CDB Volume 3.

((In this volume there was a part about how Kaneda works, which I have translated. Note, I am not fluent in the language so forgive any mistakes of mine.))

Eiji Kaneda
Monotone and stoic, we enter his place of work. An LCD screen is set up for internet use. Kaneda majored in oil painting at the school of fine arts, but now uses wholly digital methods for his works. Since he likes things clean, the desk to the side has not one cheery thing about it. Then suddenly the atmosphere changes as his beloved dog comes up running alongside the bicycle.

From the darkness, fearsome creatures arise. The red light of a flame illuminates the figures. Dark and light. Whicheverit is, these two make up the miraculously balanced compositions of Mr. Kaneda's world. He keeps up the digital advantage. His hand drawing gives one the feeling of two winds meeting. Let's take a look at the production process.
#1. Rough underdrawing.

1. Image rough.
From the head, I draw a pencil sketch on copy paper. While drawing, I consider the pose, design, and details. 2. sketch/ Photoshop 5.5
As is suitable, I plan out the margin room I need for the drawing. Since this isn't the way I like it, I change the degree of contrast for the final version. Looking at the entire image, I consider the arrangement of characters and their size. A personal computer is really convenient for making these changes!
For the way this picture is, as a whole, I think the characters are too big. So I cut the margin room a little smaller and make the demon larger from behind. I correct it to make things small.
You can't get the picture to the final version if you don't consider the influence on the entire image. With the "Nakenawa" tool, I chose to enlarge the small lines.

#2 Beginning the undercoat

3. Undercoat/ from here on I use Painter 7
The underdrawing (background) is at 95 % density (with the sketch made transparent). I make an ordinary layer with the same color and with beta application, I add a color underneath. This underpainting determines the mood of the picture. Since I like to supress the dark tones last, I always use a grayscale color. The tool I use is the "Paintbrush/Round (?) brush."

** The sketch, which is a reflection of the composite image, has multiple layers applied to it, and is the last one to be painted. I make an ordinary layer 95% by flattening.

4. Pursuing brightness and darkness
Very tiny details, like faces, need the use of a very small brush. Get in there and draw. I use the Paint tool's "?? round brush" and also "opaque round". Be bold when painting those small details!

5. For contrast, I go and pick a color and use it in the under painting. I take special care in considering the arrangement and composition. I don't really pay much attention to hue, since it's last. But I always use the paintbrush tool from (3).

#3

6. From here, using Painter 7, I carefully place in the details from the darkest colors to the lightest. I use the small "Dry Media/Charcoal" tool. Using small lines, I can express fine details. With unusually small brushes, I place on color while looking at the whole painting. Although I'm really following the sketch closely, I give it the feeling of brush strokes. I do the beta painting pattern. I think the color gradation, the brush patterns, and other things are interesting in themselves. They really create the feel of the place.

7. While observing the balance of the entire picture, I determine the color tone, brightness, contrast and so on. Since the demon is dark, with Nyoki, I bring out that feeling by suppressing the tone of the character, creating a feeling of extinguishing. That said, always be cautious. I work while thinking about the color of the brush, excluding brightness and degree of coloration.

8. I like small patterns and tiny things, so I love putting in all the details. I limit my self to one hour spent drawing the face, clothes patterns, and other things like that. On top of the underlying dark color, I need to add in light. I establish where the source of light is, and then detail in light colors where the light hits. After looking at the entire balance of the image, I think to myself, "I want more darkness!"
So I make multiple layers on top to try putting on more dark colors.

9. For things like cloth, I have to be conscious of the material in order to paint it, like if it's soft or rouch, what it feels like to touch it, the texture, etc. But, since this is fiction, anything goes, so if it looks good, I go ahead and put it in. To capture the natural appearance of things, it is always good to look at a book. Try looking at pictures done by great masters.

10. I look at the image as a whole and decide to alter the girl's clothes.... I think. The border of the underpainting is very ignorant *smile*. Whenever I draw pictures composed of mostly dark values, I add light colors bit by bit to the middle of the darks. When I'm making a bright colored picture, I draw light to dark. Whenever I have to do an image for a business magazine, I have to stick it out with the colors I have to use.

(To bring out the essence of smoke waving in the wind. Nah probably.... I have to be aware of how wind works. But in this picture, it's magic smoke that's heading toward the earth. Being aware of wind, though, is a good idea.)

11. This time, I think I did the highlights in ten small steps, always considerin the total image, until it settled the way I wanted. In reverse, these levels can be added to create darkness.

#4 Completion
(Smoke with fire) (This is starting to look finished)

12. As the image nears completion, I use the paint "brush round ??", "dry media/charcoal" and "pencil sketch" to get special variations on desired parts of the image (face details, clothes, etc.). I don't limit myself to the familiar color 'black', but use the nearby color's reverse hue.
The clouds in the background are the only place where I color from the bottom layer and experiment. With the girl, I paint bravely to make her stand out so that the characters are more in the foreground and the demon in the back.

13. For things like the faces, I put highlights from the red.....((Jen gives up translating.))
red thing
might collapse
like a magic
summon
yinyang profession
job transition
person

14. Finished
Work with the balance, color, brightness, contrast, and other such things.
I like red.
I spend forever on the details.


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