I found this sketch while cleaning out a couple of sketchbooks, drawing tablets and portfolios. There, tucked underneath a couple of bags from Hobby Lobby, lay this drawing. I don't recall when I started it, or why I stopped. I just looked at it and was suddenly inspired to create something sweet, using my favorite blond character, Towel (that's her nickname)! The thing is that I fought the impulse to make changes to the sketch. Instead, I wanted to act right away with the coloring process. Didn't want to think too much. Just wanted to grab the sketch and move.
![](http://towelscornbread.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/sweet2.jpg?w=225)
As always, inking comes next. My favorite Precise V5 pen did the grunt work. Followed by a simple yellow Sharpie (yes, Sharpie) to outline her hair. Last, I used a sand-colored Copic marker to outline and give a little shadow/shading. I chose the skin-toned markers according to–you guessed it–skin tone. And though she's blond, it doesn't mean she's a tanned blond. Nevertheless, I always try to shadow lightly, throwing the whole concept of coloring "by light source" out the window. I also used a flesh-colored Copic marker to guide her upper lip so I wouldn't lose the shape before I added a darker color.
Here, I water colored her hair a simple canary yellow. And because her eyes are brown, I gathered my usual three-tones to give her eyes a gradient-like effect. Always more color!
X-acto knife ready, I carved away the negative space to get her ready for the felt, ice cream backdrop I decided to use. I didn't glue her on right away because I knew that it would be a mess to do so first and then start using chalk pastels. I also knew it would be a mess to add the chalk pastels and then use the x-acto knife to carve her off the negative space. So for a while, I had me a cute paper doll tapped to my drawing board.
I normally use a dark toned pastel to match a character's hair, but here I used a matching yellow instead. I coated her lips with a dark pink Prismacolor pencil. These are my favorite pencils because of their soft, creamy tips. As for the chalk pastel, used for her skin toned, I chose a shade of brown that I more or less liked when I first laid it down. I managed to even it out by blending in a lighter flesh color, running a dry paper towel over the two to even her out. Of course, I used a thin-tipped eraser to clean the edges.
![](http://towelscornbread.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/sweet6.jpg?w=225)
Three Prismacolor pencils used to add layers and effect to her hair. A very light canary yellow, golden rod yellow, and an almost sienna brown were used. Once the streaks of pencil are in, I use another dry paper town to blend it all in with the chalk pastel. Then I use a gummy eraser to add highlights in long streaks. I retook the Precise V5 pencil to fill in her pupil and mark some effect lines on the edges of her iris. Lastly, I glued her to the felt, seemingly as if she came out of a pocket of space.
![](http://towelscornbread.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/sweet7.jpg?w=217)
The digital scan. But first, I added the usual whiteout shimmer to her lips and eyes. I also added the cutie 3D stickers in support of the theme (sweets and ice cream). The cherries work as earrings; the watermelon (hopefully) as a ring. As for the drawing, I did the usual reviving of color the second I scanned it. That seems necessary when a drawing moves into digital format. I also cleaned up around her arm. When I found the original sketch there were marks I had to work over that I knew during the process were going to need retouching. I have yet to retouch her left eyebrow by slimming it down and back some. And while her arm is a little shapeless, I decided to leave it as it is. As I mentioned earlier, I didn't want to get into making adjustments to the sketching part; instead I jumped right in.
Hopefully I didn't miss anything. Yeah well, I know I did somewhere. Anyway, thanks everyone for allowing me to share this!
Another on the way!