Godzilla Process

Unlike my client work, it’s rare for me to record my progress in my personal illustrations. This piece is a pleasant exception to the rule! Each step in the process ended up looking so striking on its own, I couldn’t help but preserve it all.

The first step is the thumbnail, done in my sketchbook with whatever pens or markers I have on hand.

Next is the digital sketch, where I refine the composition from the thumbnail and resolve unclear details. This stage doesn’t usually turn into a full value rough, but I was really feeling myself that day.

Clean line work and flat local colors follow. Godzilla and King Ghidorah have very simple color schemes, so this phase went much faster than I’m used to.

Next I lay in shading, highlights, and other, fussier detailing. This is the final stretch, and you can see the end result at the top of this post.

It’s always amazing to me how much of the soul of of an image rests on that final stage! The tone would have been completely different with even a small shift in the color and location of the light source. That said, none of what I do at the end pays off if I’m not diligent and attentive while problem solving in the preceding steps. Every image is a winding chain of small decisions, and sometimes that chain snags on a pair of brawling kaiju.