Heya there! Hikka here, with some colorin’ for ya! This is kinda my first time actually explaining my process, and I’ll do my best to be as concise as possible. But I do apologize ahead of time if I get rather wordy. So, to start off, my doodle is of some avatars from a little site I hang around on called Syndrone, just a little forum with some dress up avatars.
Lines were done with Copic Multiliner SP pens, the majority done in 0.3 (olive , purple , turquoise and cool gray) and finer detailing done with a 0.05 (black). And my weapon of choice for coloring is my ShinHan Touch Twin Brush markers.
Just a brief explanation about the technique I’m gonna mention a TON because that’s how I do things; tip to tip blending. It is exactly what it sounds, I take two different shades of a color and using their tips, I’ll let the color of one soak upon the other and with that I get a blend of the two. (This can also work for gradients too, don’t think you have to strictly limit yourself to a lighter shade and a darker shade of a single color).
BUT WAIT HIKKA! Doesn’t that ruin your markers?! Doesn’t that stain them forever?! I assure you, it does not hurt them any, your markers are meant to be friends! Let them play together. <3 I recommend keeping scrap paper near by so you can wipe off the mixed color from the marker though. It really is okay though! You’ll get smoother transitions between your shades.
Okay! So starting with the avatar on the right, the skin is actually white, so all we’re gonna worry about is shading. Which I simply use CG0.5 and CG2. A thin line of 0.5 to start off, just to know where my shadows are. Then for some depth, I’ll use tip to tip blending of the 0.5 and two to darken things. Then finish off with a layer of 0.5 to soften stuff up.
I’ve hung onto these two grays for the little stars and baubles on her hair sticks. Same method as above, with a little white left for shine on the stars.
And lastly, the cheek and lips, I use R135 on a colorless blender to start and spread the color for blush, then a layer of R135 and then the blender to soften things. Then another tip to tip layer of R135 and R138 in the middle of the blush, then just to spread things a little, I’ll use my blender one last time. (Being careful not to use too heavy of a hand, since that will take color away). For the lips I use a couple of dabs of R135.
Onto the other one! Now we have some actual coloring, this little guy’s skin is a sort of medium tan. My blend is gonna be YR26, Y36, and BR103. I start off with a layer of Y26 for the base, of course leaving non-skin areas white. Tip to tip again with BR103 and Y36 as the second layer. To help even things out, I’ll use another layer of YR26, then one last layer of just Y36. For shading I do layers in a pattern of BR103 and Y36 twice. Oh, and then for the mouth I simply used my R135 again.
Onto hair! Personally, my favorite. So, my lighting is gonna come down from the right and I’ll leave white accordingly for highlights. The avatar’s hair on the right is gonna have a blend made of YR26, YR29, Y36 and YR32. I begin with YR26 on a colorless blender to figure out where my highlights are. Next a layer of YR26, then a tip to tip blend of Y36 on YR29, then I blend down with YR29. Next a layer of Y36 to start on some shading, which is blended again by YR29. One last tip to tip layer of YR32 on YR26 for some added shade, which I then pull down with a little bit of Y36 and then YR29.
Onto our guy~, he’s gonna have some green hair. So we’re gonna go with G46, G54, and BG52. So, I’ve got G46 on the blender to begin placing highlights. Then a layer of G46, then tip to tip of BG52 on G54, but I only cover half of my G46 layer, which I use G46 to blend things down. Then BG52 for shading, but only part way to blend it down with G46. (The brow is also colored with BG52).
And before I forget, let’s get that eye colored! Using PB75, P82, and P81. I start off with a base of PB75, then a tip to tip layer of PB75 and P82 halfway down the first layer then blend with PB75. Then a layer of P82 halfway down, just like the tip to tip layer. (More or less I keep a little of the first base layer visible). Then a little of P81 at the top of the iris to blend down with P82 again. Oh, and just for a bit of difference between the eye and the lashes I used PB73.
Now onto the clothes! How I usually do this if I’m coloring more than one character, I do look to see if either of them share some colors and start there. Since they both have some black, I’m gonna start with that. My blend for black is going to be CG7, CG9 and then 120.
I do all my black areas with a base layer of CG7, and since I have used color ink for the lines, brush control is vital here. :B Don’t wanna cover up the colored lines after all!
Now that’s all done, I’m gonna start off with a tip to tip layer of CG7 and CG9 to begin my shading. Then a half layer of CG9 which I blend down with CG7. Then lastly I more or less do a line of 120 at the edge of my shading and blend down with CG7.
Back to the character on the right, we’re gonna focus on the rest of her clothes cause they’re gonna be made up of the following blend of B171, B67 and B68. Starting off with a layer of B171 and then I’ll do a tip to tip layer of B68 on B67. Then for shading I use B67, then blend down with my tip to tip mix, then one last layer of B67.
However, on the bow, hair sticks and collar I do keep some of my initial layer showing for shine, then I do a quick layer of B171 to smooth it down and then repeat my tip to tip layer one more time, then for shading I’ll use B67 by itself.
Back onto our guy! His bandages and tank are white, so we’ll just focus on shading with CG 0.5 and CG1. Then his jeans will be made up a blend of PB144, PB76, and B62.
For his bandages and tank, I start off with CG0.5 for the shading, then a tip to tip layer of 0.5 and 1, then one last layer of CG1 at the edge of the shading. For his jeans, I start off with PB144 as my base then a tip to tip layer of PB144 and PB76. Then one last tip to tip layer of PB144 and B62 for the darkest parts.
At this point, we could call it a day. But there’s one more touch I like to do~. I like adding more sparkle! So I bust out my jar of Copic Opaque White for some highlight boosting, with my smaller sparkles being done with a white gel pen from my stash.
And there you have it! Phew..thanks for sticking around, see ya next time~!
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