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Illustration Process

Step 1: The Sketch

I loved rollerskating as a young girl. Ice skating, too. I searched for reference photos of the type of roller skates I had as a girl. I wanted the illustration to be both feminine and tough and ended up with over the knee socks and a bandaged knee to illustrate the fact that girls are resilient.

Step 2: Base Colors

I imported a photo of my sketch into the Procreate app on my iPad and began filling in the large areas with color. I don’t worry about texture at this point. I’m just making sure the colors are right and laying down a foundation.

Step 3: Shading

Next, I add shading. I love using symmetry in Procreate because it’s a time saver. You can see how I used symmetry to shade the roller skates, but the socks and skin were done separately.

Step 4: Details and Lettering

Finally, I colored in the fun details and hand letter the quote. Bold colors and happy motifs on the skates give the illustration the retro vibe I was going for.

Helen Deasy
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