Hi everyone - I'm new to the forum

[tbrazee]

@Nyrryl-Cadiz Thank you! I'll see you around the forum - have a great day!

[burvantill]

Welcome!!

[tbrazee]

@burvantill Thanks - I'm happy to be here

[Melissa_Bailey]

@tbrazee you're so welcome! Glad you found it helpful.

A few years ago, I dipped my toes into digital art, not with the goal of going completely digital, but to find that hybrid approach you're talking about. I have illustrated a few books completely digital, but mostly I start out digital with the rough sketches and storyboarding, then once the sketches are approved I move over to traditional. I print out a sketch on 140 lb watercolor paper and finish the illustration traditionally. Working this way has really helped me to work more efficiently, especially when it comes to composition -- it's SO easy to move elements around in Photoshop or Procreate instead of having to completely redraw an element or sketch (and hope you don't mess it up).

But yeah, even if you decide to stay completely traditional, it helps to learn Photoshop, even if just for editing scanned illustrations.

Oh ... and check out Adam Rex's illustrations too. I think you'll really dig his style! (I think he works in a hybrid of digital/traditional.)

[tbrazee]

@Melissa-Bailey-0 I like the sound of your process and will try it. What kind of printer do you have to print onto 140 lb paper, and what is the largest print size? I've been considering a larger format printer but get overwhelmed by the choices.

I use Photoshop to collage elements for painting references so I know enough to get around in there (lasso, cut, paste, layers, levels) but not enough to do much else. I'm grateful for at least a little knowledge.

And, I visited your website. I LOVE your work - especially your amazing characters!

Have a great day and thanks for sharing your process - it's super helpful to hear about other artist's studio practices.

[Melissa_Bailey]

@tbrazee aww, thanks!

It sounds like your Photoshop knowledge is on par with mine, and so far that has seen me through a few years of illustration work. (Though, like you, I'm always trying to learn something new and expand my digital skills!)

To answer your question about the printer I use, about 6 months ago I had to purchase a new printer and went with the Epson Workforce WF-7820. So far it's been working really well. It scans up to 17 x 12 inches -- there was a little bit of a learning curve to find which scan settings were as close as possible to the original artwork, but that might be the user as opposed to the machine. The printer works beautifully (probably not as high quality as some printers, but perfect for what I need to use it for) -- when I transfer my digital drawing to paper, I use the rear feed and it handles 11" x 17" 140 lb watercolor paper with ease. The only downside for me is that my old printer would print on 300 lb Fabriano Artistico hot press paper (my favorite) and this printer does not (so I have to use my second favorite paper if I don't want to transfer the image using a lightbox). Incidentally, Epson says that their DURA-Brightinks are pro-quality, pigment-based, and should last for a long time "generations in album storage" -- but they don't say exactly how long that is and I'm not sure how lightfast their inks are. (I should probably do a lightfast test of my own to find out.)

If you're interested, here's a visual breakdown of my process:

Step 1: digital sketch

Step 2: printing the sketch onto watercolor paper and refining the drawing

Step 3: painting with watercolor

Step 4: colored pencil layer -- adding details and texture

Step 5: finishing the illustration -- scanning it, editing, adding digital details (like sparkles)

This is what works well for me at the moment. Hope you found this long-winded message helpful and/or interesting.

[tbrazee]

@Melissa-Bailey-0 This is fantastic and helps a lot! I know it took some time to put all this here, so thanks a million. The visual breakdown of the process is really useful, and what an adorable illustration. The printer info is good too. I'll start shopping around and make a decision.

Again, thanks for going the extra, EXTRA mile with this. I appreciate it very much!

Have a wonderful evening

[Nyrryl Cadiz]

@Melissa-Bailey-0 the amount of work you put into this piece is awe-inspiring.

[Melissa_Bailey]

@tbrazee oh I'm so glad you found it helpful!

And if you also are curious and find it helpful, I bought my all-in-one printer from Office Depot and had it shipped to my house. It's sold out now but you can find a comparable model, the Workforce WF-7840 (its big brother, you might say) here. That same model is also available from BestBuy.

[Melissa_Bailey]

@Nyrryl-Cadiz thanks so much! Honestly, though, it doesn't feel like a ton of work and I find that whether I work traditionally or digitally (or a mix of both), it takes me about the same amount of time to illustrate. I love working both in watercolor and colored pencil, so this mixed media approach is the best of both worlds, I guess!