@mau.wamp I'd be happy to answer
My process starts with understanding the compositions of all the pieces. I think that's the most important part because compositions give viewers the 'read' and if it is not interesting, they just won't be too attracted to the image.
Obviously, for concept pages, a lot of it is coming up with the design. I generally have a direct line for lighting and a sketch pose that I think will show off the character the best. Here is an example of a WIP - the strokes are all over the place but pose and lighting are established. It is not clean, but I have blocked out the lighting from the lines.
After you have the concept down, it is about rendering it to your liking. It looks super clean because I cleaned it up at the end with erasers, making the edges nice and tidy. I also use the lasso tool a lot to save myself from spending too much time cleaning and refining. Concept art is about interesting shapes and silhouettes, so that is the composition, as much of it doesn't have backgrounds.
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For Illustrations, it is generally about the composition of the whole piece. I put my energy into nice thumbnails that create focus, directional lines, and movement within the piece. Composition involves a lot of things, so it is difficult to go into everything without it being a block of text, but you have to pick and choose where your contrasts and focuses are.
That's why I use thumbnails and work on some interesting sketches before I commit to an idea. Storytelling is also important in illustrations, so a lot of it is picking and choosing between what I like from one thumbnail and what I like from a different one. I still struggle with composition to this day, and it is something I actively work on!
After figuring out the composition, a lot of work is just putting down colors, establishing perspective, atmosphere, etc. A value map is a good tool to figure out your drawings because it helps you refine your original image - ie: when you squint, the really important parts show.
The rest is refining - adding materials, fixing lighting, adding SPLOOSHES of interesting things (light? magic? balancing hues?)
I hope this helps
I post process videos on my Insta, but I haven't got a clue how to do it here. You can see it here: https://www.instagram.com/thejenneralchen/