Create tension around the table

I put the main character in the middle of the image and draw him in the act of pulling out his gun. I work on his angry expression. To help support his sense of character I draw him wearing a cowboy hat and a full-length coat that’s taken straight out of a film noir. I give him a pirate’s eye patch, just to ensure that his scoundrel nature is clear to the viewer! To create the smoky atmosphere I use a cold main light coming from the right hand side. The light blue is perfect for science fiction art, and enables me to bring out the scoundrel who’s dressed in a dark warm brown. I paint the metal walls of the room and use rough textured brushes to accentuate the dirty look. With an orange colour I also add areas of rust. Taking cues from the animal kingdom I draw other players in the gambling den, varying their costumes, heights, weights and physical features. Here and there I draw aliens belonging to the same race. I pay attention to their body language. Some turn toward the angry protagonist, others look down, others ignore him. Who knows how many fights occur in a place like this! When I finish painting characters, I start with the playing cards. I paint them as hologram that cast a reddish light. They won’t feature the designs of traditional playing cards; instead, I sketch on them some signs that give the idea of an alien script. I don’t want the chips to be round and look like Earth currency, so I give them a rectangular shape with a bar code on them.