illustrator,kayjae Details
Intro
Class Intro
Illustrator, KayJae
"Let's begin by creating a strong concept and composition
full of intent to set the stage for a clear, visual narrative."
full of intent to set the stage for a clear, visual narrative."
Captivating Characters That Stop the Scroll
Every unforgettable artwork begins with more than just technical skill—it starts with intention, atmosphere, and a story to tell.
In this class, you’ll learn to harness every stage of the illustration process to make your pieces truly shine. From mastering your tools and building strong concepts to refining anatomy and composition, you’ll bring your characters to life with expressive poses, luminous skin, striking eyes, flowing hair, and detailed clothing.
You’ll also discover how to make lighting your most powerful storytelling tool, shaping color harmony and depth across the entire piece. Along the way, you’ll craft immersive backgrounds that enhance—rather than compete with—your characters, and apply post-processing techniques for the professional, scroll-stopping finish your work deserves.
By the end, you’ll have not only a completed illustration, but also the confidence and skills—drawn by the artist’s years of passion and experience—to make every piece you create captivate at first glance and linger in the viewer’s mind.
You’ll also discover how to make lighting your most powerful storytelling tool, shaping color harmony and depth across the entire piece. Along the way, you’ll craft immersive backgrounds that enhance—rather than compete with—your characters, and apply post-processing techniques for the professional, scroll-stopping finish your work deserves.
By the end, you’ll have not only a completed illustration, but also the confidence and skills—drawn by the artist’s years of passion and experience—to make every piece you create captivate at first glance and linger in the viewer’s mind.
Class Preview
Still Not Sure?
Check Out KayJae's Class Preview!
Chapter 13. Lighting for Mood & Realism
1. The importance of lighting in creating a completed composition.
2. Blocking out shapes for direct lighting.
3. About ambient occlusion, ambient lighting, shadows and reflected light.
4. Rendering materials
2. Blocking out shapes for direct lighting.
3. About ambient occlusion, ambient lighting, shadows and reflected light.
4. Rendering materials
Class Perks
Special Gift from KayJae
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Full Layered PSD Work Files- 5 fully layered original PSD files from the class, ready for you to explore and practice with
- Discover how each illustration is organized to streamline and improve your own workflow
- Examine adjustment layers and post-processing techniques used to bring the final artwork to life -
Brushes and Custom Brush Creation Files (CSP)- 2 essential CSP brushes for everyday use: a pencil brush for sketching and lining, and a versatile painting brush with hard-to-soft variance for all-purpose rendering
- 4 example custom brushes to expand your toolkit: hair shape, blood/liquid, skin/stocking rendering, and lace
- 2 example .clip files showcasing custom brush setups—perfect for learning, experimenting, and ultimately adapting to your own brush creation process -
Timelapse Videos- 3 timelapse videos showcasing illustrations from the class
- Watch the full illustration flow unfold from start to finish, with a focus on composition, rendering, and finishing touches
Expert Illustrator KayJae's Portfolio
* This Portfolio includes fanart.
Why Take This Class?
Captivate at First Glance, Last in Their Mind
If you’ve ever felt lost in the jumble of brushes, layers, and colors—or watched a great idea fizzle before it reached the finish line—this class is your clear path forward.
Taught by KayJae, an artist whose expertise was forged through years of hard-earned trial, error, and real-world problem-solving, this course takes you from the fundamentals of your digital art program to advanced rendering, lighting, and post-processing techniques. With a clear, step-by-step structure, you’ll learn to build strong concepts, master lighting for depth and harmony, and design backgrounds that enhance—rather than compete with—your characters.
What sets this class apart is its emphasis on cohesion. Every lesson connects: composition supports storytelling, lighting guides emotion, and post-processing ties it all together into an aesthetic, scroll-stopping final piece. Along the way, you’ll also pick up KayJae’s personal techniques for working efficiently without burning out—so you can not only start your illustrations, but finish them with pride and confidence.
Create art that not only demands attention, but leaves a lasting impression. Begin your journey with KayJae today.
Get Ready for the Real-World
16 Class Exercises
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Create Your Own Custom Brush -
Photo Reference Study -
3D Model Reference Study -
Artwork Reference & Analysis -
Concept Creation & Development
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Composition Planning -
Character & Background Sketch -
Clean Lineart -
Lighting Basics -
Skin Rendering
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Eye Rendering -
Hair Rendering -
Clothing & Fabric Rendering -
Background Illustration -
Photobashing Techniques -
Post-Processing Workflow
*The above images are sample images for a better understanding.
Final Products
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Character + Background 1 -
Character + Background 2
Instructor
Illustrator
KayJae
Hello, I'm KayJae, someone with a non-artistic background who suddenly decided to learn how to draw and now turned freelance illustrator! I often find myself dreaming up ways to capture the atmosphere and aesthetic of particular moments and emotions. I specialise in female character illustrations, original character designs and outfits, and background illustration.
My illustrations are usually infused with an air of allure and my sense of aestheticism drives me to create pieces with an ephemeral atmosphere. I hope that my artwork is able to instil some kind of sensation or emotion for you. My course will run through my entire illustration process which might help you find the spark to give your own illustrations that extra captivating flair!
Illustrator, KayJae
[Current]
Independent Illustrator
[Projects]
- Illustrator, Card Game Cover and Card Illustrations – DRIVE GAMES franchises
- Featured Artist, Hololive English × Pixiv FANART COLLECTION – Hololive / Pixiv
- Featured Artist, Blue Archive Support Fair – Melonbooks
Highlights
Class Highlights
Plan Concepts and Compositions That Captivate
A striking illustration starts long before the first line is drawn—with a strong concept and a thoughtful composition. Learn effective approaches for planning layouts and building a clear visual narrative. Use references to strengthen poses, shapes, and anatomy, then create confident sketches that set the stage for a polished, fully rendered piece.
Bring Characters and Objects to Life with Light
Lighting isn’t just an afterthought—it’s the foundation of color harmony and visual impact. Instead of simply filling in your sketch, you’ll learn to shape light from the start, mastering color selection, reflected light, and ambient occlusion. Step-by-step, apply these key principles to render skin, eyes, and hair with depth and focus, creating characters that truly shine.
Design Backgrounds That Enhance Your Characters
Ever erased or simplified a background because it “just didn’t fit”? Here, you'll gain the skills to design, light, and render immersive settings that support your characters instead of competing with them. From photobashing techniques to post-processing polish, you’ll create cohesive, professional pieces that draw the viewer’s eye and complete your story.
Class Details
You'll Learn
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Conceptualization and CompositionLay the groundwork for a striking illustration by crafting a strong concept and a clear visual plan. Learn how to design compositions that naturally guide the viewer’s eye and set your piece up for success from the start. -
Referencing AnatomyStreamline your anatomy studies by learning how to use photos, 3D models, and existing artwork as effective references. Build confidence in capturing accurate poses, proportions, and movement. -
Character EssentialsDive deep into the core elements that bring characters to life—skin, hair, eyes, and clothing. Master the details that define personality and create a strong visual presence.
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Rendering Through Lighting and AtmosphereTransform your coloring process by starting with light. Learn how to shape mood, add depth, and create harmony in your work through lighting techniques and atmospheric effects. -
Background IllustrationDiscover straightforward methods for painting and photobashing backgrounds that make your characters feel grounded in their world. Add dimension, story, and visual interest without overcomplicating the process. -
Post-Processing TechniquesTake your finished artwork from “good” to “can’t-stop-looking-at-it.” Learn how to boost vibrancy, refine focal points, and add subtle effects that make your piece stand out and be unforgettable.
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Interview with
Illustrator, KayJae
Question.01
Is there a specific reason why you chose this specific topic/theme?
Character anatomy and lineart often are the focus of anime character illustrations and drawing tutorials. However, I have always been enraptured by illustrations that incorporate the character into a vibrant, atmospheric background. Whilst colouring and rendering have always been where I spend most of my time on an artpiece, I recognise that there are many who struggle with adding colour and even more who neglect backgrounds, which may be due to difficulty compositing, time or other reasons. I would like to impart some of my tips for compositing, colouring and rendering so that you too, can paint captivating illustrations and reduce fear of colouring and backgrounds.
Question.02
What makes your class different from other classes?
I have always sought to elevate the aestheticism of anime character illustrations by breaking out of the mold of cel-shaded drawings and incorporating colourful photographic lighting. I found it difficult to find a foothold and method that was suitable for this and struggled through much trial and error to achieve my current level of illustration. In this class, I will go through step by step from the very basics of opening a drawing program all the way to post-processing and exporting illustrations. In this way, I hope it will serve well to those who have never picked up a stylus before and streamline the way to producing artwork that feels like truly finished pieces. It will also focus on specific rendering methods, painting characters in detail, and digital techniques which may be more sidelined topics in lieu of more foundational sketching tips in other classes.
Question.03
Could you please share how you started your journey in the industry?
I grew up with a great lack of artistry - I had never really drawn anything except stick figures and there was no local media that contained inspiring artwork. After being exposed to illustrations with anime and games decades later, I eventually thought to myself that I wanted to draw something like what I saw.
Without knowledge nor talent, I drew and drew, honing my stick figures into something that would eventually look like a legible character. With time, my aspirations were able to transform from simply being able to draw, to being able to draw at a professional level that would hopefully be able to one day match the media I was inspired by. This is why I believe that anyone can become an illustrator with effort and perseverence, and all it takes is that first step, followed by continuing to take that next step - no matter how dire it may seem, it is important to never give up, as you are the only one who can create what you create!
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.
