illustrator

Meet my final project after completing the 2D Graphics course! Honestly, I had no idea this course might be such a powerful boost to my artistic skills. However, it turned out to be a storehouse of precious knowledge bases and practice opportunities I’ve ever had. The first image represents the step-by-step process of creating a steampunk chest concept: starting from sketching and lining, passing by shadows and lights, and finishing with polishing. The second image is the overall summary of the newly mastered skills, including rendering textures in tones, colouring, pipeline rules, art reference & research, colour schemes and different combinations, concept art principles, and eventually, the application of all this theory into the final work. It was a priceless experience! I’ll definitely continue honing my skills and exploring all the nooks and crannies of 2D graphics.

Meet the main characters from a brand-new anime, Kaiju nº8! First up is Kikoru Shinomiya, a character with a unique blend of arrogance and pride. Leno Ichikawa is a character-driven by his own determination and straightforward nature. Kafka Hibino has a comically childish personality in most situations, but he still tries his best to do everything to succeed. Mina Ashiro is a serious and determined woman. Soshiro Hoshina, who seems to enjoy making fun of others but does have some serious moments when he speaks firmly and opens his eyes to emphasize the seriousness of his words.

The Forest Trio is a whimsical group of forest spirits who bring magic and enchantment to the woodland realm. Each with their own unique personality and appearance, they work together to protect and nurture the natural world they call home. Together, the Forest Trio creates an atmosphere of wonder and joy, reminding us of the magic that exists within the natural world and the importance of preserving it for generations to come.

Anya Forger is a little telepath adopted by a professional spy and an assassin. She is very impressionable toward all the people around her. Anya enjoys spy cartoons and admires her parents’ secret jobs and identities. Anya is an incredible character because she can understand and manage complex situations. She always comes up with intelligent plans to achieve her goals or help her closest ones. Her true intentions are often driven by a genuine desire to assist others, no matter what consequences she should expect after making these choices.

Meet Nanachi—a hollow (originally Narehate) who survived the 6th Layer’s Curse and was finally left deformed but kept her sound mind. Nanachi is one of the main adventurers from the Made in Abyss anime. She’s one of the most vivid characters and possesses a fantastic combination of personality traits that completely resonate with my own.  She’s strong in spirit, brave, and sarcastic. At the same time, Nanachi is incredibly devoted to her friends and can easily shed a tear if something bad happens to them. Nanachi is my latest inspiration. That’s why I couldn’t pass by this moment and decided to artistically capture this incredible character to remind myself about the most important and valuable things we should embrace and appreciate in ourselves.

Being inspired by this anime, I have decided to depict the characters that have left a lasting impression on me. Initially, I was thinking about several episodes and situations that hit me right in the depth of the soul. However, considering that Elfen Lied explores the intertwining paths of innocence and violence, examining the consequences of mistreatment and the potential for redemption and empathy in a world filled with prejudice and pain, I’m afraid these images would be banned. Anyway, I’ve succeeded in illustrating those priceless characters (sorry, Nana) who are an irreplaceable part of this magnum opus.

Recently, my friend and I decided to arrange a painting marathon. One week = one drawing. So, the first piece of art I’d like to present is this cute anime-ish fairy. The point of this marathon is to develop our artistic skills, learn different drawing styles, and try to cover as many aspects as possible, including characters’ concepts, architecture, animals, and regular objects we see from day to day.

Introducing the Enchanted Mooncap, a mystical mushroom that defies the ordinary and captures the imagination in the world of fantasy. With its captivating and ethereal presence, this magical fungus has become a symbol of wonder and enchantment.

In the heart of a bustling city, an inviting bench and a street lamp take center stage. The scene is a captivating blend of serenity and charm, capturing the essence of the season. Nestled against a backdrop of snow-covered cottages, the bench beckons with a fresh, untouched cushion of snow. The street lamp stands sentinel, casting a warm and inviting glow onto the scene. A quaint tree, covered with snow, mirrors the tranquility of the winter landscape. Nature's beauty is evident in the delicate tracery of frost on the lamp and the bench's armrests. In the daytime, the azure sky above, etched with frost, bathes the scene in a soft, blue light. Snowflakes drift gently to the ground, adding a touch of magic to the winter scene. Meanwhile, the night sky is a tapestry of stars, each one a shimmering gem in the deep, velvety darkness. The air is frigid and crisp, carrying with it the sweet, earthy scent of winter. In this serene tableau, time appears to stand still, inviting you to savour the peaceful embrace of winter from the comfort of the bench, basking in the gentle warmth of the street lamp's glow.

Brand a new illustration in honour of All Saints' Eve or simply Halloween! A great combination of high-contrasted green and yellow colours is the key to a good "spooky" image. This simple but atmospheric art piece might be an excellent choice for your thematic Halloween stickers or posters.

My character is a girl named Sakura. Why is she named so? Because she is the living embodiment of a cherry blossom or Japanese cherry. Character design nº1: Manga style The character is depicted using drawing techniques for manga characters. Her head is bigger than other parts of the body. She looks super cute, as it's called in Japanese—kawaii. Here, we see emphasised highlights on the hair and skin and the blush on her cheekbones, while her hair is gathered in two lovely buns. Character design nº2: Gravity Falls style This design is similar to our beloved Gravity Falls TV series. Here, Sakura has big, round eyes and a "peaceful" face, similar to one of the Gravity Falls characters, Wendy. You may have also noticed that she doesn't have many shadows and highlights compared to the other two designs, which is typical for the TV series characters' designs. Character nº3: Close-to-Disney style This design looks pretty much realistic, with the right proportions and many highlights and shadows. Probably, this character might seem similar to the same-named character from Naruto, whose name is also Sakura. But in fact, she doesn't have as much force and skills as Sakura does :)

On the wave of the world hype, I've decided to sketch up this pretty Barbie shop. Honestly, I wouldn't say I liked Barbie as a child—I was a fan of Bratz. So probably, the next time when I'm tempted to take a breather from professional drawing in Adobe Photoshop, I'll create something related to the Bratz world. Anyway, for now, please enjoy this simple but cute illustration!

I cannot believe I've finally done it! Here's my first game asset created in Adobe Photoshop, using brushes, shadows, masks, and many other drawing techniques I haven't used before. These three artworks are only the beginning of a new chapter—there are lots of exciting drawing challenges ahead of me. Anyway, as Naruto would say (if he wasn't a ninja), this is My Game Artist Way!

While working from dawn to dusk and dreaming of travelling to Japan for a couple of months, the best thing I could do is to draw a symbol of a fantastic summer adventure. I bet I could travel worldwide on such a hippieish bus—with a great collection of manga, several sketchbooks to illustrate the views outside the window and coffee. A lot of coffee.

Here's my second try to draw game assets on my own. Today is the high time for a magic poison—a re-created game asset from Rayman!

In this extremely hot summer, we all need one or two cold drinks to have at our fingertips. That's why it's high time to draw a glass of fresh Mojito. Stay hydrated, guys, and don't forget to satisfy your tastebuds!

A new piece of art is coming — a princess of mermaids! It's the first work where I'm trying out my new noise brushes. And TBH, I already adore them. It has become a lot simpler to make this noise effect — without the necessity to go the extra mile and create additional gradient layers and mask effects. I hope you enjoy this simple and, at the same time, well-detailed illustration! By the way, it's my best drawing of fish and seaweed. It again proves the incredible advantages of digital illustration — continuous training and skill building.

I've suggested you've got a bit tired of the anime characters' illustrations, so I've just decided to sketch something "paysage-related". Also, it's been a long time since I haven't drawn landscapes. Probably, I'll take a longer break in between sketching characters, as the next stage of my little illustration campaign is drawing top anime boys! And to be honest, I constantly expand the list of favourite characters while watching Naruto, heh.

«When I watch you, I feel strong, like I can do anything—like even I am worth something.» The cutest and the most lovely girl character among all the anime tv-series I’ve already seen! Hinata is a soft-spoken, polite, and deeply kind person who always thinks of others’ feelings and well-being instead of her own. The first time I saw her in «Naruto», I realised this girl would definitely join my list of favourite characters. For now, I’m only at the beginning of this tv-series. But (thanks to Google Search and some of my pals) I’m already informed that Hinata will change her appearance soon. So I do believe it’s not the last illustration of this sweetheart.

«Humans are to be protected and saved. I will never hurt them.» Nezuko is a powerful demon. However, thanks to her unbelievable willpower, she fiercely protects not only her brother and close allies but the whole of humankind. She strongly refuses to consume human blood or flesh—even in such cases of extreme injury. It slightly reminds me of the Twilights movies characters who don’t want to hurt people to survive. But in comparison to the Cullens family, Nezuko can continuously restore her power without consuming the blood of any living creature. The only thing she needs to recuperate and regain power is…to sleep. A lot of time. But again, agree that it sounds much better than other usual alternatives.

«This is a cruel world. And yet...so beautiful...» Mikasa is a brave and decisive person with a strong-willed and tempered character, and at the same time, incredibly thoughtful and vulnerable. After the traumatic scene happened before her eyes in early childhood, she gained a generally cynical outlook on life and accepted the world as a cruel place where only strong people could survive. Nevertheless, Mikasa always takes care of her beloved ones, which significantly contributed to her phenomenal soldier skills. She never gives up — in spite of everything. And the all-important source of strength in tough moments is a scarf, which was given by her friend, Eren, when they first met. Mikasa is a true example of great fortitude, courage, and persistence, and yet, deep love and faithfulness towards loved ones.

"Grovel, human! My name is Power!" Hell yeah! I'm starting my illustration project: Top Anime Girls. The first and beloved one is Power, a childish and self-motivated Blood Fiend from my favourite anime tv-series «Chainsaw Man». Her first appearance on the screen made me fall in love with her due to her close connection and deep feelings for Meowy, a cat cared for by Power.

It's never too late to wish our priceless women a Happy International Women's Day and give them flowers—even though these flowers are vector-illustrated, they're drawn with love!

We cannot deny the fact that many people don't like Autumn due to seasonal depression, which implies a desire to be alone, hypersensitivity, and apathy. Nevertheless, Autumn is the only time you are in a lyrical and romantic mood, spending a lot of time thinking and rethinking the meaning of life and becoming detached from reality. In my opinion, nothing can be more inspiring than the autumnal morning coolness and magical golden foliage and its rustle beneath your feet—all this brings that feeling of having butterflies in your stomach when you're looking forward to something—whether it be new impressions, fateful changes, or simply pleasant adventures.

This picture can be an illustrative example of my response to such a question as: "Why don't you work in an office?". My morning is the best part of my daily routine, as it always starts with a cup of delicious coffee and a bit of vector illustration practice. Then I'm fully prepared to take on different UX/UI tasks, being charged up to 100%. Sounds excellent, doesn't it?

Many people dream of flying to the Moon to get breathtaking views of our Planet from above. Well, I've never dreamt of it. Creative people don't need to board a spaceship and fly somewhere to see incredible things. Instead, we can simply imagine what it might look like. Anyway, if somebody offers me a free ticket to the Moon, I'd go. But with only one condition—the spaceship should be supplied with a lot of tofu and coffee with almond milk.

Notwithstanding the fact that I'm not a fan of shopping, I can't fail to acknowledge that nothing brings more pleasure in life to a woman than shopping. And to be honest, it's one of the best ways to relieve stress. In my turn, the list of my fav stuff to buy consists of books, cookware, storage boxes, and men's clothes (actually, menswear is much more classy and stylish than womenswear).

Even though she's blonde and has a bit darker skin than mine—it's the 100% illustration of my current vibe. So tired of wearing 58422849 layers of warm clothes. Can't wait to wear off thermal underwear and show off with my fav black t-shirt with an anime character.

I'm still exploring Adobe Illustrator techniques, trying to find my own illustration style. As you see, I've gotten rid of gradients (kudos!). Probably, next time I'll draw something super-flat and super-simple—without any extra shadows and strokes. We'll see, we'll see...

TBH, I've never liked to mull over the illustration background. Nevertheless, this time, I've decided to pay particular attention to this aspect. Even though it's not thought out to the smallest details, it's a nice start for future illustrations. Anyway, next time, I'll try to take care of the backs (I hope so).

Here we go again—a piece of a flat illustration! Here, I've been practicing using a clipping mask in different ways. No doubt, it's now my favourite tool in Adobe Illustrator.

Voilà some love potion on the occasion of Valentine's Day! I've decided to get rid of my beloved flat illustration and use my favourite gradient tricks. Sorry for that :)

Still experimenting with different illustration techniques. No doubt, a flat illustration is incredibly attractive. However, I'm struggling with finding my own "flat" style to illustrate different life scenes. And I feel I'm super close to my discovery!

A flat illustration is a piece of work, really. No soft shadows and smooth gradients. Everything is oversimplified, and F L A T. This kind of illustration is a big challenge for fans of lush volumes like me. I guess the same challenge size can be applied to a graphomaniac who has just signed up on Twitter, where the symbols are limited to 280.

The Space is unique and spectacular itself—that's why any image depicting its vastness looks great.

IMHO, it's my first serious Illustrator project. It took me about three days to depict this gingerhead girl. Anyway, this artwork is not ideal, and it requires a lot more practice to make a high-quality character illustration, I know that. But for me, it's my first little achievement.

When you've got 1ºC and hustle-n-bustle outside, the only thing you might dream about is a charming azure beach and tall palm trees providing shade and peace.

People often forget to take care of the environment. That's why I've decided to create this illustration—to remind everyone that we should always treat nature with respect and treasure our planet.

My first "grain-effect" project. To be honest, it was quite hard to show the "transparency" of the light coming from the window. However, I hope I've succeeded in capturing it with the help of vector tools.

Here is one more "foodie" art—delicious fluffy pancakes with salted-caramel syrup. Bon appétit!

Even though I don't like eggs and orange juice, I adore cooking. That's why such artwork is an irreplaceable piece in my collection, no doubt. Probably, the next illustration will be spicy tofu or a big cup of coffee with almond milk. Who knows.

Recently, I've started exploring the horizons of vector illustration. New ideas always come to my mind when trying out different brushes, lines, figures, and colour combinations. I've always wanted to combine my favourite colour palette in a single image—those pastel colours are the best fit for such a creature as a sleepy sheep—one of those we were counting on getting to sleep.

Well, I can accurately say that the purchase of my first graphics tablet has not been in vain. I've started drawing A LOT. And now, just not to waste time during my vacation, I've decided to plunge headlong into the practice of vector illustration. And I know it's not time for Easter eggs. But guys, have you seen this pretty egg? ☺️