[DrawTube] Character illustrations with a glass-like texture! An in-depth look at Taiwanese artist Ahoi’s drawing process

Welcome to DrawTube, an ongoing series on pixiv’s official YouTube account!

On DrawTube, we feature artists from around the world and shed light on their work as well as their illustration and thought process. These interviews are also accompanied by time-lapses of the featured artist’s drawing process, making them a valuable source for both aspiring and professional illustrators.

In this feature, we spoke to Ahoi, a Taiwanese artist known for her signature glass-like art style. The following is an excerpt from our interview. For the full interview, check out the videos linked at the end of the article!

The completed illustration featured in this DrawTube video:

創作の魔法

by Ahoiあほい

Ahoi
Freelance illustrator and manga artist.
Loves vibrant colors and creating character illustrations with a sense of light and atmosphere.
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I build my compositions around the elements I find most attractive

── What does your typical drawing process look like?

I start with a rough sketch, then move on to applying base colors and setting up the overall lighting. Then, I might use the Curves tool and gradients to fine-tune the overall color scheme. Once the color tones and character’s poses are roughly set, I refine the characters with a lineless coloring style.

── How do you come up with themes and compositions?

I usually start by looking at reference materials and taking inspiration from photos. I think about what I want to draw in the illustration and identify which elements will be the most attractiveーfor example, delicious-looking food, complex interplays of light and shadow on a face, the character’s pretty clothes, or other decorations. Then, I build my compositions around these elements.

── What do you pay special attention to when drawing?

During the drawing process, I make it a point to periodically pause and step away for a bit. This helps me prevent aesthetic fatigue, which can make it hard to spot mistakes or inconsistencies after looking at the piece for too long. When I return, I check to see if the drawing is still in line with my original vision, or if it has veered off course, and make any necessary adjustments.

── Has your art style evolved over time? If so, how has it changed and why?

When I was exploring different styles, I experimented with creating a “glass-like texture.” I enjoy rendering fine details and textures in small objects, so I found this style very fun to work with. It was also well-received by others, which encouraged me to gradually adopt it as my own signature style.

── Have you ever faced any major challenges or setbacks in your career? How did you overcome them?

Sometimes, I feel like I’m just drawing the same thing over and over or not making any progress, and I’ve recently been feeling a bit stuck again. When this happens, I step outside of my comfort zone and try themes that are new to me.

It might be challenging at first, and I may struggle with things I’m not good at, but those challenges help me identify what I need to improve. Then, I might take specific courses or draw inspiration from other artists’ work to find a way forward.

── What are the key features or selling points of your work?

When drawing characters, I often use a glass-like texture and like to incorporate highly saturated dark colors to bring a diverse color palette to my illustrations. I spend a lot of time on the character design and on detailing accessories. I also carefully delineate light and shadows, which gives my work an overall lavish and intricate look.

I think it’s important for my work to include elements that I personally like, as it helps keep me motivated over the long term.