01. Orientation- Meet your instructor and learn about the overview of this class

02. Workspace and Setup- Software, devices, tools, application shortcuts - Do your tools matter?

03. Idea Pitch- The importance of solidifying a theme to spearhead an artwork's direction - Working through methods of brainstorming and mind-mapping - Narrow and pinpoint the desired vision of your artwork

04. Moodboarding- Reference gathering as a pivotal aspect in the art process to refine vision or aid workflow - Insight into which references might be most helpful - Building a moodboard to solidify atmosphere, theme, lighting, background, and setting

05. Subject Research- Delving deeper into how to effectively research a subject’s planned design - What online references might help enhance their features - The importance of careful and mindful research, especially with themes tied to cultural or historical wear

06. Character Drafting- Translating gathered references into a coherent design - Experimenting with different directions - Evaluating strengths and weaknesses to determine a final direction

07. Environment Drafting- Building an environment that complements the subject - Ensuring the background enhances rather than distracts from the subject

08. Color Theory: Palette Harmony- Addressing color theory principles that contribute to palette and moodboard

09. Basic Compositional Techniques- The importance of composition - Introduction to the essential compositional techniques in framing (e.g. Rule of Thirds, Golden Spiral, Symmetrical and Asymmetrical Split)

10. Composition: Visual Weight- Understanding how certain elements carry more visual weight than others - Techniques to balance attention across multiple subjects in a single frame

11. Composition: Value and Color- How to think compositionally in terms of light - Understanding compositional techniques involving value and color - How an artwork’s composition can be broken down and guided using these two elements

12. Composition: Silhouette- Understanding compositional techniques involving silhouette - Using negative and positive space to clarify forms and strengthen visual impact

13. Composition: Subject- Exploring compositional techniques focused on the subject of an artwork - Using poses to accenture gesture and highlight key features

14. Composition: Depth- Explore 3D perspective in 2D art to incorporate depth and enhance spatial immersion

15. Composition Analysis- Break down real-life examples into step-by-step analysis to understand how effective compositions are built - Identify the techniques used and apply those insights to strengthen your sense of composition

16. Thumbnail Drafting- Use colored mock-up thumbnails to assess the overall cohesiveness of an artwork from a distance

17. Building Skeletal Outlines- Refine mock-up thumbnails into clean, coherent linework to guide and progress the artwork - Break down lineart techniques such as line weight, detail, and clarity - Cover how to approach features like hair, facial details, hands, and clothing

18. Thinking in Values- Explore how to think compositionally in terms of light when working on the subject - Block out values using light and refine shadows to enhance form and mood - Understand the benefits of starting in grayscale to strengthen tonal control

19. Color Cohesion: How Cohesive Are Your Colors?- Explore methods of color blocking that best suit your workflow - Understand the importance of integrating values into color - Implementing colors from your character draft to the final composition for consistency and cohesion

20. Color Theory: All About Colors- Understand the importance of color - Learn key color theory concepts and principles (e.g. complementary/tertiary color schemes, palettes, hue/tint/shade, harmony, contrast, and symbolism) - Take a more practical and in-depth dive into color theory within a rendering workflow, beyond basic palette selection

21. Colors and Value: How Are They Connected?- A dive into the interwoven relationship between color and value in composition and rendering - Understand how to approach both elements in tandem for visual balance (e.g. Helmholtz–Kohlrausch effect, Purkinje effect, and Bezold–Brücke shift)

22. General Pipeline Overview- A quick rundown of my work pipeline and why I chose to stick with it - A brief look at my common color choices and how they’ll be expanded upon in upcoming chapters

23. Brush Fundamentals: Do Brushes Matter?- Explore the role of brushes and how much they actually impact the final look - Understand when brushes enhance a piece and when overreliance can detract the audience's attention

24. Rendering Skin- Polish the draft and add rendering details for realistic skin - Cover key points like cooler and warmer temperature zones, melanin distribution (particularly in hands), and basic subsurface scattering theory - Includes facial features such as eyes, nose, and mouth

25. Rendering Hair- Polish the draft and add rendering details for hair - Focus on lighting, value structure, and shaping the hair into a 3D form

26. Rendering Clothes- Polish the draft and add rendering details for clothing - Focus on fold tension lines, fabric behavior, and conveying cloth texture effectively

27. Unifying the Subject and Scene- Learn how to integrate the subject into the environment and vice versa - Focus on blending both elements to create a cohesive and visually connected final piece

28. Ornamental Detailing- Detail the subject and add ornamental decorations - Explore how patterns can elevate the overall visual impact

29. Environment Detailing- Complete the environment with intentional detail - "Less is more"

30. Unifying the Subject and Scene (Part 2)- Revisit and refine the connection between subject and environment after rendering

31. Finishing Touches- Learn how to fill a scene with intentional clutter where needed - Balance negative and positive space to complete the composition

32. Color Grading- Fine-tune filters to polish and enhance the final artwork (e.g. Color Balance, Tone Curve, Sharpen, Gradient Maps)

33. Personal Anecdotes- Personal stories from my journey as an artist, and how my interests have taken me into my career

34. Afterword- Reflect on how art and art-making, while subjective, follows principles that can be learned and applied - Embrace the process of understanding the science behind creative choices