Airi Rescue Beam Saver COLOR

On March 17, 2023 By Nube ObscuraIn Artist Project, Chance!, Traditional X Digital, UpdateLeave a comment

Here is the Colored version of my Airi Rescue illustration. I’m uploading two versions. The second version has some static added to it to replicate the quality of a magazine print. One things I like in old anime are the glow effects they do with beams, so I wanted to incorporate that in this illustration. Adding some outer glow to the beam and adding some noise to the glow gave it a cool effect.

I want to convert this drawing to an anime frame at some point. You know, like those mid point frames when the anime had to go to commercials.

Hasta la proxima,

-NUBE

Kinku Akina Nakamori COLOR

On March 13, 2023 By Nube ObscuraIn Artist Project, Chance!, Traditional X Digital, UpdateLeave a comment

Here’s Akina’s painting but in color this time. Decided to go with a red theme this time. Looking at it now, it might look cool with some font displaying the name of the song (Kinku).

Hasta la proxima,

-NUBE

Cheeky Smile Anya

On March 6, 2023 By Nube ObscuraIn Artist Project, Chance!, Traditional X Digital, UpdateLeave a comment

I was planning on uploading this on Friday. But it just so happens that there was a prompt on Pixiv for pink hair, so why not upload this now. I uploaded a version with screen tone and one without. The screen tone adds good bit of texture. I like it a lot.

Hasta la proxima,

-NUBE

Inktober 2021 Day 19

On October 19, 2021October 19, 2021 By Nube ObscuraIn Artist Project, Chance!, inktober, UpdateLeave a comment

I was listening to Utada Hikaru all day today and of course “Colors” came up. I really like the aesthetic of the music video, it is a great song to listen to in the autumn season.

Hasta la proxima,

-NUBE

XP Pen Reconstructed Masterpiece Bandaged Van Gogh

On September 1, 2021September 1, 2021 By Nube ObscuraIn Artist Project, Chance!, contest entry, Traditional X Digital, UpdateLeave a comment

This will be the actual entry to the contest, now that it’s completely painted. I debated with going with a more painterly style or a more anime like style. After playing around a bit, I decided to go with the anime style. I tried to keep the same color scheme. I added some static to the background which for some reason intensified when I resized the whole painting to a smaller size. I contemplated whether to add some blood to the piece but decided against it…

For the background, if I remember correctly (I think I learned this in art class when I was in middle school) Van Gogh was a fan of Japan. A bit of an Otaku. So I thought it would be fun to play around with that idea with the paintings in the background.

Hasta la proxima,

-NUBE

Momochi Pixel Camping

On July 12, 2021July 12, 2021 By Nube ObscuraIn Artist Project, Chance!, Pixel Art, UpdateLeave a comment

I wanted to try another pixel art piece, this time with Momoko. I used a photo of Momochi camping from her “Momochi Zukan” photobook as reference. I started with a 200×200 canvas, but it was a little too big for the effect I wanted. So decided to make it into a 100×100 instead.

reference used:

Hasta la proxima,

-NUBE

La Venganza de Don Ramon

On April 29, 2021April 29, 2021 By Nube ObscuraIn Artist Project, Chance!, Traditional X Digital, UpdateLeave a comment

This is the colored version of the line art I made for Don Ramon, a character of “El Chavo del 8”. Kind of looks like a Mexican version of Xehanort. I like the way the digital painting meshed with the ink hatching.

Here is the line art:

https://darkcloudxero.com/2021/04/27/la-venganza-de-don-ramon/

Here is the painted version:

Hasta la proxima,

-NUBE

Momoko Tsugunaga Caligraphy Brush X Digital

On April 21, 2021April 21, 2021 By Nube ObscuraIn Artist Project, Chance!, Traditional X Digital, UpdateLeave a comment

It’s been almost a month since I had painted this piece, I can’t believe I have been pushing it back by that much…

The reference comes from Momoko’s final photobook.

The ink painting used can be seen here:

This follows my current practice working with ink brushes, the translucence it contains and the application of paint and how it interacts with it. I have a couple of other pieces that I can use to continue this practice. It’s amazing, but it does have it’s limitations on what can be done (coloring wise). On the other hand, the effects and textures are really unique and interesting.

Hasta la proxima,

-NUBE

Sayumi Michishige Glancing Right Painted

On April 9, 2021April 9, 2021 By Nube ObscuraIn Artist Project, Chance!, Traditional X Digital, UpdateLeave a comment

Link to the line art post: https://darkcloudxero.com/2021/04/07/sayumi-michishige-glancing-right-line-art/

This is the colored version of my Sayu drawing done with Copics. It was painted with Corel Painter and then used the layer styles from PhotoShop. Each style changes different aspects of the painting when it interacts with the line art and the painting layer. I think each one has it’s appeal. Soft light gave it a pastel look which I really liked. Because the copic ink doesn’t completely cover the texture of the paper and it also doesn’t always completely cover an area (there are some patches that are lighter), these can give interesting effects when painted digitally and played with the layer options. This can be affected even further when playing with the layer transparency.

Sayumi Michishige Glancing Right #darkcloudxero #女の子 #TraditionalXDigital #モーニング娘。 #道重さゆみ #CorelPainter… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…—
(@DarkCloudXERO) April 09, 2021

Hasta la proxima,

-NUBE

Berserk Eva 01 COLOR

On January 13, 2020January 13, 2020 By Nube ObscuraIn Artist Project, Traditional X Digital, UpdateLeave a comment

This is a colored version of the 9th inktober piece I drew in 2019. I wasn’t too sure what the coloring style would be, but it eventually evolved into this one.

Hasta la proxima,

-NUBE

Pixiv School Girl prompt

On December 3, 2018 By Nube ObscuraIn Artist Project, UpdateLeave a comment

Hey, let’s keep playing around with the Pixiv prompts. This time it’s sailor uniform. I’m still trying out different simple coloring techniques. No matter how I look at it I prefer to add a bit more colors. Leaving it too simple just doesn’t seem right. I guess my style is starting to develop. (・∧‐)ゞ

I should be able to push it even more but I don’t want to spend too much time on one piece right now. I just have to keep drawing everyday and let my skills develop naturally. Once I get to a level I feel is good and also feel my speed is fast enough then I will start playing around with adding backgrounds.

Let’s see what happens.

The finished piece:

Reference used, altered to fit the theme among other things:

I drew it and inked it traditionally first. I truthfully prefer drawing this way though I have gotten used to doing it digitally.

This flat color style doesn’t look bad.

That’s it for now. I’ve been working on other pieces but I feel I should try to make and upload a piece a day so I can brute force my development.

Hasta la proxima,

-NUBE

Kaleido Star, a homage to a series close to my heart. And overcoming some weaknesses. Part I

On June 30, 2017July 5, 2017 By Nube ObscuraIn Artist Project, Traditional X Digital, Update1 Comment

I believe it was back when I was in late middle school when I first came upon the series (Kaleido Star). By that point I had seen quite a couple of anime series and had started to develop my tastes. This was a series I couldn’t get enough of. The characters, animation, story, music, athmosphere and themes all pulled me in. It also helped that I was really into Cirque du Soleil at the time (I never went to an actual show, but I did rent the dvds to see the performances). It had that typical 2000s look to it, when animation was starting to move towards digital coloring which (those from that era) tend not to age well. But despite that, the series was stylized in a way that stands up even today. I want to talk more about it, but I will leave that for a later project. If anything I just wish to say, if you haven’t seen it yet, watch it. I highly recommend it.

This is the anime I’m talking about.

The main character Sora Naegino.

With that said, I hope it’s clear that this series holds a special place in my heart. So I hoped to make a piece based on it. After much thought I wanted to do a drawing of the “The Legendary Great Maneuver”. I won’t say too much for the sake of those who haven’t seen the series, but it is a moment that packs a punch of emotions.

I’m still trying out the digital and traditional blending of techniques where I do something traditionally and add to it digitally. This time though I am also using p.h. martins radiant water colors. They are quite amazing. But I have noticed that despite this, watercolors are still watercolors so if I don’t master the balance of color and light I won’t have a good picture if I were to do it completely traditionally.

My main problem is trying to do it exactly as I see it. It sound right in my head, but when I do it on paper… it just doesn’t work. I use too many colors and and it ends up looking, well dirty, muddled. In essence not good. Heck, too much work on it actually makes it look faded instead of vibrant which is what I’m aiming for. Having failed countless times, now that I see other’s work I see that they use the technique of fading the background and only adding more vibrant colors to the focal point (usually the character) on the page. This is even done on digital mediums.

I’m sorry, it seems I can’t embed the image here. I tried and it either doesn’t show the image or plain adds a 401 forbidden messege. So I will just leave the links for those who are still curious about what I’m talking about below, if not then just skip this short section.

Artist: YUU菊池（岩佐有祐）(can be found on pixiv)

Notice how the area surrounding the main focal point (the little witch) has more color and detail, while the surrounding areas don’t. Yet it all blend well together.

link to Image.

One of my biggest weaknesses are when backgrounds are dark or require other types of lighting other than a brightly lighted background (where the colors are basic and don’t require much thought on color variation and shadows).

Artist: Stu_dts (can be found on pixiv)

link to image:

This is a great example of what I mean. Notice how the colors on the subject changed in response to the background. Isolating the character would problably look weird in a white background but blends quite well here.

https://source.pixiv.net/source/embed.jsThe Sun Never Sets by Stu_dts on pixiv

So in the situation of doing it all traditionally, I wan’t a dark background but don’t want to add too much color either for fear of doing what I explained before. On top of that, when the athmosphere color changes, one’s subject has to change in turn as well so that it melds well together with the background. That’s where one of my weaknesses shows up, I’m afraid of changing skin colors. I’m so unused to it that it doesn’t feel natural when I notice that it’s supposed to be a shade of blue, red, orange, yellow etc. With that in mind i decided to try it out on this piece. I need to get over this weakness so that I can grow and draw/paint faster instead of doubting my eyes and overthinking things.

Luckily with digital I can try as many times as needed till I get it right. And try I did.

Now, before I continue. I’m adding a whole background on my current artwork, but many artists don’t even bother. Sometimes just adding a quick and undetailed or even unfinished background is enough. By doing this, the range of possible colors that the main focal point can achieve without looking out of place increases. But, I wan’t to understand how color works with each other and how that changes in respect to one another. Although it takes me a long time to do, I feel it will be best in the long run since I will be able to understand how color works in different situations. I do worry since I don’t have much time left.. but I think I can get to understand it soon. The further one goes ahead, the more one realizes how much one lacks and still has to learn. I’ve heard others say this growing up, and I’m really starting to understand that more and more these days.

I don’t want this to be too long, so I will divide it into parts (how many, I don’t know). But anyway here are the outlines of what I started with.

I actually wasn’t too sure how I wanted to go about things, till I saw this picture when looking for references. Once I saw it, I knew I had to do “The Legendary Great Maneuver”: