DESERT SKULLS
Digital Illustration
Another piece inspired by the month I spent traveling along the west coast of Australia: a trip that resulted in so much visual inspiration. For this drawing, I used still-life models of real skulls (Is it still a still-life if it's dead?)
See the final artwork below, along with illustration steps and technical specs:
Final Digital Illustration
Tools used:
Illustrated in the Procreate app using the symmetry tool
Canvas size: 4200 x 4200px, 360 DPI
I begin most compositions with monochromatic linework, before positioning the artwork into a final layout. For this project, I began by illustrating each skull separately, weaving small pattern details into the horns.
After establishing the linework for each skull, I arranged them into a circular composition and began to weave in plant illustrations. I drew in the app Procreate, a raster-based digital drawing program.
Learn more about Procreate here:
Floral / Skull layout within the Procreate interface.
Illustration stages. On the left, colorblocking. On the right, final shade and color.
Timelapse video of the coloring stages.
The original specimen, as found (and cleaned!) by my biologist friends.
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