Step by Step 30 minute sketch

Start clean and end messy! Knocking out a 30 minute sketch means I've got to have my tools within quick and easy reach. Then I can hit the gas!

Here's a behind the scenes look at how I created the 30 minute sketch of The Punisher which I posted last Friday.

Since I keep my official drawing table at an angle for most of my work, I do these quick sketches at the dining room table. I need that flat surface to spread out all my toys.

8 minutes of progress and I've got the sketch right about where I want it in order to start inking. I'm sketching with blue (#2044) Col-Erase pencil on Chipboard.

17 minutes of progress and I've got my pencil sketch a little more refined and inked. I inked this with a black Prismacolor fine line Premier pen.

23 minutes of progress and I've got some color blocked in. I even had time to get some tones and modeling in on the face. Here I'm coloring with Prismacolor markers.

30 minutes and I'm all done. I added most of the white with Prismacolor pencil but those really saturated highlights were done with a Sakura white gel pen. The sketchy background tone was done with a black Prismacolor pencil using the side of the lead (not the sharp tip). Also, I added his stubble as the final step.

This is what my workspace looks like when I'm all wrapped up. Nice and messy. I love the look of creative aftermath!

Here's a scan of the finished sketch.