A client contacted me to illustrate Kelpie, a shape-shifting water spirit from Scottish folklore.
The brief revolved around eerie beauty and including an equine skull in the composition.
I suggested utilizing spatterdock as a leading floral element for the background - as this way we could establish the environment without having to rely too much on rendering water surface - and this plant suits lakes the creature is known to inhabit. The idea got approved, so here's how the process looked like since:
I suggested utilizing spatterdock as a leading floral element for the background - as this way we could establish the environment without having to rely too much on rendering water surface - and this plant suits lakes the creature is known to inhabit. The idea got approved, so here's how the process looked like since:
The composition got sketched in a thumbnail scale for a preview before full scale inking. Upon approval and planning some changes in the bone structures (opted for more angular eye orbit and a bit differently shaped nasal cavity) I started working on the actual illustration.
Commenced with the skull to anchor the focal point down. Then I established the mane's flow and eventually proceeded to the floral elements. Once done - the illustration got scanned and vectorized for comfortable scaling and printing in various dimensions.
Commenced with the skull to anchor the focal point down. Then I established the mane's flow and eventually proceeded to the floral elements. Once done - the illustration got scanned and vectorized for comfortable scaling and printing in various dimensions.
