For years Khabir worked for the imperial troops plying the outer reaches of the universe. But, after being betrayed by his superiors who had accused him of a crime he did not commit, he gave up his command to sail the universe as a true corsair, evoking the spirit of the great pirates who sailed the seas free from the bounds of servitude. But this freedom has a price, and his former companions have decided to chase him throughout the galaxy.
1. SKETCHES
The main character, Khabir, splendidly retro-futuristic, started out as an androgynous-looking girl, then a skinny young man, until reaching his true form of a space buccaneer bursting with attitude and personality.
2. STRUCTURE
We sketched the character using lines and ovals to help us determine the posture. We strayed away from any rigidity by curving the central axis of the skeleton.
3. VOLUME
By having a curved back, we force the play of the hips and the trunk itself to lean over. On the initial sketch we corrected the right arm so the posture would not appear too forced.
4. ANATOMY
We especially defined the musculature of the torso and trunk, as this part of his body would be unclothed. He is a young and athletic type, but not overly well-built. We made his hands larger to demonstrate his strength.
5. DETAILS
The retro-futuristic cut of his clothes is inspired by classic pirate series, but with a more carefree, attractive touch.
6.1. COLOR
We began by applying the drawing’s base tones, mostly low-saturated blues and browns, and we worked with each color in a different layer.
6.2. COLOR
We added mauve or light purple shadows on separate layers in a Multiply Blend Mode, using the Eraser Tool with a brush adjusted to different opacity levels.
6.3. COLOR
We applied a second group of darker shadows with slight gradients on a new layer in the Multiply Blend Mode. This way the character gains strength and darkness.
6.4. COLOR
To draw the background, we began by defining the colors of the planet and space, then created clouds and drew in the stars. These are complemented by the texture layers used to create nebulous effects, later given their shape using color.
6.5. COLOR
We painted in the hair highlights and details such as the pistol and jacket on a layer in the Hard Light Blend Mode. We also applied color gradients over the base color.
6.6. COLOR
We drew in the smoke with a brush at low opacity and smudged it with the Finger Tool.
FINISHING TOUCHES
- We changed the Blend Mode of the smoke layer to a Brightness Mode to make it turn white.
- We duplicated the line drawing on a new layer in a Multiply Blend Mode and applied a Gaussian Blur Filter to give it a faded effect.
Tips & tricks
- To give the background a greater sense of depth, we added another layer in a Color Blend Mode and painted lilac brushstrokes on the furthest edges of the image.
- When we apply certain textures, it is best to do this in black and white so they don’t end up changing the color of the image.
