Hello, friends!

I hope everyone's having a good summer so far!

For a couple of weeks I was bust, now I'm here to share a new work I've done. It started as just a sketch, then I wanted to play with gouache paints for some reason, and I ended up with this page.

It's a character I recently created, Ysabel. She was an NPC at first, but I had so much fun writing her quirky personality, she became a character of her own. She's a Lasombra vampire, an ex-pirate and now a traveller of sorts. This is not her final look of course, it was just an exploration page to see what I'd like her to look like. I was sure of her buff look, but couldn't give it well. I was thinking of the MMA / WWE fighter Jazzy Gabert as her refrence but these sketches were done without a refrence.

Everything was spontaneous with this page. No plans, no ideas, just drawing and painting on the go. Of course I had a general idea of what I wanted her to look like but as I drew things shifted and changed. I'm not settled on her look yet, but still, I like the way this page looks.

Some Progress Shots

At first, it was just the sketch on the left. Done out of nowhere without a plan, on my lap, haha. Painting with gouache was nowhere in my mind then. I'd just throw in some loose colors, probably with watercolor or markers...

Then, I don't know why, but suddenly I took out my gouache paints and splashed colors on it for some reason??? It was a real struggle, I tell you. It's been quite a while since I painted in gouache. The sketchbook page wasn't suitable, my paints dried out, I've lost my experience etc. A real fight, I tell you.

After a night's frustrated sleep, I had the idea of detailing it with some prismacolor pencils and it kind of worked, so I left it there. Then, I thought, why not fill the page with gouace while I'm at it? So came the eye on the corner, and that other profile sketch.

No color pencils this time, yay! Then, I got to the other sketch. I was getting the hang of gouache, actually started to enjoy it too. This happens every time I give that paing a try. A fight first, a joy later. Never in balance, haha.

This is as much shots I've taken. At times I got in the flow and completely forgot to take the progress pictures. Eh. Will do better next time!

So, that's it. I couldn't make her as muscular as I wanted to, but drawing/painting without a reference does that. I'll do better next time. Still not concrete on her :D

I hope you like it!

Also, I must make an announcement. Due to some financial struggles, I've decided to take on some commissions! If you're interested, you can drop a DM to my instagram, my artstation or send an e-mail to asiyezeynepokur@gmail.com

Thank you for your support!

See you on the next one!