Illustration in the style of Campbell (Digital Media)
Aaron Campbell's work was definitely some of the most inspiring and colourful examples of digital illustration that I'd encountered in recent years. Coupled with his cartoon-y style and inspirations, his style was something that strongly resonated with me, and was something I really wanted to try. I took a close look at one of his images in particular, with an eye to trying my own version of this image.
Ultimately, as a car lover, I wanted to feature a vehicle as my subject matter, with a colourful scene behind it. I wasn't sure if I'd ever be able to come close to something like this. I started by doing a sketch. Or more aptly, a series of sketches. I wanted to tie this into the theme of my own environment, and my immediate idea was to draw my own car, a crappy like car that I have such a strong attachment too.
This was my first composite sketch. What I'd done here was take several sketches I'd done and combined them into one to create a sample image. There were problems with it. The pavement was t a weird angle. I'd initially taken this image and worked with it more and more to create something, but going back to look at it I was very unhappy with it. I wanted to start over, but with time against me, I knew I was going to have to really hammer on with it. Especially if I wanted to get it to any reasonable standard. So, I took this sketch and tried to change it and redo it digitally, so I could easy edit it and manipulate it into a composition I was happy with.
This sketch is very different. I did this for a number of reasons. The biggest one I feel is the framing. I opted to go for a wide frame that mimicked the original image I was emulating. I also pulled in tighter on the car, sort of using it as a focus point. The background is more suffocated. I made some slight changes to the car too, most notably the closest tyre. I changed the scenery too, now less of an open landscape to a closer, more personal environment. The location is a shrunken, caricatured version of where I actually park my car. Just as the truck in the original is parked at home.
The first thing I did was to create the basic shapes and colours that I wanted for my background. I made some minor tweaks and changes, but nothing spectacular. Most of this is sort of a place holder. The car is going to be more complicated to do, so I wanted the background done to at least this level so I could better work towards a cohesive image.
Here on I added the car, adding a little more detail. As you can see, the shapes are really flat and don't really blend into each other two well. The next stages are a little more intense, so I'll be focusing on specific areas.
Using a paintbrush tool in Clip Studio, I set about adding some shading to the vehicle and some of it's details. It's not too complicated or overly detailed, just to help give it some shape and form. With the shape not having line art or an outline, it helps define what the shape is meant to be. It really transforms it from a blob of colour into the shape of a car.
I did the same stage again for the background, adding some details, shape and some light shading. I also added some cartoon-y clouds. This part of the process isn't complicated, but can take a long time. If you want to, you can spend days on this stage to get everything perfect and scrutinise everything. Regardless of time, I'm not sure I have the technical ability to get to the same level as Campbell. At least, at my current level of experience. You can see how much of a difference this makes to the image though.
Now that most of the details are in place, I added shading across the whole image. For the first time, I've worked on the car and the background together, and made it seem like the car is part of the scene, rather than above it. To help keep the shading atmospheric, I used a purple hue and used it on a 'Multiply' layer above everything. I've always been a little apprehensive of going in too strong with shading, but looking at Campbell's shading, I knew I had to push it out a little. I really feel at this stage that it's starting to come together.
So here is my finished version. I added some details to the car and the grass and gravel to try and bring it all together and make it stand out a little more. I added some light, as well as some light bouncing off the car. This is something you could spend hours and hours on, and get more and more detail in, but honestly I'm not sure what else I want to do with it. I think it's come a long way from the initial sketch, and I am quite happy with it, but as soon as I look back at the original Campbell image, I immediately get deflated.
I think that looking at other artists work, digital or otherwise, inspires and encourages you to work in ways you wouldn't ordinarily try. It was fun and challenging working in this way, which seemed to have less definition and planning involved. When I draw, I know what I want and how I want to get there. This was a lot more fumbling around. I am happy with the result, and aside from putting in the time to nail down the details, I don't know what stages I am missing to elevate this to the same level as Campbell's work. I really wish I did.
Ultimately, as a car lover, I wanted to feature a vehicle as my subject matter, with a colourful scene behind it. I wasn't sure if I'd ever be able to come close to something like this. I started by doing a sketch. Or more aptly, a series of sketches. I wanted to tie this into the theme of my own environment, and my immediate idea was to draw my own car, a crappy like car that I have such a strong attachment too.
This was my first composite sketch. What I'd done here was take several sketches I'd done and combined them into one to create a sample image. There were problems with it. The pavement was t a weird angle. I'd initially taken this image and worked with it more and more to create something, but going back to look at it I was very unhappy with it. I wanted to start over, but with time against me, I knew I was going to have to really hammer on with it. Especially if I wanted to get it to any reasonable standard. So, I took this sketch and tried to change it and redo it digitally, so I could easy edit it and manipulate it into a composition I was happy with.
This sketch is very different. I did this for a number of reasons. The biggest one I feel is the framing. I opted to go for a wide frame that mimicked the original image I was emulating. I also pulled in tighter on the car, sort of using it as a focus point. The background is more suffocated. I made some slight changes to the car too, most notably the closest tyre. I changed the scenery too, now less of an open landscape to a closer, more personal environment. The location is a shrunken, caricatured version of where I actually park my car. Just as the truck in the original is parked at home.
The first thing I did was to create the basic shapes and colours that I wanted for my background. I made some minor tweaks and changes, but nothing spectacular. Most of this is sort of a place holder. The car is going to be more complicated to do, so I wanted the background done to at least this level so I could better work towards a cohesive image.
Here on I added the car, adding a little more detail. As you can see, the shapes are really flat and don't really blend into each other two well. The next stages are a little more intense, so I'll be focusing on specific areas.
Using a paintbrush tool in Clip Studio, I set about adding some shading to the vehicle and some of it's details. It's not too complicated or overly detailed, just to help give it some shape and form. With the shape not having line art or an outline, it helps define what the shape is meant to be. It really transforms it from a blob of colour into the shape of a car.
I did the same stage again for the background, adding some details, shape and some light shading. I also added some cartoon-y clouds. This part of the process isn't complicated, but can take a long time. If you want to, you can spend days on this stage to get everything perfect and scrutinise everything. Regardless of time, I'm not sure I have the technical ability to get to the same level as Campbell. At least, at my current level of experience. You can see how much of a difference this makes to the image though.
Now that most of the details are in place, I added shading across the whole image. For the first time, I've worked on the car and the background together, and made it seem like the car is part of the scene, rather than above it. To help keep the shading atmospheric, I used a purple hue and used it on a 'Multiply' layer above everything. I've always been a little apprehensive of going in too strong with shading, but looking at Campbell's shading, I knew I had to push it out a little. I really feel at this stage that it's starting to come together.
So here is my finished version. I added some details to the car and the grass and gravel to try and bring it all together and make it stand out a little more. I added some light, as well as some light bouncing off the car. This is something you could spend hours and hours on, and get more and more detail in, but honestly I'm not sure what else I want to do with it. I think it's come a long way from the initial sketch, and I am quite happy with it, but as soon as I look back at the original Campbell image, I immediately get deflated.
I think that looking at other artists work, digital or otherwise, inspires and encourages you to work in ways you wouldn't ordinarily try. It was fun and challenging working in this way, which seemed to have less definition and planning involved. When I draw, I know what I want and how I want to get there. This was a lot more fumbling around. I am happy with the result, and aside from putting in the time to nail down the details, I don't know what stages I am missing to elevate this to the same level as Campbell's work. I really wish I did.
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