
In progress: first character try (Blender)
February 23, 2025
I’ve been thinking about drawing this for a while and finally got around to it; it’s the first of what will likely be a series of nature-themed illustrations I’d like to make, including more marine life, birds and cityscapes – as a basis for exploring a variety of tools and techniques. I saw a video of a whale shark in its natural environment last year, and was inspired by its unique beauty and gracefulness. Drawn in Adobe illustrator using my Wacom Cintiq, my trusty mouse, and a dose of perseverance (so many dots!), with an assist from Photoshop to overlay the subtle layer of water ripples.
I’ll probably approach the other pieces and themes I mentioned above in a similar fashion, as I try to refine my digital illustration process and aesthetic; I’m drawn to this approach of combining intricate technical illustrations with some more organic and abstract elements. More to come…
L to R: So. Many. Dots. But the Cintiq helped make pretty quick work of it; detail of the coral treatment; the illustration before adding the overlay; generated water texture, converted to vectors.