The client who commissioned designs of Sir Ludo and Mila was so pleased with the work that they requested an 18×24 inch piece featuring both characters in watercolor and alcohol-based marker. My process work, as well as some of my progress on the final from start to finish, is included below.

Composition Sketches

Of the three compositional sketches I created, the client preferred the still scene of the two characters in the woods rather than an action shot.

Layout and Line art

While the placement of some elements, including Ludo’s helmet and the amount of roses visible, changed, the final line art strongly resembled the composition sketch. To ensure the piece would have bleed on the left and right sides for better placement within a matted frame, I drew to the edge of a piece of 19×24 in. Bristol.

Color Progress

The final piece was a combination of Copic marker and watercolor wash. In order to keep the colors consistent, I applied the local color of each object in Copic ink before applying the watercolor wash as the last steps. Since this was a nighttime scene in a deep and mysterious wood, Mila’s mane was the main light source and gave the areas of high shine a blue cast rather than a warm white or bright white cast.

Multiple applications of the blue watercolor wash allowed me to build up layers to create more visual depth.