Softshading - Tumblr Posts

so I got bored and decided to experiment with rougher shading techniques (which is hella hard considering Photoshop SUCKS) and here we go 

So I recently started a project for Zodiac Mermaids(inspired by a post) aka Alternate Merstuck drawings (not actual merstuck head canons) so I did aradia and tavros. Aradia’s a magmermaid (or feumaid as I call them) and tavros has a shadow revealing the mermaid meh

Descriptions from Zodiac Post:

Taurus: only mermaids able to morph into human form. Who knows how many of them live under humans unrecognized...

Aries: black tail shimmering red and orange, like burning coals. Can withstand great heat and lives near volcanic isles or underwater volcanoes

Link: http://thezodiacsas.tumblr.com/post/116313082679/the-signs-as-mermaids

so I continued my merstuck project/zodiac mermaids and here i got sollux

it was SUCH a hell to draw especially with my (shitty) effect and the runes (though I say the eye is a nice touch personally) but anyways here we go! 

Gemini: have a shark tail and a fin. Several rows of sharp teeth paired with their high speed make them dangerous hunters. Cold, calculating, and cunning

LINK: http://thezodiacsas.tumblr.com/post/116313082679/the-signs-as-mermaids

SO I FINALLY FINISHED THE CANCER ZODIAC MERMAY (aka what’s supposed to be karkat) AND HONESTLY I WENT A LITTLE OVERBOARD 

I LOVELOVELOVELOVE the result though, even if the pose took forever and it doesn’t look like karkat that much :/ The side view turned out so well!

I'm sorry for the temporary hiatus or something I'm just PURRcrastinating here ;33 Anyways, as my second favorite troll, this WAS SO MUCH FUN TO DO AAAAAAAA AND OK here is the description Leo: golden, nearly indestructible tail. Live in warm areas, near the equator. Kind eyes and warm smiles make them the most popular type of mermaid So I didn't go for "gold" as much as making her runes look bright and shiny and it turned out GR8 I also went for a catfish theme and her fins are supposed to look like cat ears... I guess? Background was a little shoddy compared to Karkat but I still like it nevertheless

MERSTUCK KANAYA, TEREZI, VRISKA, EQUIUS

(Jesus CHRIST y’all can see my experimentation as i actually figure out how to use photoshop)

In all honesty, I got a little lazy with Vriska (her coat) and Kanaya as you can tell by my scribbles, but honestly I just really want to get all of this over with so I can make more artwork > <

I’m so happy I got them all done! Experimented with Vriska and Equius with the hair and eyes. I thought since Terezi and vriska were FLARP buddies and Terezi’s technically a siren I guess Vriska uses terezi to help feed her spider mom (which I guess could be the kraken? I dunno). And if vriska loses her arm, Equius helps her reconstruct or regenerate it somehow (explaining why there are only runes on her other arm) I guess Equius and Nepeta explore together? 

DESCRIPTIONS:

Virgo: elongated, pearly tail, shimmering in multiple colours, fanning out into a slightly translucent, silky fluke. Moves through the water slowly and gracefully

Libra: perfect skin and silky long hair. Leads sailors to their death through beautiful and hypnotizing singing voices

Scorpio: slim jet black tail. smooth scales but razor-sharp at the edges. Live in the depth of the sea and is sensitive to sunlight. Uses echolocation for orientation.

Sagittarius: slim but muscular tail built for speed. The fastest hunter reaching speeds up to 80 km/h or 50 mph

Post that inspired this entire train wreck: http://thezodiacsas.tumblr.com/post/116313082679/the-signs-as-mermaids

R.I.P my computer RAM. It lived for a short while, but it was still shitty even before tHIS DRAWING OBLITERATED IT FASTER THAN MY HOPES AND DREAMS AFTER FINALS Again, I went a little whack with the color dodge *to distract from my equally shitty icebergs* Wand effects are hard when you're dealing with pure white glows UAUGH Anyways, I payed a bit more attention to the face this time, and I played around with the lighting. I also added the same windy thingies i did with Equius Now here is your description before my computer crashes and i have to friggin retype this entire thing Aquarius: white tail with a bluish hue. Can withstand great cold and lives in colder regions of the sea, such as the Polar Caps and the Arctic Ocean

*cries as i labor over my desk* I'M DONE! I'm FINALLY DONE! SO I GOT REALLY EXPERIMENTAL with Feferi, used more intense light than I'm used to, but overall I really like this result!! Went a bit overboard with the runes, wanted to give a "tribal princess" look. I also fiddled around with A LOT OF AIRBRUSHES, and a very small bit of hard shading and layer masks, and I think it makes the piece more whole as a result! I'M FINALLY FREE FROM MERSTUCK, AND NOW I CAN WASTE MY TIME MAKING LAZY CEL-SHADING ARTWORKS SO I CAN FINALLY SHOW OFF THIS NEW AU I'VE BEEN TOILING AWAY AT!! 

so i'm going to vidcon and decided hey since Im gonna see animators why not draw one so i did jaiden as a witch and her ari familiar that can stare into your soul She has a tablet pen as a staff and transport thingy but her preferred magical channeling thingy is finger guns Ari likes to sit on her pen. its 10:00 PM and i should go to bed now ok I'll add stuff on this later

it's my profile picture that i did right when I was experimenting with photoshop after getting it and now I redid it so it's less terrible and I also tried to imitate loish's style so woo hoo Also tried rim lighting and immediately figured out i suck at it

And BELOW THAt we have my tOP QUALITY HIGH RESOLUTION SHITFEST IN FULL ASS TECHNICOLOR 

It was literally my first photoshop work ever and it was just me going “omg color” while have a seizure as i attempt to do line-art and color using the preset brushes blending tool thingy with no knowledge of tones or light sources

I AM FINALLY DONE!!!

I decided to draw some bnha a few days ago and i was so wrapped up on this that i forgot today was 6/12, A VERY IMPORTANT DAY FOR THE HOMESTUCKS, and i fear i may be dragging myself into the bnha abyss and therefore dragging myself out of the (almost) inescapable void of Homestuck 

Happy Birthday Karkat   * + : \ 0u0 / : + *

Anyways if this uraraka looks a bit more purple than normal I used the same color palette trick I did with the Jaiden witch so the colors looked more harmonious to the background, but it may have darkened the lighter parts of her costume, so yeah.

background was hastily drawn in in less than 5 minutes.