Create a Cute Moldovan Chibi Character in Adobe Illustrator

by Maria Dimova

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What You'll Be Creating

In this tutorial you'll learn to create a cute Moldovan chibi character. We'll use simple shapes, brushes, gradients, which are easy to apply in other illustrations.

1. Make a Sketch

Step 1

At the beginning let's draw a sketch. You can draw it on the paper or directly in Illustrator. I portrayed a cute chibi in a traditional Moldovan costume. We need to use references of folk costumes and ornaments to make the image plausible.

Step 2

Create a New document 500 x 700 px RGB. Then File > Place your sketch in Adobe Illustrator and change the layer name to "sketch".

Step 3

Create a New Layer for the lines. For a convenient work process, we'll need two types of layers for each group of objects: line and shape.

2. Create a Brush for the Contour of the Character

Step 1

Start by making a black ellipse with the Ellipse Tool (L) with 100% fill and without stroke. Drag this shape to the Brushes panel using the Selection Tool (V). Go toNew Brush > New Art Brush.

Then press OK, and the window Art Brush Options will appear. Choose the Tintsmethod. It will change your brush color at any time.

Step 2

Let's draw the contour of our character. Choose the Paintbrush Tool (B), find your new brush and set its thickness on the Stroke panel.

Start drawing the face. Draw lines as smoothly as you like—don't close the contour. If necessary, change the evenness of lines.

Don't worry about crooked lines—you can always fix them using the Direct Selection Tool (A).

Step 3

At the intersection of the lines, cut unnecessary pieces using the Scissors Tool (C), select the segment and press Delete.

Step 4

Draw the entire sketch this way, creating new layers one by one: flower, hair, hands, etc.

Here is how the character looks now.

3. Create the Main Shapes

Step 1

Add a new layer for the background.

First create the swatch of the main colors—pick the most suitable for you. We’ll be able to adjust them later. Also let's choose the background’s color. Create a 500 x 700 px rectangle using the Rectangle Tool (M), and fill it with linear gradient from light-yellow to light-turquoise.

Open the Align panel and choose Align to Artboard, and then Align Objects: Horizontal and Vertical.

Step 2

Now it's time to begin painting. I will start by creating main shapes for the head on the "face_shape" layer. Choose the skin color from your swatch using the Eyedropper Tool (I). You can use the Pencil Tool (N) or the Pen Tool (P) for your convenience. Start drawing the main shape following the brush contour. If you choose the Pencil Tool (N), hold Alt to close the contour.

Add a new layer for the eyes and lips. It will make your work on the skin much easier.

Step 3

Well, it's time to draw the main shapes of the hair.

As you can see, the hairstyle of our chibi can be divided into two parts: front and back. So we'll add a new layer for the "back" hair under the "face_shape" layer.

It's difficult to draw the entire hair shape using the Pencil Tool (N), so we'll create a few smaller shapes and then unite them. Open the Pathfinder panel and clickUnite.

Step 4

Fill the whole picture with colors using this method. Here's what we've got at this stage.

Step 5

Now we need to repaint the contours for each of the objects. Allocate the contours using the Selection Tool (V), holding the Shift button. Choose the color on theColor panel, moving the crawler’s pick to the desired position.

Step 6

Let's repaint the contours of the hair in one color. Unlock the layer "hair_line", and select all the hair at once. Using the Selection Tool (V) and holding the left mouse button, move the mouse to select all lines.

Using the Eyedropper Tool (I), just select the color we picked for the eyebrows and lashes.

Step 7

Repaint all contours following this method.

4. Create a Pattern Brush for the Embroidery

Step 1

First of all we'll draw a cross using our brush. Select this figure and group by pressing Control-G. Then drag it to the Brushes panel. Create a New Pattern Brush as shown below.

Step 2

We'll create several pattern brushes this way.

Step 3

Choose the brush and draw lines to decorate the clothing of our chibi.

Sometimes the pattern goes off the drawing frame. In this case, select the brush and go to Object > Expand Appearance. Then draw a shape covering the part of the pattern that needs to be deleted, go to the Pathfinder panel and click Minus Front.

Step 4

The main part of the drawing is done. Here is how the chibi looks now.

5. Add Shadows and Highlights

Step 1

Let's add some volume to the face. We'll work on the "face_shape" layer.

We'll draw the blush first. Choose a red color and form the shape of the blush, and then go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur. On the Transparency panel, reduce the Opacity to 30%.

Add some blushes to the eyes, neck and hair growth line.

Step 2

Add some shades. Choose the color of the face contour, and reduce the Opacity to7–10%. We'll draw the shapes on the area where shadows usually appear.

Lay the shapes one on top of the other till you get the desired result, changingOpacity in the process. Then choose a darker color and draw falling shades.

Step 3

Let's add some shades and highlights. Starting from the base skin color, select lighter shades, varying the Opacity from 5% to 20%. Choose a brighter color and draw some highlight shapes. The Opacity can be 50–100%.

Step 4

Now we'll get to work on the eyes and lips. We need to make volume on the white of the eye. Draw some dirty-pink shapes on the white parts of the eye. The Opacitymay vary according to your taste (my choice was 20%). 

Select the eyebrow color using the Eyedropper Tool (I), reduce the Opacity to40%, and draw the shadow under the eyelashes. Make sure all paths are drawn in the correct order, using Control-[ to send backward or Control-] to bring forward.

Now we get to the iris of the eye. The eye color is brown-green, so choose the darker color for the top of the iris and lighter for the underside. Add some bright twinkles.

I noticed that the white round shapes are too big. Make them smaller and delete the outline. Also add some shadows and highlights to the eyebrows and the eyelashes.

Let's paint volume lips. The upper part of the lips is shaded, so make it darker. Draw the dark-red shape between the lips. Add some highlights to the bottom part.

Step 5

To make the skin look more natural and the face cuter, add some freckles and moles. The freckles shouldn't be perfectly round, so draw them randomly, with a different size and opacity on the nose and cheeks.

Now add shades from the background. Select the cyan color and draw some shapes on the edge of the face and neck.

Step 6

Draw shadows and highlights on the hands and legs as described above.

Step 7

Let's start forming the hairstyle. The method of painting is the same: dark shades, fallen shadows, highlights and gloss. Draw different shapes, and lay them on each other, playing around with the Opacity where possible.

Step 8

We’ll draw the flower using the same principles, as you can see below.

Don't worry about ragged shapes, because they make the drawing more decorative and picturesque.

Step 9

It’s time to add highlights and shadows to the clothing. Let's start with the shirt and petticoats. They are of the same color, so we'll draw them both at the same time, switching between layers. Don't forget about background shades. Also add some gloss to the embroidery using our first new brush. Just draw short lines on the lightest area.

Step 10

Now we'll draw the skirt and belt. First add some shadows and highlights to the main brown cloth, and then add decorative red and green elements. In the end, add some gloss to the embroidery. Decorate the belt using the gold brush.

Step 11

We have a few steps left. This is a bit of a slow process, but we'll get a great result, going step by step.

Unlock the layers with the shoes and shawl—they are of the same color. We'll draw some shades, shadows and highlights switching between layers. Add some falling shadows and gloss too.

Here is how it all looks now.

Step 12

It's time for the final touch. Let's add some necessary details. For example we can add a few thin hairs to the hairstyle. This will make it look more natural. Draw some hairs on the edge of the hairstyle using the same brush, reducing the weight of the stroke. Change the color for the lighter ones.

Add some dark shapes to the shady area of the shawl and set their Blending Modeto Overlay, 13% Opacity. Also draw some glows on the shawl using our brush.

Then add some brighter shapes to the lighter area of the hair and the flower, setting their Blending Mode to Screen, 17% Opacity.

Finally our character is ready!

6. Create an Abstract Background

Step 1

Firstly let's create some circles using a radial gradient, as shown below. I choose bright-green color, 30% Opacity. (This method is available in Adobe Illustrator CS5 and above. If your version of Illustrator doesn't have this option, you can use a Gaussian Blur or Blend).

Select the circle pressing Alt and duplicate it randomly as you wish. For diversity, change the circle radius, color and opacity.

Step 2

Let's draw stars and glows for the background decoration. Create a star using the Star Tool on a New Layer. Go to Effect > Stylize > Round Corners. Change the radius on the Radius Corners panel to the desired value using the up and down arrows on the keyboard. Reduce the star to the desired size and drag it to theSymbols panel. Create a circle symbol in the same way.

Step 3

Spray some symbols on the background surface randomly using the Symbol Sprayer Tool (Shift-S). Change their size, duplicate them, and move them as you wish. Reduce the opacity of separate elements using the Symbol Screener Tool. If you need to move a single element, you can expand the symbols. Select the symbol and go to Object > Expand. Add some sparkles in the end.

Wow, We're Done!

I hope you liked creating this really cute chibi character with me. Enjoy the result!

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Project Management Kickstart: How to Tackle Large Projects

by Laura Spencer

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The larger the project, the more likely a freelancer is to get overwhelmed. If you don't do a good job of organizing a large project, you might even miss your deadline. A lost deadline could mean losing your client and maybe even your reputation.

There's a better way. Project management principles help you organize your big projects so that they run smoothly.

First, let's define project management. According to the Association for Project Management,

Project management is the application of processes, methods, knowledge, skills and experience to achieve the project objectives.

Most freelancers understand why knowledge, skills, and experience are important to completing their projects. But some balk at the idea of using processes and methods. Creative freelancers sometimes feel that too much structure takes away from their creativity.

Freelancers should welcome processes and methodology. Rather than stifling creativity, they allow you to do more. For most of us, more work done means more income. That's a good thing. Plus, having good project management skills enables you to tackle larger freelancer projects. With project management skills, you can manage other freelance professionals and take on more work.  

Larger projects tend to pay more. If you can handle large projects, you'll be worth more to your clients. You'll also be more likely to attract repeat business. In fact, project managers are in demand for corporate and government projects.  According to a survey from Payscale.com, the median pay for a project manager in the US in August of 2015 ranged from $65,062 to $85,971.

In this tutorial, I give you a quick overview on project management. I start by comparing the Agile and Traditional methods. Next, I provide practical methods that you can apply to your own freelance projects.

  Comparing Processes

It's important to understand that project management is a huge field. There are many different project management methodologies, some of which are patented. Here are just a few of the different methodologies out there:

1. Agile methods
2. Lean (an Agile method)
3. Scrum (an Agile method)
4. Six Sigma
5. Waterfall methods (also called Traditional)
6. PRINCE2 (popular in the UK)

Each of these methodologies has variations and sub-methodologies. Don't let the names of all these methods confuse you. Corporate project managers need to understand them well. As a freelancer you'll probably only use one of two methods: Agile or Waterfall (also called Traditional).

Corporate project managers also use some very specific terms. TechRepublic has published a great list of project management terms you can refer to if you run across a term you're unfamiliar with. For this tutorial, we'll focus on two definitions that you may not know:

Scope: 

...the way you describe the boundaries of the project; it defines what the project will deliver and what it will not deliver...
(TechRepublic)

Deliverable:

...any tangible outcome that is produced by the project...
(TechRepublic)

Other terms are self-explanatory or defined within this the tutorial.

One of the first decisions you'll make as a freelance project manager is whether to use an Agile or Traditional project management process. This section compares the two types of project management processes. It will help you decide which method works best for your project.

Choosing an Agile Process

Agile project management is based on the twelve principles of the Agile Manifesto.  It is often used for software development projects. Here are some characteristics of projects well-suited to Agile project management:

• The project deliverable is not well-defined or is likely to change.
• The project has multiple or phased deliverables.
• The project has a set number of resources.
• The customer is available throughout the process.
• The schedule is very flexible.

An example of a good Agile project is the roll out of a new software app. The app will be released in phases. The features of the first phase are well-known. The features of the last phase are not well-defined and may change over time. The customer also wants frequent brainstorming meetings.

To learn more about the Agile project process, check out the following free tutorials from Tuts+:

• A Designer’s Introduction to "Agile" Methodology 
• The Lean, Agile Way to Build Your First Product
• The Principles of Agile Development

Agile is a great methodology for many projects. But some projects are better managed under a more Traditional process.

Choosing a Traditional Process

In this tutorial, I focus on how Traditional (or Waterfall) project management helps you to manage a freelance project.

Although Agile is popular, there are times when a Traditional process makes more sense. Here are the characteristics of a project well-suited to Traditional project management:

• The scope of the project is well-defined and not likely to change.
• The project has a single deliverable.
• Resources for the project can be adjusted.
• The customer's involvement in the project is limited after the scope is agreed upon.
• The deadline or delivery date is set and firm.
• The client requires Traditional project management.

An example of a Traditional project is the roll out of an e-commerce site for a company with only a handful of products. It doesn't make sense to roll the project out in phases because the end result is known and unlikely to change. The customer gives you the requirements, but wants you to handle it from there. In fact, the client's availability during the project will be limited.

Traditional Project Management

This section identifies the five phases of a project under a Traditional project management process. Different methodologies use different terms, but what happens in each phase is similar.

Roli Pathak, writing at PM project-management.com, offers a good description ofTraditional project phases:

1. Initiate
2. Plan  
3. Execute
4. Control
5. Close

I'll explain how you can apply each phase to your project in the next section. For now, let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of Traditional project management.

Advantages of the Traditional Process

• Traditional project management allows team to work with less client oversight.
• There are fewer changes to the project.
• Traditional project management includes a well-defined scope.

Disadvantages of the Traditional Process

• It's difficult to process changes.
• The client is less involved.

Now that you have an overview of project management, you're ready to use it.

 Using Project Management

You can apply a Traditional project management process to your freelancing project. I've adapted the Traditional project management phases for freelancers. Here are the five phases of project management again and a description of what happens during each phase for you, the freelancer:

1. Get Requirements (Initiate). The client expresses an interest in doing a project with you. Check that you have the basic resources (including subcontractors) to do the project. Ask for a detailed scope of the project. Also confirm that your understanding of the scope is correct with the client.
2. Plan. Estimate the amount of effort the project requires and schedule the work. Break the project into smaller parts (often called a work breakdown structure) to create a manageable plan. Set your internal goals and make sure that your plan meets the client's goals. Get a signed contract or agreement from the client and collect the initial payment.
3. Development (Execute). You (and any freelancers you've hired) do the main tasks of the project. If you're a web developer, this is where you build web pages. If you're a writer, this is where you create the rough draft.
4. Review/Testing (Control). During the course of the project, compare your progress to the plan. If you fall behind, take steps to ensure that you get back to the scheduled plan. Check your work during this phase to make sure there are no errors and that it meets the project scope. If you have a team, review each others' work. If not, look over your own work carefully. Skipping this phase could result in an unhappy client and lots of rework. For large projects you may need an independent subject matter expert for  review or testing.
5. Conclusion/Maintenance (Close). Turn the project over to the client. Bill for the rest of the project fees. If the project requires ongoing support and maintenance, make arrangements for handling those (for an extra charge). As a freelancer, it's a good idea to ask for more work at this point.

As you progress through the project management steps, you'll need tools to help you. For small to mid-size projects, create custom project spreadsheets using tools like Google Sheets (free) or Microsoft Excel. For larger projects you may need a more complex tool like Microsoft Project or Jira.

If you've followed the project management process, you've probably avoided many common project problems.

Avoiding Project Management Pitfalls

For larger projects, the project management process helps you avoid common freelancing pitfalls. Here are seven problems freelancers often face and an explanation of how the project management process helps with each:

1. Not understanding what the client wants. In the project management process the client agrees to the requirements (also known as scope) during the first phase. The scope becomes part of the contract.
2. Underestimating the time for the project. With project management, your estimate is more accurate because you base it on a more detailed scope.
3. Undercharging for the project. You are less likely to undercharge for the project because you have a more accurate estimate. 
4. Falling behind on tasks and ultimately delivering late. With a project management process you always know how your progress compares to the schedule.
5. Turning in a project with problems. Project management requires you to test (or control) your work. You are less likely to turn in a project with mistakes.
6. Misunderstandings after the project is complete. Since the scope is clearly defined from the beginning, the client knows exactly what you agreed to do.
7. Not getting repeat business from the client. As part of the final phase, ask the client if you can handle their support or maintenance needs.

After the Project

Even after your freelance project is complete, you are not done. The best project managers analyze their project successes and failures. You should do the same.

Here are some questions when your project ends:

• Was the client happy? If not, why not? (You may have to ask.)
• Did the project stay on schedule? If not, at what point did it go off schedule? What caused it to go off schedule?
• Were the time estimates accurate for each task? If they were not, how much more time was needed?
• What did you learn from this project? What do you wish you had done differently?
• Based on this project, do you need to invest in more tools or training?

Record your answers to these questions and keep them in a safe place. Go over your answers with your project team members. Look at your answers before you start your next freelance project to avoid making the same mistakes on a new project.

After a successful project, ask your client to give you a recommendation while your work is still fresh in their minds. Corporate project managers usually skip this step, but it's vital for freelance project managers.

Here are some Tuts+ tutorials that will help you ask for client testimonials:

• When The Project Is Over - Gathering Testimonials
• The 5-Step Approach to Gathering and Using Client Testimonials

Conclusion

This tutorial covers a complex subject, Traditional project management, and makes it accessible to freelancers. It is not intended to be an exhaustive resource on project management. Nor does it advocate Traditional project management methodology for all freelance projects.

Project management is an area where experience and opinions differ. Some key points to remember are that you should plan and organize your freelance projects and that there are proven methods to help you do that.

Also, being able to manage freelance projects increases your value as a freelancer and makes you more marketable.

Resources

Graphic Credit: Project Management icon designed by Matthew Roberts from the Noun Project.

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How to Draw a Vintage Camera With Sepia Ink Liners on Toned Paper

by Eugenia Hauss

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What You'll Be Creating

In this tutorial I'll show you the process of drawing a vintage camera and a cherry blossom twig, using sepia color ink liners, white ink pen and toned beige paper. I use sepia (warm brown) colored liners, not black, because it creates a harmonious combination with the paper color, and also it reflects the delicate, mild look of this artwork. 

Drawing on toned paper can be a very interesting experience for an artist. It’s also convenient for fast sketching, because the color of the paper sheet is undertaking a big amount of the artist’s effort. The right choice of paper tint is an important detail here, because if you draw on paper that's too dark, it can be difficult to create obvious shadows and gain the contrast in your artwork. If the paper is too light, then it can be a problem with the definition of the highlights. However, there are no strict rules, and everything depends on your decisions. 

The big advantage of toned paper is that it creates value itself, so you can leave substantial parts of the paper untouched. Also it gives you the possibility to actually create highlights, not just rely on the contrast, as in the case of traditional black and white drawings. That’s why this technique is so great for sketching and quick studies, and also very handy for large paper. It’s important to know where to stop, because your drawing won’t be so effective if you leave no blank paper.

My drawing for this tutorial is more a stylized expressive study than a strictly realistic artwork. Sketching quickly, on inspiration, depicting general forms, is an excellent exercise for improving art skills. This technique is appropriate for any supplies combined with toned paper: pencils, pens, markers, charcoal. If you feel comfortable and confident with your materials, you can even skip the preliminary pencil sketch part and move to drawing directly on the toned paper.

What You Will Need

• White paper (1 sheet of ordinary printer paper is enough)
• Toned beige paper (2 sheets of A4 size is the best option)
• A graphite HB or F pencil
• A rubber
• Sepia ink liners (mine are 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.3 mm and 0.5 mm)
• White ink gel pen (or white ink as substitute)

1. Draw a Pencil Sketch 

Step 1

A camera is quite a difficult object to draw from memory or imagination, because it has specific proportions and details. I'll be using this stock photo of a vintage camera that I’ve found on PhotoDune. If you have a reference photo too, you're not obliged to copy closely all the features of the camera in your image. Sometimes it's enough to capture only general proportions and some details.

Firstly I draw a simple rectangle for the camera’s main shape.

Step 2

It’s necessary to find the vanishing point for correct perspective construction of the drawing. Let's imagine that our vanishing point is above the camera’s center. In the image below you can see this point on the horizon’s line. 

Step 3

All the lines of the drawing will aspire to this point. I mark the dashed lines for future reference. These lines will help with drawing correct perspective foreshortening.

Step 4

I outline the inner shape of the camera, its bottom and sides. The side lines are following the dashed guides that I’ve drawn in the previous step. 

Step 5

I roughly mark the prominent part of the camera. It has two trapeziform shapes, top and bottom. In my case this prominent part is slightly shifted from the center of the camera to the side.

Step 6

I find the middle line of this newly drawn shape by approximate measurements of the horizontal part, and mark it as a dashed line. Now we need to find the center of the camera lens for future steps. As I can conclude from observing the reference photo, its center is located on the middle line of the prominent part with a slight shift to the bottom of the camera. Then I draw a circle based on this central mark. You can use compasses to be sure your circle is even enough. 

Step 7

I draw another circle on the external side of the existing circle, as if one shape is located inside another.

Then I add a rounded shape to depict the volume of the lens. We are looking at the camera from above, so the central part is wider and more visible, and the sides decrease in size proportionally. 

Step 8

I move to the top part of the camera and draw the flash. Just look at the reference photo and transfer your observations onto the paper.

Step 9

Before we proceed to the round details on the top horizontal plane of the camera, it’s useful to pay attention to the perspective shortening of the round objects. In a simple way, the lower (or higher) the object is relative to the horizon line, the bigger will be its visible circumference. The closer the object is to the horizon, the more reduced is the shape. 

Here is a rough illustration of this concept as applied to this drawing: the lower the round object is relative to the viewer's eyes, the wider is its visible circumference.

Keeping this knowledge in mind, I draw the round elements on the upper plane of the camera, and also make the sides of the camera more rounded and smooth. 

Step 10

It’s time to mark the details of the camera’s front and outline the segments. I just use a reference photo plus some creative imagination. 

Step 11

I continue to add small details to the body of the camera. The details make the artwork more credible and interesting as well.

Step 12

It’s not fortuitous that I left the flowers to these last steps of the sketch part. If we started with the foreground of the drawing, it would be difficult to complete the composition while matching the background with all its strict and even details.

I draw the curvy shape of the twig with circles for future flowers, and the stylized forms of the leaves. 

Step 13

Cherry blossom is a simple flower form, so I'll draw it from memory. Simplistically, it's five petals and a fluffy central part. Evaluating your composition at every step of the process is important, so I feel that my drawing will be more balanced if I make the flowers of the small group a little bigger and add more leaves to the twig.

Now the pencil sketch is ready to become a basis for the ink artwork. 

2. Create the Sepia and White Ink Drawing 

Step 1

I trace the sketch onto the toned paper sheet, using a window glass. We need here the general shapes, because you can always use the reference photo and the pencil sketch. Pencil lines that are too heavy can damage your artwork’s look, so as you can see my strokes are very light, even assimilating with the paper sometimes. Also it’s important to pay attention to every line you draw with ink liners, so that the artwork becomes vivid and lively, instead of just tracing your basic sketch mechanically. 

Step 2

Do you know how your liners work in combination with the toned paper? If it’s the first time you're drawing using these supplies, try them before touching your clean copy artwork. Using the same paper as for your future drawing is the best solution here, or at least something similar.

I've created small squares of hatching, using all sepia liners, from the thinnest 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm. Try to vary the intervals between the lines, because it’ll show some interesting effects of placing your lines closer or farther one from another. As you can see, my hatching is more frequent in the bottom part of the square than in the upper.

The white ink pen is also worth trying beforehand. 

Step 3

Let’s start with the flowers and the shadow below them, because starting with the camera in this case can cause accidental damage to the foreground. 

With 0.3 mm liner, I mark the main shadow areas with parallel horizontal hatching. I imagine the allocation of light in this composition as soft and mild, but the presence of shadows is obligatory. Shadows and heavy ink lines allow us to achieve the necessary level of contrast and volume. 

Step 4

The flowers are closer to the viewer than the camera, so it’s reasonable to make them stand out. With the 0.5 mm liner I create the contour of flowers and leaves, and then expand the shadow area at the bottom of the camera. It creates a strong contrast in the drawing already. 

Step 5

We should be consistent to get a well-balanced result, so the next step is to proceed to the side lines and outline the contours of the camera. I cover the pencil strokes with the 0.3 mm liner. 

Step 6

And now I come back again to the flower twig. With 0.3 mm liner I create spots of hatching on the leaves and twig. 

Step 7

The flowers are delicate—cherry blossom is usually white or light pink. They are supposed to be the lightest objects in our composition. So it’s important to leave them mostly untouched, especially in the areas of the petals' bend, so I coat the flowers with tiny, delicate as lace, 0.1 mm hatching. 

Step 8

I switch again to the camera and create a textured look, similar to the texture pattern of the reference camera. I use a 0.1 mm liner, using repeatedly pairs of small and short strokes. 

Step 9

I move to the upper part of the camera. With 0.05 mm liner I add tiny hatches to the vertical plane. It’s reasonable to use cross-hatching and any overlapping strokes, especially closer to the external sides of the object—it creates volume. 

Step 10

The next important part is the lens. I use 0.05 mm rounded strokes and also some parallel lines on the lens, where I intend to create a shadow. 

Step 11

Some contours of the camera seem too light and lost to me. With 0.3 mm liner I make them more prominent. Also add a layer of dots to the lens. As you can see, a combination of dots and rounded strokes that mirror the shape is a truly effective way to create a three-dimensional object.

Step 12

With 0.5 mm liner I outline the general shape of the objects, giving them more contrast relative to the paper tint. The shady areas need some darkening too. 

Step 13

With 0.3 mm liner I add dots to the camera, where I've created a textured effect previously, and also mark the sides of the camera with cross-hatching. 

Step 14

Now it’s time for real fun—the white ink! Just a little spot of it can make the drawing look very interesting and fresh. I add the whiteness mainly to the flowers, because they are supposed to be light and close to the viewer, and also some strokes on the camera’s lightest areas, to reproduce the play of light. 

Step 15

I evaluate the drawing in general. Have I achieved the right contrast? It’s almost the result I imagined from the beginning, but with 0.1 mm strokes on the vertical plane of the camera and in shadows it looks better.

The Final Artwork

This is the completed drawing. I hope that you've enjoyed the process of working with sepia liners, white ink and toned paper. The principles of this technique can be applied to many projects and various media, and I wish you all the best in realizing your ideas! Thanks for your attention!

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