Super Leo 🦁 Powering Up! - Illustration

This is the third entry for the Artists Challenge on LeoFinance Zealy's Choose Your Own Adventure Campaign.

This is my first illustration for the Intermediate-level challenge in the campaign: LPUD Participant 📈. I'm hopeful that this level of quality is good for this challenge level. Unlike the 1st entry which I drew in iBisPaint. I used Clip Studio Paint for this entry, like with my 2nd one.

I named this art-piece: Super Leo, Powering Up!

Imgur Link: 🦁 Here 🦁

Super Leo, Powering Up is my interpretation of "LPUD Participant" when you take part in LPUD you stake your Leo in a process that's called Power Up. So, I wanted to convey this with what Powering Up means to me. The most iconic anime transformation: A Super Saiyan Transformation.

If you don't know what a Super Saiyan transformation it's a Dragon Ball Z reference. It's a type of transformation certain characters from that Manga/Anime go through to Power Up! Their hair turns yellow, and a huge aura flows around them. ^{(Look it Up!)}

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The Challenge Prompt:

"Draw/Design/Create an image of a role model Lion."

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My Process

1st Step - Concept

For this challenge, I first wanted to make an animated image (.Gif) with a Lion turning Super Saiyan. The transformation animated would've taken too long to draw, I realized I couldn't make a full animated image without procrastinating, so I decided to draw a normal illustration of the same idea.

First I started with a quick sketch as I always do. (I draw multiple layers of sketches with higher amount of details each time.)

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2nd Step - Sketching and Inking

While sketching I made multiple different attempts at the head part. I'm not a fan of the body, but I decided it's okay to not try for hours to make it more accurate. I used Google Image Search as reference.

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3rd Step - Background

This is when I reached my intended version of the theme. I tried to make the background chaotic, but I didn't want to overuse details. I think I did a good job.

If you want a Black/White version of this, similar to my Leo the Dragon Slayer art piece, please let me know.~

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4th Step - Coloring

Creating a new Layer for each color, I picked up the colors from the results of an Google Image Search. I screenshot the images and opened them via the app to pick them up. _{I should learn faster methods to do so.}

I only needed two main colors. Brown for Leo's Mane hair and orange for his Body. I ended up needing a third color, a yellowish brown for the paws.

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5th Step - Color Desaturation

As I finished coloring, I noticed that I chose colors that were too saturated. I lowered the Coloring Layers to make them less saturated. Took me a few attempts.

To make sure of the final result, I restored the layer that says "Power Up" after keeping it hidden for a while.

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6th Step - Leo's Aura

As a final step, I added a bunch of Aura lines, I chose a saturated yellow for them. (Picked up with the same method as Step 4.) I wanted to color the ground too, but I thought this looks stylistic enough as it is.

As a final touch, I colored the eye in a similar manner to how I colored it in the previous entry. What do you think?

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Here you go!

That was my Drawing Process for the third art piece for LeoFinance Zealy's Artist CYOA Campaign.

Now, I realize I could've made part of Leo's Mane Yellow to signify some sort of transformation, but I rather publish this image than procrastinate further, what do you think?

Only two days are left of the campaign after this. The next part of the challenge is called "Leader of the Pack." I hope to be able to draw an entry for that one as well. ^{إن شاء الله}

What do you think?

Please provide me with any feedback. Make a thread of your opinion under the tag #leoartfeedback so I can see it. Your opinions matter, about my art, the post's formatting, or if this is good enough quality for this challenge. Criticism is important for improvement, after all.

Finally, I mainly consider myself a Storyteller, (Digital Artist is secondary to that.) I'd love it if you check my fictional works. Hopefully, you'll find one you like in my "Where to Start?" List.

I hope to meet you again in another post. ^{(إن شاء الله)}

Thanks for reading