layer on high of the “traces“ layer and begin drawing Jinx Arcane’s hair, following the motion of the braids. Attempt to preserve all of the expressiveness of the unique sketch.

Now that we have completed drawing the primary braid, we will clear up the traces that intersect with different shapes and that should not be seen within the closing drawing. We are able to use the Eraser device, maintaining the road work on these two layers separate. This technique could be very useful within the line artwork course of.

When the work on the braids is full, let’s merge the “braids” and “traces” layers collectively.

End your line artwork by blacking out the areas wherever the shadows of the character could be. These small spots of black assist to make the portrait extra expressive.

Flip off the “sketch” layer, and admire the results of your line work.

3. Methods to block within the base colours

Step 1

First, let’s create a New Layer  for the bottom form of our Jinx Arcane drawing below the “traces”. Title it “silhouette”.

Now, faucet the Choice Instrument with the Freehand possibility, and begin deciding on the areas it’s worthwhile to fill with shade. We’ll observe the outer fringe of the drawing.

Use the Add button on the panel so as to add extra choice areas if wanted.

Now that the choice is completed, decide a midtone for the bottom shade from the Colours menu within the top-right nook (we’ll use it as a pores and skin shade hereafter), and drag it to the chosen space.

Refine the sides and fill the empty areas with shade if wanted. Now the form of the silhouette is completed!

Step 2

Now we want new layers for every object. Let’s begin with Jinx Arcane’s hair.

Swipe the “silhouette” layer left and faucet Duplicate. Rename the layer “hair”, and fill the form with blue.

Now we have to clear the realm exterior the hair form. We’ll use the Choice Instrument, as we did earlier than. First, choose the realm it’s worthwhile to delete. Then, swipe down with three fingers, and select Lower from the menu. Because of this, you may get a fully clear space.

Refine the sides utilizing the Choice Instrument or the Eraser Instrument in your comfort.

Step 3

Create new layers for every object and fill them with fundamental colours, utilizing the identical technique with the Choice Instrument. Holding them separate provides you the liberty to regulate the colours independently. Organise the layers as proven under.

Step 4

Now, let’s set the background shade by tapping the “Background shade” layer, which we have already got by default. Choose a darkish blue shade on the Coloration menu. A darkish background permits us to create an excellent vary of distinction and make the character extra expressive.

Step 5

Let’s add some shade variations to the pores and skin.

Create a New Layer for the pores and skin shade zones on high of “silhouette”. Faucet on the layer and select Clipping Masks from the drop-down listing. It’s going to enable us to attract on the “pores and skin shade zones” layer simply contained in the silhouette form.

Now we have to add some variation to the colours in Jinx Arcane’s face, which can make the pores and skin extra natural-looking. The brow is often yellow-toned, the cheeks and nostril are reddish, and the under-eye space and the jawline are cooler.

Decide the Delicate Brush or Medium Brush from the Airbrushing set. Paint some tender gradients utilizing yellow, pink, and blue, including some nuance to the colours in every space.

Change the Mixing Mode of this layer to Multiply. Scale back the Opacity to about 35%. You may mess around with the Opacity till you are proud of the way it seems.

Add some shade variation to the eyes and lips as nicely.

Step 6

Utilizing a brand new Clipping Masks layer, add some darkish and light-weight shades of blue to Jinx Arcane’s hair. You may merge these layers whenever you’re proud of the outcome.

Step 7

We are able to use an Alpha Lock possibility so as to add some shade variation to the smaller objects.

Let’s begin with the “tank high”. Faucet the layer and choose Alpha Lock from the drop-down listing. It’s going to assist us to color inside the form with out crossing over onto surrounding areas.

Add some gradients from gentle to darkish to make the tank high much less flat.

Apply the Alpha Lock to the remainder of the layers, and add some extra gradients to every object as nicely.

Step 8

As a closing contact at this stage, let’s add some texture to the complete piece. Decide the Halftone 3 brush from the Halftones set we downloaded earlier.

Create a New Layer on high of the “traces”. Decide a lavender shade to cowl the complete canvas with texture utilizing the Max Measurement of the comb. Change the Mixing Mode to Color Burn and scale back the layer Opacity to about 20%.

This halftone impact will add some texture and shade vibrancy to our Jinx Arcane artwork drawing.

At this level, your Jinx fan artwork drawing seems adequate to name it full, however if you would like to take it to the subsequent stage, let’s proceed.

4. Methods to add shadows and highlights

Step 1

Let’s begin by discovering an appropriate brush for the Jinx Arcane drawing. One in every of my favorites is the HB Pencil brush from the Sketching set. I like utilizing this brush due to the softness and its delicate texture. Additionally, it has a painterly high quality, and I can obtain onerous and tender edges by altering the strain of the comb.

Let’s modify this brush within the Brush Studio to get extra flexibility within the portray course of. Faucet the HB Pencil icon, and the Settings of the comb will seem. Go to the Properties and alter the Most Measurement of the Brush behaviour to 100%. It will enable us to make bigger brush strokes, particularly if we’re engaged on a big canvas.

Step 2

Apply a Clipping Masks to all of the layers above the “silhouette” associated to the pores and skin, and create a New Layer for the pores and skin shading with the Clipping Masks. Change the Mixing Mode of this layer to Multiply with 35% Opacity.

On the “pores and skin shading” layer, begin constructing delicate shadows on the face, neck, and shoulders utilizing darkish purple. Outline the character’s options by planning the route of the sunshine. In our case, it’s coming from the highest left.

The separate layer permits us to refine the shadows utilizing the Eraser Instrument. Change the scale and opacity of the eraser within the course of.

Step 3

Add some darkish shadows to the tank high utilizing this technique. Create a New Layer with a Clipping Masks as nicely, setting it to Multiply with 35% Opacity. Use the identical shade, and fluctuate the comb Measurement within the course of as you want.

Step 4

It’s time to kind the coiffure. Once more, create a New Layer with a Clipping Masks on high of the “hair”. Set it to Multiply and scale back the Opacity to 35%.

Utilizing the identical technique (including shadows with massive strokes and refining them with Eraser Instrument), add some quantity to the coiffure. And don’t neglect in regards to the gentle supply!

Add some shading to the equipment as nicely.

Step 5

Now let’s make the shadows a bit extra intense and add some texture with halftones in our Jinx Arcane fan artwork portrait. Create a New Layer for the halftone shading just below the “traces”.

Now, decide the Halftone 30 brush from the Halftones set and add some darkish shadows on high of the shadows we simply drew. Draw some shadows on the roots of the hair and on the shadowy space of the braids.

Use the Eraser Instrument to melt the sides of the shadows.

Step 6

It is time to introduce correct lighting, maintaining in thoughts the sunshine supply. Highlights are a really efficient device within the rendering course of, serving to to present a three-dimensional impact to the drawing.

Create a New Layer for the highlights below the “halftone shading” layer. Set it to Overlay. We’ll draw all of the highlights on a single layer.

Decide the HB Pencil brush with any gentle shade (we’ll change it later), and paint delicate spotlight strokes on the lightened space of the face and physique, hair, equipment, and tank high.

To make the Jinx Arcane drawing extra refined with the halftones, scale back the Opacity of the layer to about 45%.

For those who’re not proud of the spotlight shade, you’ll be able to change it simply. Simply faucet the Changes icon and select Hue, Saturation, Brightness from the drop-down listing. Transfer the Hue slider till you get the specified outcome.

Step 7

Let’s convey our drawing of Jinx from Arcane into focus by including some distinction to among the options, whereas leaving others tender.

Create a New Layer for the deep shadows below “highlights”. Set it to Multiply with 50% Opacity.

Decide the identical darkish purple shade, and utilizing the identical brush however smaller, draw deep shadows following the halftone shadows.

Now let’s make the look extra expressive by including some intense highlights.

Create a New Layer for the sunshine just below “traces”. Set it to Add and scale back the Opacity to about 23%.

We have to choose the “silhouette” layer first, so we will draw simply inside this form. Then go to the “gentle” layer and use a Delicate Brush so as to add some yellowish highlights to lighten sure areas, creating a focus.

Step 8

Let’s make some shade changes to the complete Jinx Arcane artwork piece. The simplest technique to harmonize colours is so as to add some type of filter on high of the drawing.

Create a New Layer below “total halftones”. Fill the layer with blue shade and set it to Darker Color with 9% Opacity.

Now all the colours have come collectively, and the portrait seems a lot better.

Step 9

As soon as we’re proud of the shadows and highlights, let’s add some extra texture and particulars to the character. 

Let’s begin with the tank high. Create a New Layer for the tank high texture between the “tank high” and “bow” layers. Decide a vivid blue shade, and use the Diagonal Stripes 3 brush from the Strokes set so as to add a striped texture to the lightened space of the tank high.

Change the Mixing Mode of the layer to Color Dodge and scale back the Opacity to 60%.

Now, let’s add some particulars to the pores and skin on a New Layer, simply above the “pores and skin shading”. We’ll refine the facial options by including some make-up to the eyes and lips and including some pink blush texture to the cheeks with the Halftone 12 brush.

Additionally, we’ll add some quantity to the tattoo by making it extra detailed utilizing the HB Pencil brush.

Full the Jinx Arcane fan artwork portrait by including some extra particulars on a New Layer just below “shade adjustment”. Set it to Color Dodge with 100% Opacity.

Use the identical Halftone 12 brush so as to add some crisp texture to the highlights on Jinx Arcane’s hair, tattoo, and equipment. Ultimately, add some gloss to the shiny objects too, utilizing the small dimension of the HB Pencil brush.

5. Methods to create a graffiti background

Step 1

Our portrait of Jinx from Arcane has come alongside properly, so let’s proceed by putting our character within the applicable background.

Activate the “sketch” layer and create a New Layer for the background simply on high of it.

Let’s set a painterly textured background first. I discovered the Sampled Brush 18 brush from the Acrylic ink Stamps set, which is ideal for making a traditional-looking texture.

Use the Max Measurement of the comb, and canopy the background with a black stamp texture.

You can also make the feel softer by lowering the Opacity of the layer to about 50%.

Now let’s add some shade to the background. On a New Layer, utilizing Sampled Brush 6 and crimson shade, add some texture to the background.

Be happy to make use of another stamps to cowl the background with texture. These stamp brushes are excellent for reaching a painterly look. Mess around with them till you get the specified outcome.

Scale back the Opacity of the layer to about 40% to tone down the colour barely.

Step 2

Now that the painterly textured background is completed, let’s begin including some cool graffiti drawings to the background. Create a New Layer and decide the Ink.35-Ruling Quill brush from the Ink by Eldar Zakirov set to color stylised figures. Use your sketch as a reference for putting them.

Additionally, let’s create some new graffiti writings utilizing the Ink.37-Drying Flat Brush from the identical set. Draw them on a New Layer once more—it can assist to rework or transfer them if wanted.

Step 3

Now we come to essentially the most enjoyable a part of the method of drawing a portrait. We’ll use some cool stamps and quite a lot of juicy colours to position them randomly on the background.

Go to the Paintstroke Stamps set, select any stamps you want, and fill the empty areas with completely different figures in no matter method you discover finest. You may mess around with the colours and the determine sizes till you are proud of the way it seems.

Now that each one the graffiti drawings are accomplished, we will remodel and recolor any determine if wanted.

Faucet the Choice device, and choose the determine you need to remodel on its layer. Then faucet Remodel, and now you’ll be able to transfer the article, resize it, or change the colour.

Now we will name our work full.

Step 4

Let’s add a pair extra textures to the background to make it a bit messier.

First, create a New Layer on high of the “graffiti” layers. Open the Grain Stamps set and decide the Grain Stamp 2. Enhance it to Max, and place it on the sides and corners of the canvas randomly utilizing pink and purple. Be happy to experiment with different textures and colours to get the specified impact.

Create a New Layer for yet one more texture. Open the Ink-Press Stamps set and use Ink Press 34 and 36 so as to add some black texture to the background. You may rotate the feel or enhance it as you wish to cowl the canvas.

Step 5

Now that our Jinx Arcane artwork piece is nearly completed, let’s test the way it seems in grayscale. This step is essential as a result of it exhibits the tonal values of the paintings, which assist with composition, exhibiting the lightness or darkness of the colours and the scale of the piece.

Create a New Layer on the very high of all of the layers. Fill it with black and set it to Color Mixing Mode.

Now we will see that our character is getting slightly misplaced in such a vivid background, and we wish the character to pop a bit extra. An excessive amount of element all around the canvas will be overwhelming, so let’s make our composition extra balanced and repair it by darkening the background a bit.

Create a New Layer on high of all background layers. Fill it with darkish blue and set it to Multiply with about 40% Opacity.

Now we have to mix the graffiti drawings behind the character’s face.

Create one other New Layer and make a number of massive purple strokes simply behind the character utilizing a Delicate Brush. Change the Mixing mode to Display and scale back the Opacity to about 40%.

Let’s outline the focus of the piece.

Create a New Layer between the “particulars” and “shade adjustment” layers. We’ll add some silhouette shading to the character.

Choose the “silhouette” layer, after which go to “silhouette shading”. Utilizing the identical brush, simply make it as massive as potential, and add some shading to the underside and sides of the character, leaving the face and heart of the silhouette lightened. This helps to convey the main focus to the highest a part of the character, and this would be the focus of our piece. Set the layer to Multiply with about 20% Opacity.

Step 6

As a closing contact, let’s make our character extra energetic and expressive by including some intense highlights as a rim gentle. It’s a really efficient device for utilizing gentle to create a three-dimensional impact.

Create a New Layer under the “shade adjustment” layer. Utilizing the HB Pencil brush, add a vivid rim gentle to the highest and a bit to the perimeters of the hair, braids, and facial contours. This gentle impact helps to separate our character from the background.

On a New Layer, let’s add a shining impact to the rim gentle utilizing a Delicate Brush. Set the layer to Add with 50% Opacity.

Lastly, let’s do a final test of the piece with the “grayscale” layer. And if we’re happy with the way it seems in grayscale, we will name our work full.

We’re completed!

Congratulations on finishing this tutorial on how to attract a portrait in Procreate. It was a time-consuming course of, however I hope it was attention-grabbing as nicely. Thanks a lot for becoming a member of me on this tutorial, and I hope you loved the method.