Advanced_Photoshop_Issue_139_-_2015_UK_

EYE ON DESIGN PORTFOLIO INTERVIEW

but it was really, really rewarding to see the final

artwork animated in the game.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE AN ASPIRING

CHARACTER DESIGNER?

My advice would be to aim for progress and not

perfection. If you want to paint characters, then paint a

lot of characters! I’d also say cast a wide net of

inspiration, both in terms of references for designs and

also the work of other artists. Don’t get too fixated on

one particular style. I spent a long time getting

frustrated with trying to find a style when I started out,

rather than just focusing on being a better artist.

WHAT TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES HAVE

HELPED YOU AS AN ARTIST? ARE THERE

SPECIAL TOOLS THAT YOU UTILISE?

I’ve used the same tools since I started out really. I

think if you invest in decent equipment then it will last

you a long time. I’ve always used Photoshop as it’s

the program I first started out with and after ten years

it’s where I feel most comfortable.

I’ve also always stuck with Wacom Intuos tablets.

Admittedly, I have had to buy a couple of

replacements thanks to spillages and puppy chewing,

but I couldn’t ever be without a tablet nowadays.

HOW DO YOU FIND CLIENTS AND DOES SOCIAL

MEDIA PLAY A BIG ROLE IN YOUR WORK?

Social media plays a huge role in my work in regards to

promoting it and connecting with new people to work

with. I also just really enjoy connecting with artists and

sharing work that I like. I have a slight Twitter addiction!

Most clients tend to find me through one online

avenue or another. My day job provides a certain stability,

meaning I can have a steady trickle of freelance work

coming in without me having to chase the work down.

DO YOU HAVE ANY GOALS FOR THE FUTURE? IS

THERE ANY SPECIFIC CLIENTS OUT THERE THAT

YOU DREAM ABOUT WORKING FOR?

My biggest dream when I started out was to see my

name in credits and have my work on the covers of

books and magazines. Amazingly enough it’s happened

quite a few times now! And book covers have become

one of my favourite things to work on.

More so than working for another client, I think I’d

love to create a larger body of work for myself, whether

it’s an art book or an IP, I haven’t decided yet.

ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON ANY NEW

PROJECTS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE

WITH US?

I’m working on plenty of projects, but unfortunately I

can’t share any of them!

I can say that I have some more book covers and

magazine work coming out soon.

My process varies depending on whether I’m designing a

character or painting a character in a scene, but I usually start

witharoughsilhouetteandworkfromthere,buildingupthedesign

■ LET LOOSE

I’m a detail driven individual a lot of the time when it comes

to art and sometimes it’s to my detriment. I find it really

liberating to paint something now and then, which is really

loose and suggestive. It’s refreshing to just forget about

those details and paint what you feel.

■ TAKE BREAKS

Remember to take breaks! Not just quick breaks whilst

you’re working, but a longer one once you think you’ve

finished a painting. Come back to a painting the next day and

you’ll be looking through entirely new eyes, it probably won’t

be as finished as you thought it was.

■ CLIPPING MASKS

I’ve only started using clipping masks over the past year or so,

but they are such a time saver. If you’re working on a character

for instance (separate from the background) paint anything

over them on a clipping mask and it will stay within the

constraints of the character. Right-click>Create Clipping Mask.

■ TEXTURE

I really like adding texture to my paintings in the final stages.

My work tends to be ver y smooth and I like to add some kind

of grungy texture to give it a bit of grit. I like gritty and paper y

textures, which are set to Overlay or Multiply, with the

Opacity around 10-25%.

■ OVERLAY GLOW

I get a lot of use out of overlay when it comes to lighting. If

you want pops of light or glowing areas, use a mixture of

opaque layers and a big fuzzy brush set to Overlay on top, it

will give you a nice buildable glow.

MASTER YOUR WORKFLOW

CHARLIE BOWATER SHARES HER ADVICE

Ours: Mastering facial features is really important when designing

characters. It is an ongoing learning process, and your characters will evolve more and more over time. Even professional character

designers still refine their skill as time passes

Submerge: This is a wonderful example of how

Charlie utilises textures in her digital painting. The flow of her brush strokes allow the viewer to imagine

the character portrayed being lost under water