How I create… a woodland fantasy scene

1 Sketch your ideas

My first sketch is a landscape, and the deer is actually on the far left. This stage is when a lot of elements can be changed, and some artists spend too long trying to finalise the composition. I believe that a drawing is an adventure. Take one step, and let that decision affect what you draw next.

2 The Golden Ratio

The latest version of Photoshop features the Golden Ratio (or Section) tool. This works best between two characters looking at different objects in the scene. If you overlay the Ratio over the characters you might even find that all your elements are in their ideal locations already.

3 Pull in the viewer

Each of my figure’s gestures results in what I call a feeling of gravity. The main character is bending forward, and the secondary elements follow this motion. Leave a space for the viewer in which they can place themselves in the scene. This further increases the viewer’s affinity with your composition.