30. Final Art Spread 28-29 (AKA: Psychedelic Jellies!)

Jellyfish Picture Book Process

Hey ho!

I’ve got a big process post of bioluminescent, psychedelic jellyfish from colored pencils to paint to the digital Wild West to show you today, so let’s dive right in!

First, I blew up the sketch from my storyboard and copied it onto watercolor paper with my light table. Then I colored in the water and cliff areas with watercolor pencils. Next, I activated the colors by painting them with water. After that, I drew in more details for the tentacles in pencil.

From there, I colored in the tentacles with my Koh-I-Noor Magic FX Pencils which have multi-colored cores (meaning 3-4 colors in each pencil) and you never quite know which color will come out! I love these pencils and the unexpected surprises they create. It forces me to loosen up and accept whatever happens! Plus it looks kinda trippy. :)

Then I colored in the oral arms (the flat, curly things hanging down from the center of the jelly). And lastly, I colored in the head before activating all that with water! Here are photos of that process: