"Tether" Procreate Sketch Timelapse + Final Sketch

NOTE :
I have uploaded 2 new Procreate timelapses for you, you can watch the latest one above, and the one just before that here :
https://youtu.be/xdJckoSEuXc

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Hi peeps, 

I think I might be done with the sketch for "Tether" (Title tbc)!

I kept working on it in Procreate for a few more days, and I ended up altering it a fair bit since the last post I shared about it. 

Something kept bothering me, and I couldn't put my finger on it, so I kept drawing until I felt happier with the piece. 

I think that one of the elements that bothered me was the pose. It felt...wrong, in some way. I tried replicating it myself and taking pictures, and it showed me that the pose I had so far settled on wasn't entirely possible, so I made a few amendments. 

Above : The old pose vs the new one, as well as the lighting I am thinking of using.
I tried sticking as much as possible to the pose you guys voted on for the hand, but in order for it to work with the body, it needed to be slightly more twisted at the wrist.

With these Procreate sketches, I tried something I had never really done before : photobashing. I basically used some real photographs and very roughly integrated them in the drawing to get an idea of how the whole picture might look.
In the version above-right, I used a damaged brick wall texture and in the version below, I added a stone arched window. 

Using the stone window image closed up the space around the character, and although I initially wasn't sure I liked that effect, I think I do now, as it enhances the slight claustrophobic feeling of the character being stuck inside in darkness, and the birds being out in the light. 

I also experimented with adding a sheer veil/curtain in the entrance of the window, to further push that "closed" imagery. I do want that curtain to remain fairly transparent and light, almost ectoplasmic. I am envisioning the veil as slightly overlapping the character, and gently brushing over its shoulder and head. 

I pondered shortly making the birds a different colour, but I think my heart is set on blue. I want a colour that is bright and hopeful, plus, blue compliments yellow wonderfully. 

I also photobashed in a vine growing on the side of the building.
If you watch the video, you'll see that I experimented with the positioning of the vine, from having it all over the wall, to not at all, and I settled on having a small amount of it slowly creeping up the side of the piece.
I want it to bring a little more interest to that previously empty corner of the drawing, and I also like the imagery associated with a creeping parasitic plant like ivy, slowly growing and expanding until it steals the light away from all other things.    

And here you have it.
This is the final composition I have settled on.
I might change some details as I go along, but this gives me a pretty good idea of where I am going with this painting.
I am now in the process of transferring this sketch to the final paper. 

I will be using a piece of watercolour board that is 22inx30in.
I am quite excited to attempt painting a piece that big! 

I hope you guys enjoyed this wip breakdown post.
I also hope that you all well!

On my side of things, things have been a bit tough the last couple of weeks or so, as I had a lot going on in my personal life that wasn't super cheery, but I feel better this week, and I am making sure I take care of myself.
I have taken up running first thing in the morning, which is very unlike me, but has been amazing so far.
I absolutely suck at running, and can't even run a mile at the moment, but I am determined to get there. If anything, it gets me really energised and feeling accomplished early on in the day! I also always take a few nuts with me so I can feed the squirrels, and honestly, that's probably as much why I go running as any other reason, haha.
I have also started getting into hydroponics, and growing as many things as I can in our sunny kitchen, and you should have seen how silly and happy seeing my first lettuce sprouts made me. It's the little things. :)
I am trying to reconnect to a lot of the things that I know make me happy but might be a little more effort to do than just browsing my phone to turn off my brain when I am feeling stressed or unwell, and I am determined to keep building those good habits, as I can already feel a difference in myself in barely a few days. 

Anyway, that's enough rambling for today. 

Stay well, stay safe, stay wonderful,
Take care lovely people, 

Speak soon,
M