Spooky Forest Illustration Process

An illustration inspired by Webtoon's October prompt list! This one was kinda last minute, I wasn't totally sure if I was gonna participate in OC-tober but I thought eh what the heck! Plus the "Spooky Forest" prompt was fitting. I started with messy basic sketches as usual, and pretty much just trusted my gut for the entire background process. I used to lay down sketches for BG's but lately I've opted to block out colors first and foremost, it helps me get a feel for the vibe and palette quicker. Additionally blocking out can help a lot with composition since you're not confined to any linework, so moving things around becomes much easier if needed. The canvas started out pretty skinny, but I've had to get out of that habit mainly for the sake of posting on Instagram. Unfortunately the cropping is awful on there, but at least the square canvas has helped me come up with new ideas I wouldn't have otherwise. I played a lot with foliage here, it's become one of my favorite things to draw primarily because there's no set anatomy you have to follow with it. The looser the better, which is how I like it!

The wolf that bites Leo was initially far off in the distance, and I had thought to maybe put another close-up of Leo standing to the right to fill up that empty space. I liked the idea but it wasn't really turning out how I wanted, and considering I wasn't planning on even really making this at all I didn't wanna spend too much time trying to figure it out. Moving the wolf was the easiest solution, using its eye to fill the composition. This also ended up being a fun way to experiment with colors, I really enjoyed working with those bright greens and reflecting them onto the forest. Drawing Leo himself was super easy, it was the lighting that put me through the ringer this time around. I struggled with balancing contrast, everything felt too dark but simultaneously I did want it to be a little hard to see. I was unsure at first but ultimately I opted to make Leo a little brighter, overlaying an orange blend mode on him so he'd compliment the BG's cool tones. I also worked to make the light softer, there are a LOT of blend mode layers on this thing and looking at it genuinely confuses me because I can never tell which one looks best lol. It's tough finishing a piece because I always feel I could add more, but again I really didn't want to go to insane with this one despite my brain insisting >:/

Drawing this makes me look back at episodes 4 & 5 and wish I did things different, I feel like over these past few months my third eye has opened (ha-ha) and I just understand how I want my story to look a lot more than I did when I started. I know that's how everyone who makes comics feels though, improvement is a wonderful thing but goodness I really can't even bring myself to look at the starting episodes anymore 🤣 Speaking of which, this illustration is actually a redraw! A loose one, but still. The last slide is a drawing from October 2019, five years ago, and the first WOLFHUNT illustration I ever made with Leo's canon design. I've had the concept since 2016 (well super super technically, 2014ish?), but the final story wasn't thought up until 2018 and I began properly designing characters in early 2019. I really really don't like the old art, it's super hard for me to see now but I think one day I'll post it all here, I just have to get over my shame lmao. I struggled a long time with figuring out my style (Scott Pilgrim saved me fr fr), and being honest just a year ago I didn't even know if I was ever gonna make WH because I was so, ashamed I guess? I know it's silly lol, but I just had no confidence in my ability to make the story how I envisioned. I kept all the concepts in my head for literal years, I actually did not have any sort of script done until June of this year 💀 but I'm really happy to say that I'm doing it now, and I look at what I'm making, and I'm so in love with it!! It's crazy because just a year ago it felt so unrealistic, but now genuinely I'm convinced it's like my purpose in life haha. Anyway, thanks for listening to me ramble and Happy Halloween! :D