ART – Seeing How Painting Practice Applies to Coloring Drawings

I had to take some time away from my color studies to color a header drawing made for my perspective lesson post over at my other site The Drawing Website.

In the post I show the process I went through to draw the line work.  Here though, I thought I’d write about the coloring process.

The reason I’m doing so is because I took the opportunity to color the drawing using a lot of the techniques I’ve been using in my color studies.  Turns out, the processes are complimentary.

That should be obvious of course, I just didn’t know how complimentary they would be.

In general, I think the final colored drawing came out okay.  I didn’t really have a vision for what it should look like going in.  I was making it up as I went.

I’m not entirely sure that was the best approach.

I colored it all without reference. I was made up the colors and values shapes.  I began with the shadow colors and then added in the colors in the light.

I also used two different programs to color this with.  Not out of choice. I simply didn’t have access to the program I began coloring the drawing in.

The programs I used where Photoshop and Manga Studio 5.  The character in pink with the big afro, I colored using Photoshop.  The rest of the drawing I colored using Manga Studio 5.

It was an interesting experiment.  Using Manga Studio 5, I used the “oil paint,” simulator option.  It was a bit awkward at first to use it.  Little by little, the more I used it, I began understand it. By the time I was done with the coloring, I loved the tool.

Too bad there isn’t a brush in Photoshop that’s like it.  From now on, if I get a chance to color in Manga Studio 5, I’ll use it every time.  I diffidently want to try doing some studies with it.

In the end, my take away from coloring this drawing:

• A preliminary color thumbnail might be a good idea.
• Painting techniques apply easily to coloring line art.
• The Manga Studio 5 “oil paint” tool is pretty cool.
• Coloring a drawing like a painting takes long time.

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