[Course]illustrator,timbougami Details
Intro
Class Intro
Illustrator, Timbougami
"I'll show you how to draw evocative & immersive character & background art."
Bringing Worlds to Life with Your Original Characters
Every great illustration begins with a spark, an idea that evokes strong emotions for you and gets you excited. But to bring that idea into life, and for it to take a solid shape, you need a strong grasp of fundamentals in crafting a painting.
This class designed by Timbougami, will guide you through the essential principles of figure drawing, perspective, lighting, and color, the fundamentals that form the backbone of any compelling illustration. By applying these concepts, you’ll be able to construct dynamic compositions, create depth in your scenes, and bring emotion into your artwork with thoughtful lighting and color choices.
By the end of this class, you will complete an illustration with an original character and a detailed background. You'll learn how to create characters that not only fit within a world but also stand out as iconic and memorable with their personality, emotion, and depth. Alongside character design, you’ll explore how to craft immersive backgrounds that enhance storytelling, establish atmosphere, and create a seamless connection between the character and their environment.
By the end of this class, you will complete an illustration with an original character and a detailed background. You'll learn how to create characters that not only fit within a world but also stand out as iconic and memorable with their personality, emotion, and depth. Alongside character design, you’ll explore how to craft immersive backgrounds that enhance storytelling, establish atmosphere, and create a seamless connection between the character and their environment.
Class Preview
Still Not Sure?
Check Out Timbougami's Class Preview!
Chapter 13.
Drawing the Stylized Head in 3D Space
1. Realistic proportions vs. Stylized proportions
2. Simplifying the body into easily understandable forms
Class Perks
Special Gift from Timbougami
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Artist’s Personal BrushesFull list of brushes that the artist uses
- includes 4 custom brushes made by the artist -
15 Class Exercises and In-Class Working Files- Working files of all exercise demonstrations and class slides for hands-on practice. -
All Final Product FilesPSD/CSP Files for the Final Artwork
- Source file for the main image
- All layers and previous working stages included
- The CSP file will have a perspective ruler -
Extra Finished Artworks2 Additional Files of Finished Art Pieces
- Source file for the image
- All layers and previous working stages included
- The CSP file will have a perspective ruler
- Process video (uncommented)
Recommendation
Who should take this class?
Aspiring Artists
looking to build a strong skill set to work in the entertainment industry as professionals
Anime Style Artists
who want to master anime-style proportions, character design, and stylized coloring techniques
Intermediate Artists
with a good grasp of fundamentals, but want to expand and sharpen their knowledge by learning a different workflow and unique sense of aesthetic
Expert Illustrator Timbougami's Portfolio
* This Portfolio includes fanart.
Why Take This Class?
This class is designed to help you bridge the gap between imagination and execution. You'll learn how to take an idea and develop it into a fully realized illustration, focusing on both character illustration and background creation. By mastering original character creation, composition, perspective, lighting, and color, you'll gain the technical skills needed to create illustrations that feel alive and immersive.
Beyond fundamentals, this course will teach you how to place and render characters in a way that enhances the overall composition, making them feel naturally integrated within the scene. Whether you're looking to strengthen your fundamentals, refine your artistic style, or build a portfolio of professional-quality work, this class will guide you through every step of the creative process.
15 Class Exercises Designed by Timbougami
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Writing Down Ideas & Visualizing -
Composition Practice with Thumbnail Sketching -
Trying Different Light Situations -
Basic Perspective Practice -
Creating a Fitting Perspective Grid & Sketch
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Head Drawing Practice -
Figure/Anatomy Drawing In Perspective -
Gesture Drawing Practice -
Stylized Hair Drawing Practice -
Clothing Practice
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Practicing Different Light Situations -
Coloring the B/W Sketch -
Material Shading Practice -
Hair Shading Practice -
Lineart Practice
*Above are sample images for a better understanding
Final Product
Character & Background Illustration
Instructor
Illustrator
Timbougami
Hello, nice to meet you! My name is Tim.
I'm an illustrator from Germany who mostly works for video game companies. I love creating illustrations for my own ideas and exploring those created worlds and characters, as well as drawing itself.
I hope my video course will help you improve your drawing and painting skills and give you a guide for where to go next!
Illustrator, Timbougami
[Current]
Freelance Illustrator
[Previous]
Inhouse Freelancer at Karakter (Berlin)
Projects & Awards
[Illustration Works]
- Alchemy Stars
- Azur Lane
- Arknights
- The Beginning After The End
- Teppen (Capcom)
- Crypton Future Media
- Work Released in “Pixiv Visions 2022 Illustration Book”
- Pixiv Drawtube Interview (2022)
Highlights
Class Highlights
Visualize Characters in 3D
Learn to draw characters accurately from any angle by breaking down the human body into simplified, easy-to-memorize forms. This skill will help you create dynamic poses, maintain consistency in your designs, and bring more life to your illustrations.
Composition: It's Half of the Battle
A well-thought-out and appealing composition is one of the most crucial elements of any artwork, regardless of whether it's a character with no background or a full-blown scenic illustration. By planning it early on, you learn to have a much easier time creating a visually impactful final piece
Letting the Viewer Feel Your Emotions with Light and Color
Choosing the right colors and light situations is a key ingredient to creating a fitting mood. Carefully manipulate these elements and guide the viewer’s emotional response, making the artwork resonate on a deeper and personal level.
Class Details
You'll Learn
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Planning Your CompositionUse small thumbnail sketches to arrange objects, shapes, and values, ensuring a strong and balanced composition. -
Perspective BasicsLearn essential perspective rules to create depth and structure in your drawings. -
Stylized Figure DrawingSimplify the human body and head into clear, three-dimensional forms to enhance stylization and consistency.
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LineartExplore different techniques to create clean, expressive, and dynamic linework for stronger illustrations. -
Lighting and ColoringStudy how different lighting conditions affect a scene by painting in black & white, then applying rough colors to establish mood and atmosphere. -
Rendering and FinalizingUtilize previous sketches and plannings to fully concentrate on the rendering process and polish the final piece.
Interview with
Illustrator Timbougami
Question.01
Could you please share how you started your journey in the industry?
My first professional job was as a background artist for a point-and-click adventure called Memoria by Daedalic Entertainment, while I was still a university student. Later, during my studies, I worked as an intern artist at Sixmorevodka. I learned a lot during that time about professional work. I never lost my passion for Japanese-style art, which was the very reason I started drawing seriously. However, in the Western world, it seemed impossible to build a career with this style. After graduating and working in concept art and illustration for Western games for about a year, I became artistically dissatisfied and decided to fully concentrate on what originally sparked my passion for art: the Japanese style of stylization.
Question.02
What are some "to-go" or "must-have" tools in your industry, and why?
With 2D art, the only must-have would be a drawing tablet and digital drawing software. And the internet or books for references. The rest is all up to your abilities.
The final product of 2D art is always a flat image, so there aren't any technical requirements aside from being able to save an image file. All other tools are only optional depending on your skill and knowledge or to simply cut corners.
Question.03
Is there anything else you would like to share with your students?
Please love what you do! I personally think that you will be at your best and create your most authentic art if you simply do what you love.
Required Programs
This course will use Clip Studio Paint.
Please purchase and install these program(s) for an optimized chapter experience.
*These programs and/or materials will not be provided with the chapter.
