![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/435896_wtz3b63bdmz_zsbn6aq7oea4p.jpg)
The original drawing done by Nakamura Asumiko from her manga J No Subete.
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/435896_4_yjurxc5ltfbtcy7gzse3tdm.png)
Started my basic line work, filling in the black as needed.
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/435896_33g2_qwvd6yjmg5j_ahwvxwt3.png)
Finished up the basic line work.
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/435896_sbvjey2zkylkz8r977vjczytd.png)
Did the scissors with a combo of free hand and using a line tool. I tested out how to do the hair in the bottom right corner.
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/435896_qrom3dxy9lh9hmcatpotxkmdp.png)
HOLY SHIT. This was RIDICULOUS. This is why Nakamura-sensei is my favorite artist. Her fluidity of lines is impossible for me to capture. I did my best but you can tell how the lines simply pale in comparison to hers. But I was overall satisfied with how it turned out. She does use a mouse and I use a pen so I wonder if that has to do with anything....
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/435896_h63pvgkrfcbusnymsgp9xihny.png)
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/435896_hyvnc75r978fsprdrpwya7_lb.png)
After deciding that I liked his hair color I filled it all in using nothing but my ink tool and airbrush. I could have filled it using bucket but I rarely use it since A) I don't like it B) it feels more like I'm drawing on pen and paper this way.
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/435896_lduska6z7tkmifqoxjwyz2wzi.png)
Checking his hair against white.
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/435896_tz6h_cgueq9vgpxsn8vw29r7g.png)
Went in a did his basic skin tone. J has a super creamy olivey complexion. I went with a slightly more pinkish tone than Nakamura-sensei did so that his vibrant cheeks I was going to add in wouldn't look so strange.
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/435896_sou9rtc7paioo7cwcmqncjjfu.png)
Did the other person's basic skin tone. Since it didn't matter what color these hands were I went with a skin tone I already had in my palette that I use for my other characters. You can see the difference from an "average" skin tone and J's.
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/435896_cgsskgcb2klubky7jeal3jeh3.png)
Started to flesh out J. Adding in some pinkness.
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/435896_xexjmtmc0fr7ofspamh_qaaph.png)
I tested out the highlights and low-lights first before I did anything dramatic. Here I started to line out where his low-lights would go. (Working from lightest to darkest.) I lightened the BG and his base color so I would be able to see it better.
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/435896_wyt2uxe4papjt_fsez3d_crnm.png)
Went in and added some more shading in his hair with a slightly darker color around the edges to start giving it depth.
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/435896_dll8ofylvnb_kvix54nb_4ydr.png)
Did the same thing only with an even darker color.
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/435896_s7okuikzjhudoi07dhfpz0diy.png)
Again, did the same thing but with an even darker color and blended out the color using blur and water.
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/435896_o8ipfz4avnghk8ilp4wjt3gxz.png)
Finished the depth on his whole head. At this point I had zoomed out fully and was very happy with how it turned out and I had never done curly hair like this and was super happy.
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/435896__kjvpo80vpyx04v7fkcoi_6wy.png)
Added in some highlights and shine on his curls.
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/435896_pbf460_78zfvceqkspft9kr4d.png)
Did some clean up on all the layers, especially the hair since I had to blur a lot, there were quite a few fuzzy spots. Darkened up the background. I picked purple maybe becasue I had grown fond of it at this point, but I tried with a variety of colors and back grounds from patterns and prints and bright colors but picked a deep good 'ol basic purple. AND WE'RE DONE! WOOT WOOT! Not bad. Not bad at all. Incredibly happy with it, especially since I thought I wan't going to be able to do it.
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