Inking Techniques/Suggestions?

[lpetiti]

Here’s an updated version:

[RachelArmington]

@lpetiti I only noticed now that your drawing is in a bound sketchbook. I was going to suggest tracing your design onto white card stock a few times and really diving (yes, referencing your character!) so that you could experiment different ways with line weight and crosshatching without feeling as if you would over-do your original drawing. At least sometimes, with me, I'll resist finishing a drawing because I don't want to "ruin" it.

When I run book workshops for kids I go through a ton of card stock..it's not a perfect plate finish, but it holds up to the heavy coloring the kids tend to like. Sometimes I buy larger sizes than 8-1/2 x 11 at the copy shop.

[lpetiti]

@RachelArmington I love that idea! I was limited in what I could do with this book, so I like the idea of experimenting with it

[RachelArmington]

@lpetiti Even though I hardly ever show my sketchbooks to anyone, I feel self conscious when a sketch goes wrong or I fill a few pages with what amounts to scribbles. If it has a hardcover, I want a perfect book!

[lpetiti]

@RachelArmington I agree! My boyfriend bought me this sketchbook and it’s a gorgeous leather journal with good paper. Talk about not wanting to mess it up

[Larue]

If it were me I'd put a piece of tracing paper over it and try different ways to put some shadows in. (hatch, cross hatch etc. ) As it is now, you don't have a light source. Once you decide that I think shadows and more mid to dark tones will make it more three dimensional. You might want to research other blk/wht illustrators that tackled underwater scenes to see what worked for them, it's not easy probably why I've never attempted it (tee,hee)

[fmb]

@lpetiti for underwater scenes it sometimes works to just fill a bit the space with small dots making like dwindling lines that look like tiny streams of air bubbles coming up from the ground. I don’t even know if this happens in reality, but it’s a classic haha.

[lpetiti]

@fmb that’s a great idea! I’m planning on doing a few more versions of this, and some other illustrations of underwater scenes, so I’m definitely going to practice these techniques. Thank you so much!

[Mara Price]

@lpetiti SVS has great inking classes!

[lpetiti]

@Mara-Price I forgot to look at those! I've been working through the fundamentals classes, but I'll add those to my list!