Y1W47&48 The Process behind the Wukong Illustration (& the topic of Focus)

Posted on Posted in Fanart, Illustration, LeonieYue, progressupdate, Reflection, Sketches, Studies Tagged with , , , , , ,

Leonie’s small blog island says hullo! (:

Super post today!

Let’s go ! Journal Time.

“Bring me a real challenge.”
Doodling Riot’s character design here
CONTENTS
Y1W47to48 Leonie Yue’s Sketchbook
Sun Wukong RioT Fanart Process
Other Hermit Burp Adventuuures
Question for you: What are you focusing on?
The Past 2 Weeks

Year 1, Weeks 47 & 48 (3rd to 16th Dec)

  • Projects: you’re seeing one of them now *coughWukongcough* (:
  • Arm, back and shoulder strain self reminder
  • Digital Sketchbook: calling it so as it makes it easier!
  • Character Designs! Thanks to the push of Kristy, I’m going to make this a regular thing, even if it is just one per update and however rough it may be. Heads up that I’ll post them here firstmost and if I want to, I’ll post it at social media and other blogs before the next fortnightly Fun5riday update.
To give context for the following design, I did this girl in Feb 2011.
I was struggling with direction in life at the time so I did this with a lot of watercolour mess for fun. It didn’t matter how well it was drawn as it worked keeping my mind off the negativity and gave me more hope.Strangely enough, back then, I wrote this passage to go with it.
Up for your interpretation:

“Seeing you, I feel warm

You fill me with vibrant colours

Causing my hair to fly on end

They grow and flow towards the air

You are my rainbow”
Wanted to have a go at her again after so long. Her name’s Chroma.
She will have clothes once I figure out fashion. Haha!
To me, she’s a symbol of fun, quirky, being carefree and hope.
Chroma portrait

Riot/League of Legends Fanart: Sun Wukong

Hello! I posted the finished illustration last week here.

I started this last month but I’ve finally finished it so…here goes!

I am doing this just to challenge myself to illustrate a fictional character I really like (even though I don’t play League of Legends, I know enough to do this). Funnily enough, I did talk about Journey to the West lore in several posts in the past and how I can’t see how Monkey King can be redesigned (it’s been done countless of times outside of LoL). So this is a challenge to me!

Research & Studies
Thanks internet for the references! I originally set out to redesign everything. I’ll do so some other day.
Figuring it out
Fancy costume design studies
So much detail; I simplified things so I didn’t do it justice! I did some studies of other artists’ renditions of Monkey King too and annotated them as such (one of which is Ian Mcque)
Figured I might do Riot’s Design and play with that instead for this Riot competition since the proportions and stylisation requirements are pretty much set. I won’t redesign him for this contest as I’d probably want to change a lot of things that diverge from their designs!
Riot’s WuKong Design studies
Illustration Process
There was this super cool dancer pose I found (but I can’t link it as the image is gone from the internet and it’s actually really low resolution thumbsized image anyway) >:
Fart gas? :O
Okay too much gas
Decoy move! Yeah!
Decoy Monkey took a looooong time. He’s close to being finished…?
Decoy Monkey arguably “done”. Wukong is blocked out! His foot bothered me.
Wukong! Not finished yet…
Final: Test of the might!
Wukong’s Decoy Move! Funnily enough, it’s Christmas colours.
(Riot’s Wukong design from League of Legends)

Even now, really not sure about this illustration in the end. It’s a time consuming process, plus I was working on it on and off. I’m in need of a long break before I can see it with fresh eyes!

This is for their contest and I couldn’t resist not doing Wukong.
And I just wanted to have fun at it. I wasn’t aiming for design accuracy!

I’m playing with styles I guess!

Bonus Process for my stylised Wukong

Previously posted the final of this piece here.
Used a different workflow instead this time as I’m doing this one out of fun and pushing its art style.

Sketch
Final Lineart
Colour Block in
Painting
More painting, background, refinements & Final

I don’t know for sure how cool he is as a character in League of Legends but Wukong is so cool as a character in the Journey to the West lore!

Haha oh these Wukong phrases.

For further fun; I did another illustration.
I wanted to add my style to it.

He’s charged up to do the Crushing Blow move.

This is definitely not in Riot’s art style (disqualified entry?) but I’m really happy with this one. (:

Other Hermit Derp Adventuuures:   

  • Games (watching bits or all of it):
    • MOTHER 3
    • Bayonetta 2
    • Far Cry 4
    • The Evil Within
    • This War of Mine
    • The Plague
    • I am Bread
    • The Wolf Among Us, for some reason again
    • SCP Containment Breach
    • Smash Bros. for Wii U
    • Never Alone
    • Godzilla PS3
    • Munchkin…?
    • Cards against Humanity
    • Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney DLC: Meekins is so cool; as I remembered haha
    • Christmas Shopping Simulator
    • Rollers of the Realm
    • Cool Spot
    • Assassin’s Creed: Unity beginning
    • WWE 2K15
    • The Crew
    • Dark Souls II DLC
    • The Game Awards 2014: Zelda gameplay YES!! So excited for that!! Everyone celebrating Shovel Knight (among others)! Interesting that Dragon Age: Inquisition won.
    • Dying Light
    • Super Wolfenstein HD
    • Luigi’s Mansion
    • Always Sometimes Monsters
    • Double Action: Boogaloo
    • Can your pet?
    • Freedom Planet
    • The Zoo Race
    • Starwhal
    • Battle Construction Vehicles
    • Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 10/20
    • Gunz 2: The Second Duel
    • Dead Island: Epidemic
    • Quake: Live
    • Dandelion: Wishes brought to you
    • Elegy for a Dead World
    • PSX (2014)
    • Audiosurf
    • Last Year Kickstarter
  • Workstation Approach: makeshift standing “desk” report! Week 12 & 13 again! Haven’t been doing much as the summer heat has gotten to me. So the shoulder aches have returned to my dismay.
  • Special Food (I cherish them!): These past 2 weeks have been special! BBQ; such a rare treat for me! Red skins! Lollies? Japanese food (learned that I prefer finger food and small dishes)! Delish fresh dumplings & icy desserts; I over-ate! Increasingly finding meaty things in moderation suiting me fine (well come to think of it, it applies for food in general)!
  • Trailers:
  • Games (played) 
    • Smash Bros. for Wii U: starting to like playing as Zelda, Toon Link, Charizard…and King Dedede especially is fun.
    • Got my bro playing Monument Valley too and he’s surprised that he’s enjoying it; yes!
    • Crossy Road on Android: finally played it for myself (I don’t have any Apple products or a smart phone; just a little Android tablet). Stopped myself after trying it out for a bit. I can definitely see why it’s popular, cool and addictive! Not that they need any “plugging” but swish art by Ben and game created by a pair of smart Aussies.
  • Beach – Bee and PuppyCat Ep. 3: It’s great. It feels like half an episode though but wonderfully whimsical as always. Happier that PuppyCat talks more here. Creepy cleavage crab.
———————————————————————————————————

Question for you: What are you focusing on?

In a world where everything is demanding your attention from social media feeds, advertising, friends, family, news, games, books, movies, sports, events and so on; it’s terribly easy to get overwhelmed. Attention span is incredibly short in the past several years in a world overflowing with information so if something is comprehensive, it has to be high quality content.
One of my strengths is that I excel at focusing and working on one thing at a time (I’m sure I’m not alone in that regard). Usually I am not easily distracted once I believe in what I must do and if I were procrastinating, I would be jumping from doing one thing to another at a time until it all gets done. Though I’m terrible at small talk, I enjoy quality one to one interactions, I’m extremely selective on social media feeds and I focus on learning and drawing. I usually compartmentalise things. Hey, I don’t call myself Hermit Derp for nothing.
This is arguably a weakness as I’m not good at most social situations (as there’s 1+ people to spread my attention on), I’m probably out of the loop with people, movies, books, pop culture and trends (as I tend to focus on learning and drawing), I enjoy listening more in busy social things as there’s usually interesting people talking about things I have little clue about (ie loads of stimuli plus I’m a learning Hermit Derp) and sometimes life throws you lemons that must be juggled carefully so that you’re not spread too thin (I do so already with varying results.)
Is there such thing as work/life balance? Yes.
Given that it aligns with your values in taking care of yourself in all aspects. There are people who do really focused work by dedicating 3-4 hours a day on creative things and then specified times for regular exercise, socialising in person, family time, social media and entertainment plus full time work for example.
I’m not a good role model for this however. My work/life ratio is at best 2:1, give or take. Though when I say work, I mean learning and arting (plus gameplay entertainment) so usually it doesn’t feel like work. (:
I do other things like regular exercise but I don’t have what others deem “living an interesting life (especially outside of your expertise)”.

I guess at this moment I’m happy being focused at learning and arting as a Hermit Derp. This is one of the most important things to me and what I do everyday, at least right now. I’m look forward to the day where I’m financially able to live that version of an interesting, independent life with great company. One day I’ll travel, actually have some disposable income, afford a dslr camera/art things, do some touristy, fun, strange things, learn to ride my bicycle again (I believe I am rusty!), not be so much at the sidelines, grow more as a person and meet more people!These aforementioned things are probably awfully wonderful to experience but as you know, becoming a financially independent freelancer first is my prime focus.

If it comes down to it; that I don’t really get to do the aforementioned things at all in my whole lifetime, then so be it. Not saying I’m fine with it but I’ve got my prime focus to work towards first!

Right now, this is my version of an interesting life.

Learning, arting, blogging, being frugal and a Hermit Derp.
I’m certain it will keep changing!
I’m in no way perfect but I’m working on becoming a better person!
The only thing constant is change as they say. (:

Ah well, however sad this sounds, I’m grateful that I have you as company for the ride! If you’re a hermit in any way like me, you’re not alone! (:

Questions to mull over…what are you focusing on? 

What is your version of the interesting life that you’re acting out right now? 
What version are you hoping to obtain, 5 years in the future?

The past 2 weeks: Woo! I finished Wukong!
I really want to redesign him completely but I need an indefinite break from him first. Riot’s design is pretty good but their version of his character is not exactly how I envisioned him in the lore.
As the year comes to an end and aside from celebrating we start questioning the time spent in the year gone by. Or at least I have! Lots of things happened and I’m left wondering what’s next.

Hah well let’s all stand strong in the face of the unknown. (:

I’ve been arting and learning as usual otherwise. Juggling! I did do a bit of so-called “socialising practice” at least!
A little sidenote, I got an early (and probably only present)! Thanks bro! 😀
Calling her Zeruda! I’m not good at it but she’s one of my main characters in Smash Bros.
My bro is trying to train me while I try to train Zeruda. She’s copying my mistakes! Derp.

Thank you for your company! Keep adventuuuring you!  (:

Last post for the year so enjoy your upcoming holidays and Christmas (if you celebrate it) too!
Leonie