Balancing Value & Saturation - Sea Turtle PSD + Video (10h)

Hey guys,

I hope you're all doing great! I'm excited to share the PSD file and a 10-hour process video for my latest Green Sea Turtle illustration/character design.

Some time ago, I found these amazing pictures of elderly ladies from South Korea who still do fishing in a traditional way. I thought they were pretty cool and the visuals looked very interesting, so I decided to create a character inspired by these women mixed with the green sea turtle topic.

Part of the challenge was suggesting the anatomy of the turtle only by using the tools of these fisher ladies, and of course simplifying the pattern of the skin in the costume to ensure I'm actually referring to the turtle. In terms of values, this painting went a bit darker than I usually do, in order to make colors more saturated and bright. I wanted to dive into a more vibrant color palette, and high light values often don't allow such a level of saturation. Here are some three tips for balancing value and saturation:

1. Establish a strong value structure: When working on an illustration, it's crucial to create a solid value structure that defines the composition's light and dark areas. This helps to guide the viewer's eye and provides a foundation for incorporating saturated colors without overwhelming the image.

2. Use color temperature to create balance: When balancing value and saturation, consider the color temperature of your hues. For example, using warm colors (reds, oranges, yellows) in lighter areas and cool colors (blues, greens, purples) in darker areas can create a harmonious balance between the values and saturation in your illustration.

3. Limit your color palette: To maintain balance and prevent oversaturation, try limiting your color palette. Choose a few key colors to work with, and then create variations in value and saturation within those colors. This will help you achieve a cohesive look while still using bold and vibrant colors in your illustration.

I'm not sure if it's the weather, but I'm really into these aquatic topics lately. Since we all came from the sea many years ago, I guess I'm feeling some kind of deep connection, which is great!

Two more things I'm currently exploring are the little background piece under the characters' feet and the very short sketch stories. I know you guys want to learn more about backgrounds, and I'm working towards sharing more insights on how you can create simple but captivating backgrounds for your illustrations. Also, the short sketch stories are something I'm doing to boost the imagination of the viewers, so they can dream and explore the character design beyond what I can imagine. I know these might seem like small exercises, but the whole point of repeating this kind of approach while creating art is to improve the way we create fascinating stories, which I believe is the best way to entertain and get people's attention. Very important for our careers.

In this post, you'll also find the PSD file of last week's Color Theory Demo. In the file, you'll see the treatment behind each mood (normal, mysterious, and romantic) and how I used different filters for each occasion. This is basically the way I shape what's going on in my mind, so keep in mind that the point is not to try to understand the details behind those filters but the overall feel of the picture. Be aware of the feelings you have when you look at those pictures and analyze what makes you feel that way, and then check how I achieved that visually. Keep in mind that there is no one way to do this but several, and it's all about the end result. With practice, you'll become more efficient during the process. We're not done with color theory yet; we still have plenty to talk about, so stay tuned for more in the next weeks.

Anyways, have fun exploring both files and search for any specific part you're curious about in the full-length process of the Green Sea Turtle. If you have any questions or need feedback, you can always reach out on Discord. Just verify your Discord account on Patreon, and the bot will grant you access. If you run into any issues, feel free to DM me here on Patreon.

For those new to Patreon and needing some guidance, check out my FAQ: https://ramonn90.myportfolio.com/contactAnd don't forget to browse past content in my catalog: https://ramonn90.myportfolio.com/

Thank you so much for your unwavering support! It means a lot to me!