What story are you telling with Night City Fever, above?
I’ve been drawing this character, named Idola, for years. They’re a huge pop star. Idola wears a cat helmet all the time to keep their real identity private. I wanted to depict a celebrity in a huge city, set against bright lights and billboards featuring their images. Even though you don’t know Idola’s true identity, you get a sense of their mischievous personality. At the bottom of the image, there are spray cans. Idola has been graffitiing over their own posters.
What was your working process?
This drawing took approximately 14 hours. I started by sketching a rough idea on my iPad with a stylus. I use a digital illustration app called Procreate. In digital art apps, you work in “layers” that go over one another. I used five main layers for the signs, walls, and the biggest details. This gives the illustration dimension. After sketching, I used different modes for adding color, lighting, shadow, and other smaller details.
Are you influenced by manga or anime?
I love watching anime and reading manga. My favorite manga artist is Posuka Demizu, of the Promised Neverland series. Her compositions and lighting are so detailed.
What advice do you have for other teen artists?
The internet is a powerful resource for finding your artistic community. Follow artists who inspire you on social media. Collaborate with other artists online, and they’ll help you make your work better.