The Creation Journal of Wonder Woman

Lauren Cahill
Aug 16, 2017
9 min read

I am beginning Wonder Woman as an 11x14" Drawing using Faber-Castell Polychromos Pencils on Strathmore 300 Series Vellum Bristol Board.

I am utilizing for the majority of the piece, 58 total pencils made up of 44 Faber-Castell (FC) Polychromos Pencils and 14 Prismacolor (PC) Pencils.

Color Palette:

All-

FC: Black, White

PC: White

Background-

FC: Burnt Umber, Walnut Brown, Burnt Sienna, Bistre, Caput-Mortum Violet

Hair-

FC: Walnut Brown + Caput Mortum Violet, Burnt Umber + Caput Mortum Violet, Bistre + Caput Mortum Violet, Van Dyck Brown, Raw Umber, Nougat, Peach Beige

Skin-

FC: Light Flesh, Cinnamon, Burnt Ochre, Sanguine, Venetian Red, Burnt Sienna, Indian Red, Nougat, Van Dyck Brown, Caput Mortum Violet, Medium Flesh, Dark Flesh, Pompeian Red, Red Violet

Leather-

FC: Nougat, Van Dyck Brown, Indian Red, Caput Mortum Violet, Black

Gold Plate:

FC: Light Peach, Cream, Light Yellow Ochre, Terra Cotta, Bistre, Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna, Caput Mortum Violet

PC: Peach Beige, Bronze

Red Plate:

FC: Pompeian Red, Deep Scarlet Red, Alazarin Crimson, Middle Cadmium Red, Dark Red

Blue Plate:

FC: Sky Blue, Helio Turquoise, Ultramarine, Dark Indigo

PC: Powder Blue, Muted Turquoise, Warm Grey 70%

Metal & Shield:

FC: Cold Grey II; III; IV, Warm Grey I; II; III; V,

PC: Cool Grey 70%, Warm Grey 70%; 90%, Putty Beige, French Grey 30%; 50%, 70%, 90%

Note: Some colors had [Color + Color] Meaning the reference photo had no like color in the color pencil inventory so colors were mixed to create new shades to match the colors in the reference photo.

The drawing process for this piece estimated to be close to 40 hours of work.

(Supply list at the end of article)

Step 1: Making the Sketch

I begin by pulling images from the internet and moving them over to my Photoshop Elements Program. Currently, I am using version 8 compared to the version 15 they have available but it still works.

I play with the images, change the lighting, edit the backgrounds or effects and when I am satisfied with the concept image, I print it out in scaled size then piece it together if need be.

I use a Lit Energy Lightboard to lightly trace the outline of the key concepts of the important areas.

I have found that trying to completely free-hand an image could potentially damage the tooth of the paper from potential erasure marks. To save time and possibly human error, I follow this method, similar to the camera obscura used by the old masters.

Before I prepare to draw, I return to Photoshop Elements. I use a journal to record all of my colors along with their Make, Name, and Shade. I use the 'Eye Dropper' tool in Photoshop Elements and move it around the photo while recording the appropriate shades from my color inventory to match what I see in front of me.

I have found sometimes, when looking at a color, your eye can play tricks on you so using this method helps me to determine appropriate colors for shading to assist in aiding the drawing to become as realistic as possible.

Step 2: Face

Skin-

Black, White, PC White

FC: Light Flesh, Cinnamon, Burnt Ochre, Sanguine, Venetian Red, Burnt Sienna, Indian Red, Nougat, Van Dyck Brown, Caput Mortum Violet, Medium Flesh, Dark Flesh, Pompeian Red, Red Violet

I begin by using the lightest colors all over the face with light pressure in circular motions. Gradually, building up the color in the appropriate areas from light to dark. The saturation of color sometimes tends to be brighter than I would like which is when I use the PC White Pencil to 'dull' down the saturation of skin color. I continue to repeat the process again shading in light to dark values, use the white and repeat the process until I am satisfied with the skin color. Because I use this method, creating skin tones is a very lengthly process and requires ALOT of Patience.

Anytime you are not using the appropriate kind of paper and have a significant amount of layers, you must be extra careful because the tooth of the paper may become damaged and you may see the paper being 'eaten away' which is what I started to notice happen in this particular piece. I had so many layers to create a realistic skin tone, I had to make myself stop layering in the color because the paper could not physically handle the layers anymore.

(Yes, the eye is messed up and I will fix it later).

Step 3: Body

It is best if you move in one general direction at a time to prevent your hands from resting on top of color. Generally speaking, I do prefer to do this. Mainly, since I am right handed, I work from the top left to the bottom right of the paper with the exception of the background I tend to save this step for the last.

However, there are times, especially when I am working with a significant amount of colors, that I make exceptions to this rule. Wonder Woman is one of them. Instead, I decided to work in all 'Colored' Sections at a time first by doing all of the Skin areas so then I may slowly clean up my desk and put the pencils back.

Since my 'application method' of creating the initial skin tone from her face is fresh in my head, I continued with the flesh areas from the rest of the body.

I found the two most difficult areas to complete was the dark, highly saturated right arm and left hand. For some reason, the layers did not want to 'build' and I felt as though the left hand was looking a bit 'grainy' for a small amount of layering that was applied. I will rework the layers within the hand when I get closer to working on the gauntlets and shield.

Step 4: The Plated Skirt:

Blue Plate:

FC: Sky Blue, Helio Turquoise, Ultramarine, Dark Indigo

PC: Powder Blue, Muted Turquoise, Warm Grey 70%

Gold Plate:

FC: Light Peach, Cream, Light Yellow Ochre, Terra Cotta, Bistre, Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna, Caput Mortum Violet

PC: Peach Beige, Bronze, Warm Grey 70%

I began by overall shading values from light to dark in the appropriate areas in standard blue/turquoise colors before I got around to doing the texture.

I studied my reference photo to try to figure out how the texture was laid out in the skirt. I took my head out of it and really looked at it as an abstract piece.

Using my darkest shade of blue, FC Dark Indigo, I literally drew small squiggly lines all over the entire skirt.

Within each squiggly area, I used a Sakura Gellyroll White Gel Pen and applied the gel. The gel pen tends to be a bright white so I let it sit for a moment to begin to dry out (which happens fast) then I took my finger and pressed down on it. In some areas where it was brighter, I may have done this a couple of times to bring up the white. If you look at the drawing, you can tell the texture is not dots, not blobs, but flat. When I took my finger and applied pressure to the gel, the gel spread out a little bit to help make it a little more natural instead of sharp.

I applied the same type of process when completed the Gold Plated Trim using the colors specified above.

Step 5: The Shield & Gauntlets

Metal & Shield:

FC: Cold Grey II; III; IV, Warm Grey I; II; III; V,

PC: Cool Grey 70%, Warm Grey 70%; 90%, Putty Beige, French Grey 30%; 50%, 70%, 90%

The texture within the shield in the areas where the metal screws are used the same technique as the skirt above.

The majority of the shield was done in black pencils, applied first. Initially, I used a mineral solvent over my black pencil to saturate the paper and cover all the tooth, let it dry then re-applied my black pencil over top to really darken the color. I applied pencil into pencil for the remainder of the drawing, blending the colors into each other.

To enhance the brightest points in the trim, I used my Sakura Gelly Roll Gel Pen. I drew the lines then immediate took my finger and ran through it to soften the strokes.

I also dabbed my gel pen into the areas of the screws to highlight the brightest areas.

Step 6: The Gauntlets

Leather-

FC: Nougat, Van Dyck Brown, Indian Red, Caput Mortum Violet, Black

Gold Plate (Fasteners):

FC: Light Peach, Cream, Light Yellow Ochre, Terra Cotta, Bistre, Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna, Caput Mortum Violet

PC: Peach Beige, Bronze

The Metalwork on the Gauntlets from the image below were created using the same areas of the shield. I did however notice that the colors were not applying the way that I wanted to and in certain areas, the reference photo had a blueish tint in certain areas.

I added in Sky Blue and Dark Indigo to help create a more realistic effect.

The fasteners I felt after applying the appropriate colors were not as sharp and crisp as I would have liked so I used my gel pen to enhance the metal and brighten the fastener which really helped to make it stand out.

Step 7: The Rope

Gold Plate:

FC: Light Peach, Cream, Light Yellow Ochre, Terra Cotta, Bistre, Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna, Caput Mortum Violet

PC: Peach Beige, Bronze

I began by 'blocking out' with a Black Pencil the darkest areas of the rope so I knew where each individual strand would fall. The sketch I completed was just a very rough estimate and had to be re-done correctly.

Afterwards, I began shading in the lightest to darkest values in the rope, layering colors on top of each other.

For the details in the rope, I used the burnt umber pencil, pressed hard to make indentations within the strands of the rope. I then used my gel pen to create the highlights, use my finger to wipe it off a bit after it was applied and began to dry.

I also applied a gold gel pen to really enhance the gold color in certain areas of the rope.

Step 8: The Belts

Leather-

FC: Nougat, Van Dyck Brown, Indian Red, Caput Mortum Violet, Black

Gold Plate:

FC: Light Peach, Cream, Light Yellow Ochre, Terra Cotta, Bistre, Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna, Caput Mortum Violet

PC: Peach Beige, Bronze

I found the Gold plate in this particular area to be the most challenging of the piece and took the longest to do (roughly 3 hours).

Each area had a different set of value and textures that needed to be applied.

I used a Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen to create the lines which I had to do very carefully.

I began shading in the values again from lightest to darkest in strokes opposed to circular motions which helps to create direction and movement.

My gel pen was a huge player in creating highlights within all of the areas of the belt.

Directional pencil strokes was also important for the belt. After applying the colors, the belt was highly saturated so I used my Prismacolor White Pencil to lower the saturation to help create a more natural leather effect.

Step 9: Red Plate

Red Plate:

FC: Pompeian Red, Deep Scarlet Red, Alazarin Crimson, Middle Cadmium Red, Dark Red

I completed the opposite side of the leather belt then I used my PITT artist pen again to black out and color the dividing lines within the breast plate.

Here, instead of creating values from light to dark, I began working in reverse effect by shading in the darkest areas (black) first. By doing this and applying my red hues over top, I was able to achieve a very dark saturation of red. I continued to work from dark to light, blending pencil into pencil.

To finish, I used my white gel pen to create the highlighted lines between each of the dividing lines to enhance the look of the armor.

Step 10: Gold Plate

Explaining the method here would be repetitive but the method is the exact same as the Plated Gold Belt.

Step 11: The Background

Background-

FC: Burnt Umber, Walnut Brown, Burnt Sienna, Bistre, Caput-Mortum Violet

I began by shading in values from light to dark and then I blended using mineral solvents and a paint brush. When you use this method, you must allow the area to dry before applying pencil again over top. When the areas has dried, I added more color and then re-blended in the areas.

When you use mineral solvents, you must apply a very small amount to your brush and then gently dab it off. The oil on your brush goes a long way.

I am careful to blend ever so slightly into the areas of the hair, roughly blocking it out.

Step 12: The Hair

Hair-

FC: Walnut Brown + Caput Mortum Violet, Burnt Umber + Caput Mortum Violet, Bistre + Caput Mortum Violet, Van Dyck Brown, Raw Umber, Nougat, Peach Beige

Whenever I work with hair I have to break it down into sections and look at it abstractly.

I begin my applying an over all base shade usually in the lightest color which is my highlight then I gradually build up the colors. My midtone colors are where I begin to create the strands followed by my darkest colors, separating the strands and creating the overall value and texture of the hairlines.

I use my white gel pen to finish off my pieces to create the 'fly-aways' and some strategic highlights within the hair lines.

Overall, I had a lot of fun creating Wonder Woman and seeing the amazing feedback from my focus groups and from my friends, family, and fans. To date, this is one of the most detailed drawings I have completed and I am very please to be able to share her with you.

Supply List:

Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Board 11x14" http://www.dickblick.com/products/strathmore-300-series-bristol-board-pads/

Faber-Castell Polychromos Pencils

http://www.dickblick.com/products/faber-castell-polychromos-pencils/

Polychromos PrismaColor Pencils

http://www.dickblick.com/products/prismacolor-colored-pencils/

Mona Lisa Odorless Mineral Solvents

http://www.jerrysartarama.com/mona-lisa-cleaning-supplies

Winsor & Newton Artists' Oil Brushes Filbert, Size 6

http://www.dickblick.com/products/winsor-and-newton-artists-oil-brushes/

Sakura Gellyroll Pens, White

http://www.dickblick.com/products/sakura-gelly-roll-pens/