Unholy Paladin Studios Tutorials: How to build a picture with a light table

Huge drawing is huuuuuuge.

 So, you want to build up a very complex illustration, and you want to make sure that everything, both foreground and background, is absolutely perfect before committing them to the same piece of paper?  Or you're just not wanting to mess up one element of the picture while working on another?  Or perhaps, the final project is simply going to be on a larger piece of paper than what you're sketching on?

 Today, I'll be covering a technique using one of the most useful tools in a traditional artist's arsenal, the light table, in order to accomplish all the above.

Step 1:  The stuff that goes into it

 For this project, I've decided to do an update of this old illustration of my character Richter Mitchell with the Phobos Deity.  Over the years, I've redesigned them both rather extensively, so it's about time I did an illustration similar to this one to properly showcase their final designs.

 This is the final redesign of Richter.  There wasn't much change other than the increase in detail level (hey, 6 years makes a big difference).  Also, instead of having a prosthesis in a cast, I've just decided to forego the prosthetic arm altogether.  Also, he's just got a regular eyepatch.

 As for the Phobos Deity itself, there's clearly MUCH more detail, in addition to extra functions that make him more useful as a combat assist than just being a giant book.

 Since Phobos' wings went off the sides of the page, I finished them on a piece of printer paper.

 Step 2:  Working from foreground to background

 Since the plan was to have Phobos' lower-right claw come around in front of Richter, I started by tracing that onto the final piece using the light table.  I was careful to just do the claw, because I have to make sure the next layer back (Richter) will be unimpeded by anything that's supposed to go behind him.

 Removed the sketch of Phobos, and placed the final over the sketch of Richter.

 Richter is now inked.

 Since this was supposed to represent Richter actually summoning Phobos, rather than Phobos just sort of being "there" like on the original, I decided to add a special effect of the Deity not being fully formed.  I just took a piece of printer paper over the original sketch, and drew up the areas where Phobos isn't "complete."
On the final version, these areas will have the same translucency as the Deities on the old series of illustrations.

 Now layering them all together, tracing Phobos, the wings where they went off the edge of the paper in my sketchbook, and also will be tracing the "incomplete bits" with a red Sharpie.

Also not shown (though you can see it in further steps), but I ended up adjusting the position of Phobos' left-upper claw a bit further out than on the sketch, since the sketch would have it hidden from view behind Richter's head.  Just moved the "Phobos" layer to the desired position for that piece, then traced that part in its new location (just had to be careful to make sure the tentacle would still line up).

Step 3:  Effects!

 Now that the composition is set, I can now design the "summoning aura."  I set a piece of printer paper over the area where the aura would be, and got to sketching it out.

 By itself, this doesn't really look like anything, lol.

 BUT THEN!!!

 And now, the aura is traced in with the same red Sharpie used on Phobos' "gaps," for continuity's sake.

Step 4:  Linework done!

Ready for paint!

So now, we've effectively combined 5 separate drawings into one!  Now the drawing is taped down on a board and ready to be painted, but that'll be a tutorial for another time.  ;)

Happy drawing, everyone!