conceptartist,yuhongding Details
Yuhong Ding is a concept artist and illustrator currently employed at Sony Pictures Animation, bringing expertise across character design, environment art, creature design, and illustration.
A graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York, Ding has contributed to high-profile entertainment properties including League of Legends, Magic: The Gathering, and Dungeons & Dragons. Their work demonstrates a sophisticated balance of realistic detail and imaginative world-building, establishing them as a versatile talent within the animation and gaming industries.
Beyond studio production, Ding serves as an instructor at Brainstorm School and actively engages with the art community through educational content and process demonstrations. Their approach emphasizes traditional digital painting techniques over photobashing or AI-assisted workflows, offering transparent insights into professional-level concept art and illustration.
Through platforms including ArtStation, Instagram, and Twitch, Ding maintains an accessible presence for both industry professionals and aspiring artists, positioning themselves as both a skilled practitioner and dedicated educator within the concept art field.
[Current] - Concept Artist at Sony Pictures Animation [Notable Projects & Awards] Projects: -Illustrator--Dungeon and Dragon with Wizards of the Coast -Illustrator--Magic: the Gathering, Universes Beyond -Illustrator--League of Legend Splash Art with the West Studio -Character Design—Unreleased AAA titled project with the West Studios -Character Design—Unreleased AAA titled project with Final Strike Games -Book Cover Illustrator—multiple covers with Alan Lynch Artists -Illustrator—Unreleased project with Shared Creators Inc -Illustrator—Metal Core with 369 Studio -Character Design—Unreleased project with Gamevision studio -Creature Design—The Signal: Stranded on Sirenis with Goose Byte And More Awards: - Artstation Challenge “Medieval: Back and Forth” (2023), 3rd Place
[Current] - Concept Artist at Sony Pictures Animation [Notable Projects & Awards] Projects: -Illustrator--Dungeon and Dragon with Wizards of the Coast -Illustrator--Magic: the Gathering, Universes Beyond -Illustrator--League of Legend Splash Art with the West Studio -Character Design—Unreleased AAA titled project with the West Studios -Character Design—Unreleased AAA titled project with Final Strike Games -Book Cover Illustrator—multiple covers with Alan Lynch Artists -Illustrator—Unreleased project with Shared Creators Inc -Illustrator—Metal Core with 369 Studio -Character Design—Unreleased project with Gamevision studio -Creature Design—The Signal: Stranded on Sirenis with Goose Byte And More Awards: - Artstation Challenge “Medieval: Back and Forth” (2023), 3rd Place
What led you to choose this topic or theme?
I’ve seen so many artists — and I was once one of them — who can paint amazing portraits or photo studies, but when it comes to creating something original, everything suddenly feels much harder. The painting doesn’t look as good as you imagined, and it’s frustrating. Or some one have great design ideas, but struggle to show them in a visually conviencing way.
This course was built to solve that exact problem. It’s for artists who already have foundational painting and design skill, but want to take the next step — learning how to paint original characters from their imagination with confidence and control.
What makes your class different from other classes?
Most illustration courses only touch on character painting briefly — just a few lessons in a large bundle. This course is different. It’s fully dedicated to character painting, built from the ground up to dive deep into what really makes a character believable and beautifully painted.
You’ll also learn a clear, efficient process for refining details — from sharp observation to final polish. After this course, you’ll have a concrete direction when refining your work, and the confidence to bring original character to life
What are some essential skills or "must-have" tools in this industry,
and why?
In my opinion, there are two essential elements every artist should master — regardless of personal style.
1. A solid foundation in painting fundamentals.
No matter what subject we work in, as long as it connects to the real world rather than pure abstraction, strong fundamentals are what make your artwork convincing and visually appealing. The better your understanding of shape, color, and value, the more control you’ll have over your final result.
2. An efficient, personalized workflow.
A workflow is not just a routine — it’s the way we apply our knowledge at the right time, in the right order, to create consistent results. Without a clear process, even skilled artists can feel lost when producing professional work. A good workflow should be universal and repeatable, so it can serve you well both in personal projects and in a professional production environment.
In this course, I focus on exactly these two aspects — building strong fundamentals and establishing an effective workflow. My goal is to share the methods and insights that have helped me create confident, believable character paintings throughout my career.
What are some common misconceptions about this industry, and how would you debunk them?
One of the most common misconceptions about this industry is the idea that one style is better than another. I think that’s completely untrue. There’s no such thing as a superior style — art is simply a way for each artist to express themselves.
In the professional world, an artist’s style usually depends on the needs of the project. For instance, Baldur’s Gate 3, League of Legends, and Persona 5 all have completely different visual directions — yet each is perfect for its own world and audience. You might prefer one over another, but that’s a matter of personal taste, not quality
So no matter which style you pursue, trust yourself and stay on your path. Don’t let others’ opinions make you doubt your direction — and equally, don’t dismiss someone else’s. Every style has its own purpose and beauty.
Efficient Workflow for Character Painting
Efficient Workflow for Character Painting
From initial sketch to the final polished artwork, Yuhong will guide you step-by-step through a professional and efficient workflow, to help you achieve impressive, industry-ready results
Strategies for Complex Light Sources
Master how to use light to define form, volume, and personality. Painting with multiple light sources can be challenging, but Yuhong will break it down into clear, practical strategies you can apply immediately.
Designing Values and Shapes
Learn how to simplify the overwhelming details in your references, and transform them into strong, intentional value and shape designs, with your own artistic taste and visual appeal.
Observation and Detail Rendering
Refine your character to the highest result possible. With keen observation and execution, Yuhong will show you how to make your designs more convincing, alive, and emotionally engaging to your audience.
Realism-Based Color Theory
While color choice is subjective, this class focuses on the theories and logic behind realistic color application — teaching you how to achieve lifelike skin tones, accurate lighting and believable materials.
Career Insights and Professional Advice
Yuhong shares his personal journey from student to professional artist, offering guidance on navigating the entertainment art industry. Learn what it takes to build a sustainable creative career, overcome challenges, and grow as an artist.
- Section 01
Introduction
01. Orientation- Overview of character illustration - Why painting ability is important in the industry - Problems this course helps you to solve - Difference between design and illustration
02. Software Set-Up- Photoshop set-up - Brush guide
03. Build Visual Library From Masters- Introducing artists that have great influence on Yuhong, and what to learn from them
- Section 02
Sketch and Gesture
04. General Intro of My Process- Introduce my process: moodboard, line sketch, quick block-in, detailed line on top, and refining
05. Gesture- Perspective, gesture, and trend - How to apply C, S, I, D, and Z shapes - How to use straight lines and curved lines
06. Demo of Sketches- Three quick sketches based on reference for character brainstorming
- Section 03
Line Art and Shape Design
07. Shapes- Good shape and bad shape - Large, medium, and small shapes - Rhythm of long and short lines - Realistic shape and stylized shape - Using shape to deliver more information
08. Trend and Path- Introducing “trend” as a shape design technique - Arranging shapes with line of sight - Using lines to show structure
09. Demo of Line Art 1- Drawing a simple object from reference - Drawing lines for future reference
10. Demo of Line Art 2- From rough sketch to refined line art - Using reference and making decisions with shapes
- Section 04
Value and Lighting
11. Simplifying Light Sources- Analyzing different types of light sources - Volumetric light and effect light - Setting up multiple light sources without getting lost - Light fading and ambient occlusion
12. Core Theory of Lighting- Simplifying form and value - Deciding value shapes - Creating variation in local color - Value control
13. Color Shapes- Analyzing and applying color shapes
14. Demo of Value Block-In- Blocking in light and shadow with layers based on line art
- Section 05
Color Theory
15. Color Harmony- Analyzing how ambient light influences the environment - Using photos and paintings for ambient light analysis - Using color harmony to unify different local colors
16. How to Paint Realistic Color- Adding color based on local color change and environmental influence - Using the color wheel for color decisions - Finding reference to build a visual library for realistic color - Importance of screencap studies
17. Beyond Reality- Learning from traditional painters - Applying master painters’ palettes
18. Demo of Coloring Technique 1- Adding color variation with layers
19. Demo of Coloring Technique 2- Adding color based on lighting set-up from value block-in - Starting the early refining stage - Cleaning up brush strokes
- Section 06
Refining Details
20. Core Theory of Refining- Understanding nature and personal expression in refining - Choosing reference and recognizing the existence of detail - Different levels of refining for different requirements
21. Technique of Painting Texture- Creating realistic textures - Painting common textures such as skin, hair, and fabric
22. Demo of Refining- Long demo showing the full refining process
- Section 07
Bonus: Career Insight
23. My Learning Journey and Style Choice- Learning experience from the past decade - Breaking through skill plateaus
24. Freelance Guide- Deciding whether you should become a freelance artist - What freelance life feels like - Finding clients - Deciding whether to take a job - Pricing strategy and contracts - Scam awareness
25. Permanent Job- Interview process - What to do and not to do in interviews - Art tests - Struggles and challenges when you cannot find a job
26. Career Beyond the Industry- Career development as an artist - Current situation of AI and personal thoughts - Balancing income - Defining your unique selling point - Subject choice - Personal IP development - Fan art strategy - Suggestions and conclusion
This course will use Photoshop
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*These programs and/or materials will not be provided with the chapter.
