So the first thing I want to say is that every artist has their own process that works for them. The medium and style that suits their work. And that is one of the beautiful things about art – the ability to create something that matches our personal taste.
And admittedly, I’m still very much trying to find my stride with my art. I wouldn’t say I have a specific style beyond nature-themed art (originally I focused on the Pacific Northwest, but have started trying to broaden my work a bit). And one area I have tried exploring more is art with an animal focus.
So my first forays were entirely silhouette. Learning about the general shapes that these animals follow. It also gave me a chance to study lots of reference photos to learn more about the curves of various animals and where there legs are as they move in certain ways.
Then I started using these silhouettes to add details on top. Starting with adding feathers to birds. I also had been seeing quite a few Anna’s hummingbirds on walks near my house, so I had to give them a try. (Note – I would really love to try drawing these again in the future as I continue to practice)
After this I found myself returning back to the comfort of a familiar design, namely the mountains of the Cascades. I created a number of designs and was starting to play a lot more with clipping masks. The ability to try things out without affecting other layers and help with “coloring inside the lines” was very helpful.
Eventually, I decided to try clipping a mountain scene to an animal outline. To create these, I would design the background scene and the inset scene, then clip it to the animal silhouette. I still haven’t decided if I liked having separate scenes between the background and inset or simply varying the colors. But in the process, I started adding more details again to the form of the animals I chose.
And then one of my friends challenged me to draw a specific animal. One that I hadn’t dared try yet – a sea turtle. I wasn’t sure where to even begin. So I spent several hours browsing for reference images. But instead of diving in and freestyling, I decided to start with a sketch.
As I added layers, I made a number of changes to the design, but found it helpful to have a starting point. I have used this technique for the last few drawings, with some resembling my earlier silhouette outlines and others being more detailed. It especially helps when I have needed to step away from a piece for a bit to have an idea of where I was going with the design.
Regardless of the process, one thing I have learned is that a sketch can be great place to start.
Fernheart Designs 