ArtCorgi: Scarlett Bruns by Dumonchelle Draws

Dumonchelle Draws was recently commissioned to create a digital portrait of Scarlett Bruns. Bruns’ biggest project right now is the sci fi TV show called Tide Waters as she writes and stars in the series.

Big shout out to @adumonchelle for this awesome drawing of me! Love it! #art #fanart #artcorgi #thanks pic.twitter.com/zvNXgocqDj

— Scarlett Bruns (@ScarlettBruns) July 7, 2014

We wanted to know about Dumonchelle Draws so here’s a quick Q&A Simone had with him; read more below!

ArtCorgi: You have both realistic and stylized commission styles available on our site. Does your process of creating a more realistic portrait differ significantly from the approach you take to creating stylized portraits?

Dumonchelle Draws: Ah yes definitely a very different process! Mostly it’s level of accuracy that differs. With more realistic commissions, placement and size comparison, as well as exact shapes, are very important for getting an accurate likeness. Lots of measuring and close comparison happens, and lots of trial and error and placement and replacement.

With something stylized, it has a lot more to do with the feel of a person, what kind of ‘vibe’ they give off or the emotions they’re expressing. Everyone has a unique something that’s hard to put into words, but if you can put it to paper people will instantly recognize that person. When stylizing, technically I just look at a persons features and see what kind of shapes I can use to make their features, rather than drawing them outright. And so giving that person the right feeling is important for recognition, because I’m using different shapes than exist on a face in real life.

A: When do you think it is better for someone to commission a realistic portrait from you rather than a stylized one?

DD: Hm, that’s a difficult question! Really it depends on what someone wants. I think generally the best time to get something more stylized rather than realistic is if that person wants an image that doesn’t exist, or even can’t exist. Say if they have a photo of two people, but they want them interacting a bit differently in a different setting with different clothing etc. Maybe even if they want those people depicted as mythical creatures or in a fantasy setting.

Stylization is kind of a more whimsical, imaginative approach inherently, and so it works well for getting creative with the image that’s desired.

Realism works best when I can work directly from an image and just give it a tiny bit of artistic flare, say changing simple things like coloration or giving it a unique frame, like in this portrait’s case.

A: When not doing commissions, what is your favorite sort of thing to draw?

DD: I have a lot of personal story projects and comics I like to work on in my spare time, so lots of original characters, fantasy settings and concepts. Usually just sketches, but I take time between work to work on and experiment with stylistic choices using these stories and characters as a basis. Always working to further solidify my illustration styles :)