Soulty's Yapping Corner

After catching up with my last remaining rigging commission, I’m back with another update on my isopod-themed Live2D model!

I’ve recently added glasses, neck, and torso to the model during my free time!

I’ve almost forgotten how lightweight it feels to draw a Live2D model using only the necessary parts, without a full nude base. The raw Clip Studio Paint project file is currently just around 88MB, and that already includes the timelapse, which is amazing! I remember doing the same thing for a commissioned Live2D model, only for the project file to end up being 2GB…

Here’s a timelapse video of my current progress!

Instead of drawing everything part by part, I tried drawing certain elements as a whole within a group folder, duplicating that folder multiple times, and then cutting or filling them based on their assigned parts.

I think this technique really helped me stay focused on the coloring and shading process I usually do for my illustrations, so I’ll stick with it. Plus, I get to see the rendered part as a whole, which helps me check if everything blends well!

Yapping about brushes

Speaking of blending well, I want to yap a bit about the brushes I use for coloring!

My all-time favorite is the SU-Cream Pencil made by Yuriky.

This pencil brush has been my go-to for drafting and sketching for years. It’s also the main brush I use for line art and blocking out colors while working on my model. I wanted a rougher, thicker, and crisper texture compared to the soft, thin line art that’s commonly used in Live2D models.

For blending, I love using Clip Studio Paint’s default Painterly blender brush! It feels like a match made in heaven when I use this alongside SU-Cream Pencil during the coloring phase.

Here’s how I use both brushes!

I block out or sketch out the colors using the SU-Cream Pencil.

I blend the colors using the Painterly Blender brush, and sometimes add hatching details with the SU-Cream Pencil to give the shading more texture.

I think that’s about it! My coloring and blending technique is pretty simple, but the results definitely show how far you can go with just these two brushes. It’s not the best when it comes to the ball, but it stands out so much on the skirt with just scribbles of color blended in, which is what I normally do when I color and blend.

I hope my little yapping session will help those who are trying out different coloring techniques, and maybe get to know me a little bit as an artist. While you’re waiting for my next update, feel free to check me out on Twitch and YouTube where I stream my works!