USING COLOUR TO ADD ATMOSPHERE

Colour is a powerful tool for enhancing the mood of an illustration. Maria Poliakova reveals how she applies colour in a portrait piece

Digital painting gives artists a unique opportunity to draw freely. There’s no need to worry about damaging the canvas through excessive erasing of unwanted pencil lines, or mixing too many colours so that the end results are an unsalvageable, muddy mess.

When I was studying I only painted with traditional materials.

Watercolour soon became my favourite medium because it enabled me to produce the vibrant, light and delicate colours that I was looking for. But then I discovered digital painting and everything changed.

Photoshop enables me to quickly adjust my colours, tone or shapes. And when I start drawing my personal works, I try to make quick decisions and not to concentrate on the details. I just follow my mood and keep in mind what I want to tell with art. Often it’s just a desire to study people’s faces again and again. I find them beautiful and far-ranging, and there are so many nuances through colour choices and line art that can convey a character’s mood.

I often start with a simple portrait, and then ideas steadily come to me. I like to make my art a little bit decorative and dreamy, focusing on colour combinations and tones.