BLUE MOON
Luna loves to look up at the stars at night and study the constellations. She dreams of one day becoming a great astronaut so she can get a closer look at them.
1. SKETCH
Once you create a sketch you like, you need to scan it and make whatever adjustments are needed in order to begin illustrating it digitally. For this exercise, the artist chose a sketch of Luna sitting in the moon and surrounded by stars.
2. STRUCTURE
Use the sketch as a guide to mark some structural points on the main character, and also to finish building it and analyzing its relationship with the rest of the elements of the illustration.
3. VOLUME
Next, use the guide marks to create Luna’s body.
4. ANATOMY
Once the illustration is digitized, some modifications are made to the main character in order to convey through her expressions and proportion specific characteristics. In this case, a happy little girl surrounded by the stars she loves.
5. DETAILS
Add a number of different size stars to the background and a face to Luna’s star balloon. Two circles are added to her cheeks to make her cuter.
6.1. COLOR
Combine different tones of violet and pink to give the illustration a more delicate and feminine look. Don’t forget to color in the cheeks of both Luna and her star balloon.
6.2. COLOR
Apply some very soft spots of purple to the moon to give a more lunar look. Then, blur the pink cheeks of the star and the girl to make their cheeks appear rosy.
7.1. BACKGROUND
The artist chose a crescent-shaped moon for Luna to sit on and a circular element behind it to frame the image.
7.2. BACKGROUND
Place the girl beside her balloon, sitting on the crescent as if it were a swing.
8. FINISHING TOUCHES
Focus on the hair area, draw a couple pieces of hair on her forehead to give some movement to the hair, and apply tiny transparent white dots to her cheeks as highlights to give her more depth.
TIPS & TRICKS
• Do not forget to do a few color proofs in the color step until you find the colors that best suit the image.
• If you are looking for a less vectorial result, it is important to sprinkle some specific areas to soften details.
• Software used: Adobe Illustrator & Adobe Photoshop.
