Whilst fiddling around with Clip Studio, seeking inspiration for what I should draw next, not quite wanting to do comic related things... I found @snook's next challenge!
Snook's Create Your Own Leprechaun Challenge!!
Before finding the challenge, and while just fiddling around with the program, I found a new brush that I really like. One of the great things with the Clip Studio program is that it has a huge community of creators who regularly upload new brushes, poses, textures, etc, for others to use, and I found a brush that suits my style perfectly.
In my last drawing post -- Joey and Jenny Come to Life -- I mentioned something about enjoying thick and ragged lines instead of smooth ones.
Well, I found a brush that was perfect.
I love it. I'm going to use this brush all the time!!
Excited to use it in a proper drawing, I found @snook's challenge and wondered just how I could go about drawing a leprechaun.
I don't really know much about them except they're mischievous tricksters who guard the treasure at the end of the rainbow. I think. I could be completely wrong, I don't know. I'm Australian, not Irish! I'm sure there's more to them, but that's the extent of what I know, and that's what I shall write here. 😅
I didn't really know how to begin though, so I grabbed my new brush and did what I used to do back when I was bored with a pencil and paper... I drew swirls.
Those swirls used to fill my notebooks. I don't even know why. I guess it could just be the simple smoothness of drawing a spiral. But it used to mesmerise me, just drawing swirlies over and over.
And soon I had many swirlies!
That was great and all, but I needed to come up with something leprechaun related. And that's when it hit me. That my swirlies could make a great background!
With my swirlies looking more like a background, I started up some treasure. The fabled Pot o' Gold that is hidden beneath the rainbow.
I started with the treasure because I honestly didn't know where to start with a leprechaun. 😅 I figured if I did a bunch of other stuff first, the leprechaun would finally come to me.
And soon he did!
He kind of looks like the character off a Lucky Charms cereal box, but that was okay. He would serve nicely.
Unfortunately this particular leprechaun isn't guarding the treasure hidden beneath the end of the rainbow. Oh no. This particular leprechaun has stumbled across another's unguarded treasure and is filled with greed as he prepares to take it for himself.
I was quite happily colouring him in, pleased that the creature I created actually somewhat resembled a stereotypical (unbearded) leprechaun... but disaster was lurking beneath his sleeves.
Hands.
No matter how much I tried, I couldn't get his hands right.
Of course I didn't think of grabbing a pose off the great Clip Studio library. Nope. That didn't even occur to me. Instead I struggled and struggled to give this creature some money-grubbing hands, and failed miserably.
So I gave him some cartoon ball-hands instead. 🤣
I don't know. His hands are ridiculous but I actually like them. I think they suit this weird cartoon style I happened upon today.
When all else fails, chuck on some balls!
I hope that you liked my little leprechaun drawing! 🙂
@snook's Create Your Own Leprechaun Challenge has only just begun and is still open until Saturday. You've got plenty of time to join in too! And nope -- it's not just for drawings. You can create whatever you like 😄 Music, art, creative writing, it's up to you!
Until next time! 🍀☘️