'LUNA MOTH' steps and w.i.p. pictures

'LUNA MOTH' is part of a set with painted imagery

I will not call this abridged collection of pictures 'step by step' - but it gives a good overview about the making of the Luna Moth.

The moth will be integrated as a decorative element in a set of graphics which are based on water colored backgrounds

The drop shadows under the markings are not to be found on the natural luna moth wing and the markings are merely part of the wing pattern.

These shadows have a function in the final design and are kept on separate layers.

tools:

#wacom intuos (digital drawing tablet with pen)

#adobe photoshop 

#SAI 

this is the result (saves you the scrolling if you aren't interested in the 'making of' :-) )

all the screenshots are below

it starts with a rough sketch in SAI

blocking in the colors, keeping it semi transparent

adding some light and darks, same layer, drew some useless lines which later disappeared under the color layers

still working in SAI, blending a variety of hues in the purple and green spectrum

adding more color and texture

more definition and now the lines are back, in the form of the underlying wing bone (?) don't know if that is the correct name for them, the wings are now ready for blending and the first hair layer is established

several layers with blotchy sprayed and highly blended color patches, yellow to blue spectrum, shadows in dark blue - it makes the yellows and bright greens pop, hair layer is progressing with more color and darker areas, check the rim of the wings, it now has a darker fringe, there is a certain subtlety about the fringe, so I used a warm raspberry hue for painting it. later one I added a 10% layer of a medium ocre shade

  

I drew the markings on but didn't like the way they looked, later on I had the idea with the golden markings and deleted this layer. 

here they are back

the antlers are also added, they are very similar than feathers when it comes to the texture

hint: draw an oval shape and work in the selection of this shape, this way you save yourself the cleanup afterwards, the shape works like a stencil

last but not least - two more color varieties I liked as I tested the template

one in pastel colors and the other one in a dark color setting

thanks for visiting and your interest in my work in progress