Episode 7: 4 Steps to Paint Natural-Looking SkinColoring skin has been the apple of my drawing since I mainly draw character and I wanna improve my coloring skill. The tutorial really really helped me in understanding more about skin coloring in a simple and easy to understand lesson.Using the complementary color I chose the purple and yellow combination where the yellow analogous colors are the skin and the purple analogous colors are the hairs. This base color gave a solid base to start my rendering process and as stated in the tutorial to not just slap your base color as is use the brush to add variation to your base color—this is where I always make mistake since I always just use bucket tool to add my base color which made my final artwork plain and flat.Now that I learned in the tutorial that you don't have to overcomplicate the rendering process but to actually understand the color wheel, I learned also that the more saturated the color the easier it is to render for me that is. .. so yea hope you've read this much and that's all of what I learned in the tutorial 🫡#XPPenTutorialPractice

Episode 7: 4 Steps to Paint Natural-Looking SkinColoring skin has been the apple of my drawing since I mainly draw character and I wanna improve my coloring skill. The tutorial really really helped me in understanding more about skin coloring in a simple and easy to understand lesson.Using the complementary color I chose the purple and yellow combination where the yellow analogous colors are the skin and the purple analogous colors are the hairs. This base color gave a solid base to start my rendering process and as stated in the tutorial to not just slap your base color as is use the brush to add variation to your base color—this is where I always make mistake since I always just use bucket tool to add my base color which made my final artwork plain and flat.Now that I learned in the tutorial that you don't have to overcomplicate the rendering process but to actually understand the color wheel, I learned also that the more saturated the color the easier it is to render for me that is. .. so yea hope you've read this much and that's all of what I learned in the tutorial 🫡#XPPenTutorialPractice

Ever since I started looking for my first graphics tablet a few years ago, I realized I would need a stand so I could draw more comfortably without straining my neck from having to look down. That's when I discovered the XPPen portable stand.WHAT'S IN THE BOX?One thing I love is that it doesn't just come with the stand... It also comes with a storage bag!That way, if you need to move your workspace, you can pack it up to take it with you easily, or just use the bag to keep it dust-free when you're done using it.MATERIAL AND DURABILITYFrom the moment you see it and hold it, you can tell that the material is quite durable, since it’s made of aluminum. It stays sturdy, unlike other plastic ones I’ve used that wobble or bend with a single movement.With this one, there’s no fear that the tablet will fall while you’re drawing because of any movement you make. It also hasn’t shown any signs of rust during the 5 years I’ve used it. So that won’t be a problem! Mine is still like new.COMFORTAlthough it’s a little bigger than my small workspace, thanks to its sturdy material and structure, it stays balanced and stable. Even when I place my tablet on it, it doesn’t move. It has the perfect angle for me to draw, and you can adjust it to whatever angle you prefer. It has 6 different settings and goes up to 45 degrees.COMMENTSAlthough I’ve had two other stands to test, none have been able to take the place of the XPPen one. It’s still my favorite, and I definitely wouldn’t switch it out.

O Formato da Cabeça Olá.Depois de assistir ao vídeo: Episódio 9: Como Construir Características Faciais [1]. Tive a ideia para abordar algo que alguns artistas deixam de lado: O formato da cabeça. E ao fechar os olhos e deixar a caneta longe desse tópico, muitos acabam criando personagens muito parecido e as vezes iguais, tendo que forçar outros elementos para diferenciá-los como tatuagens, cicatrizes, acessórios, enfim, uma adição de elementos que inclusive pode dar dor de cabeça para reproduzir o personagem em uma pose diferente já que os elementos também fazem parte dele.Em um outro tutorial sobre rosto, eu mostrei como a simples alteração das linhas faciais (altura dos olhos, nariz e boca), já mudam o personagem: Sobre rostos [2], mas agora chegou a hora do formato da cabeça.Nem todos são asiáticosNo mundo do Mangá e estilos semelhantes, temos uma base bem definida de estrutura, o famoso "círculo sobre um triângulo". Mas quando vamos representar outros personagens que, por ventura, são de outras regiões do planeta, esse formato poderá não ser representativo. Veja abaixo:A. Padrão no Mangá;B. Leste Asiático (China, Coreia, Japão), Sibéria e populações Indígenas das Américas (Norte, Central e Sul);C. Europa (especialmente Norte e Centro), Oriente Médio, Norte da África e populações do Sul da Ásia;D. África Subsaariana, Melanésia e populações nativas da Austrália;E. É o formato predominante nas Américas Modernas (Brasil, EUA, México, Colômbia) e em grandes metrópoles globais. ** No molde E, observe a presença de duas elipses nas laterais. Nesse tipo de cabeça quando vista de frente, podemos observar um pouco da "lateral" do rosto. Isso se tornará mais evidente caso pretenda usar o Método Andrew Loomis [3].NOTA: Esses formatos não são fixos pois depende da miscigenação dos povos de cada região. Use apenas como um ponto de partida. Leve também em consideração quando desenhar o personagem de perfil. Por exemplo, a opção D (África Subsaariana). Personagens de perfil irão apresentar lábios ultrapassando a linha vertical do nariz, já que, o nariz é um pouco "achatado" e lábios carnudos.Sempre pesquise por fotos de pessoas reais da região que pretende transformar seu personagem.Uma forma para um rosto completoObserve que as formas geométricas usadas separam a cabeça em duas formas em cores distintas: amarelo e roxo. Contudo, podemos criar o formato da cabeça usando uma forma que abrange toda ela, como por exemplo em cartoons. Mas mesmo em ilustrações mais detalhadas, usar apenas uma forma pode ser uma boa saída. Observe abaixo:F. Aplicada a forma oval como base.G. o desenho pronto.Outros detalhesOs elementos da face como: olhos, nariz, boca, maçãs do rosto (zigomáticos) e até as orelhas, variam de acordo com a região que o personagem veio (ancestralidade). Observe abaixo as característica do formato do crânio, lábios e nariz:H. Embora tenha sido usada uma elipse para o formato do rosto (ver imagem F), o formato do crânio tem suas características próprias;I. Perceba que o nariz mais "achatado" e expandido na horizontal; os lábios grossos na parte superior e inferior, são características de povos africanos.ConclusãoAo criamos personagens que necessitam de uma ancestralidade e desejamos ser mais fiéis a esse fato, devemos pesquisar através de fotos "reais" essas características. Pois imagine o seu personagem ser japonês e você retratar o mesmo como o biotipo de um africano? Perderá a veracidade da sua ilustração.Contudo, se o seu personagem é "de outro mundo", a liberdade criativa não terá limite pois caberá a você e a sua mesa ir além dos limites : )Referências1 - Episódio 9: Como Construir Características Faciais2 - Sobre rostos: https://community.xp-pen.com/discussion/4452 3 - Andrew Loomis: https://youtu.be/R5u9CWQ_o5c?si=Xq56oNhMpsCsT1oJ Nota do autorAs imagens aqui usadas são de minha autoria e estão no meu instagram:@lucaskoe_ - https://www.instagram.com/lucaskoe_/#XPPenTutorialPractice

WHAT'S IN THE BOX?THE TABLETIt’s lightweight and large, though it’s a bit too big for my workspace, it fits perfectly, though. Thanks to the rubber pads on the bottom, it stays firmly in place without moving. I recommend using a protective cover to prevent any unwanted scratches. It doesn’t scratch easily, but if you’re worried about that happening, you should keep it in mind. I’ve decided to protect it!THE STYLUSIts tip has a slight wobble when drawing, unlike other models where this sensation isn’t very noticeable; however, this doesn’t affect how it works. I can make finer lines! Interestingly, this only happens to me when I use this particular model.CONNECTIVITYI've tested it on both my phone and my computer. Connecting it to either is easy, straightforward, and works perfectly. The only thing is, to use it with a cell phone, you'll need an OTG adapter. But if you have one, the tablet will work without any problems!NOTEI usually carry a small backpack, so this model isn’t the best fit for me to carry around. However, if you have a larger backpack, you can definitely take it with you! It doesn’t take up much space, and if you go with the smaller version, don’t worry, there isn’t much difference other than the size. Remember, you’re the one with the talent!

A while back, I wrote a review of the Magic Note Pad, which mainly covered my first impressions and its key features, but now that I’ve been using it for a year, I can share more details about my personal experience with it.NO EXCUSESOne thing I’ve always struggled with when drawing is being out and about and not having anything to draw with. Sometimes I’d just have a pen and a napkin, but ever since I’ve had this, I can draw anywhere, anytime, and in any place.In the living room, on the couch, in bed, at a mall food court, even at the beach.The only concern I might have is not having charged it enough, but I can draw freely without carrying a big backpack full of supplies that might get lost. Well… the art block is also a concern.IT WORKS FOR EVERYTHINGIs it just for note-taking? Not exactly. The included JNotes app works not only for note-taking, but also for sketching, drawing, writing, or reading. You can create your own document and export it as a PDF, or write notes and sign documents without having to install another app. It’s been a huge help when I’ve needed to sign or write on documents. I can also easily read documents and add images.Does it work like other tablets?Yes, you can install apps, watch videos, play games, do research, and perform other tasks you’d do with a tablet from another brand. The only exceptions are that it doesn’t have a headphone jack or a rear camera. In my case, that’s not a problem since I don’t usually use headphones and I take photos with another device.THE PERFECT TOOLEver since I got it, it's been a big help. Mainly for drawing anywhere and for practice. I can hardly ever use the computer at home, and my phone doesn't support some games, but with the Magic Note Pad, I can enjoy my hobbies. I can even watch movies!It’s a great tool for me, and I’m sure it will be for you too. Especially if you’re a student looking for an affordable tool that helps you with what you need.

I’ve occasionally come across people who wonder if the Magic Note Pad works like any other tablet or if it’s just for taking notes or drawing. In this post, I’m here to answer that question.Does the Magic Note Pad support games?The short answer is… Yes! Of course! At first, I also had my doubts about whether the tablet could handle it, but after a few months of testing some games that don’t run properly on my phone or cause it to overheat, I’m here to share my experience:PUBG MOBILEIt was the first game I tried after the collaboration with XP Pen. This is the first time I’ve played a game like this, and on my phone I had a lot of performance issues... It would freeze or overheat. However, on the Magic Note Pad I had no problems. It works wonderfully, without freezing, slowing down, or overheating.Your only concern is the storage space it takes up, since it can take up as much as 30GB, but in my case, it's at 12GB. This happens on all devices, so it's a very common problem.HOK: HONOR OF KINGSSometimes the home screen video can freeze, but that’s very common when you’re first launching the game. The outfits, graphics, and gameplay run smoothly—there are no loading issues or slowdowns, unless your internet connection is acting up.I’ve been playing for a month now, and the game is working great. The only thing is that, like PUBG, it can take up a lot of internal storage. Right now, it’s using 13 GB.SKY: CHILDREN OF THE LIGHTI didn't play it much because I was usually alone and didn't really know the mechanics well. As I got used to it and explored the map, I got to meet a lot of players and discover many places. It runs smoothly and everything loads well; the graphics look great. It's very different from other games, but it's entertaining, and most importantly, it's the game that uses the least amount of internal memory despite all the features it has.EXTRAJust to clarify, playing these games a lot will cause your battery to drain faster than usual, but there's no need to worry; the battery lasts for hours when fully charged, and it's normal for games to use up battery power.

For this community drawing challenge, I followed Episode 8: How to Place Light & Shadow on the Face.Although I have visual references of light cast on the human face, I realized that, in those references, the light was only coming from the right side and from above. I didn’t have a reference where the light was coming from all sides. So I decided to create my own visual reference.Just like in the tutorial, I segmented the parts of the face and duplicated them onto a 5x5 grid. I simplified the process to better suit my style of drawing heads. I applied a base color to all the faces and linked a gray fill layer, create a clipping mask and using the transparent color to represent the light.Although it may seem difficult to know where to place shadows and lights on the human face due to the eye sockets and the “undulations” of the cheeks, segmenting each part makes it all easier to understand.(I only created a reference for the head from the front, since I think the side and back views are “easier”).I think my reference could be better, but from now on I’ll use it as a guide for my future drawings, and if you’d like, you can save it so it’ll be useful to you too :)

My entry for the #XPPenTutorialPractice challenge!For this submission, I practiced the key skin-rendering principles from the Episode 07 tutorial, specifically focusing on how skin tone isn't just a single flat color, but a balance of different temperature zones: warm, cool, and neutral across the face. I loved playing with the contrast between the warm reds and pinks near the cheeks and the subtle cool blue undertones in the shadows to make the skin feel alive. This was especially helpful since the character is under blueish moonlight, a lighting condition that can easily make skin look flat or lifeless if it isn't rendered carefully.After creating a loose sketch, I separated the base colors into different layers using textured brushes to add more visual information to the painting early on. I then used multiply and soft light layers to lay down a rough pass of light and shadow, just enough to establish a clear direction. Only once the color harmony felt right did I move on to actual rendering.Tip1 : Convert your artwork to grayscale to double-check your values. If the values don't work, your colors will end up looking muddy no matter how good the hues are.Moving into the rendering stage, I used brushes with color jitter and heavy texture, picking colors directly from the canvas to create transitions. I stuck to large brushes throughout this phase to avoid jumping into details too early. Certain details should be saved for the very end, like the cherry on top. In this study, the key light hitting the face was cool while the shadows leaned warm, which added contrast and made the piece much more engaging to look at.Tip 1: Keep your color sketch nearby as a quick reference throughout the process. It's very easy to get lost in rendering details and end up with values or colors that no longer harmonize with your original idea.Tip 2: Make a habit of checking your art in grayscale, flipping the canvas horizontally, and stepping back to view the piece as a whole instead of over-focusing on one spot. This gives your eyes a break and helps you catch proportion or value errors right away.Tip 3: Don't be afraid to zoom out often! Working zoomed in for too long is one of the easiest ways to lose track of the overall composition and value structure.In the final stages, merging the main layers gave me much more freedom to render loosely and organically. Brushstrokes that cross over edges or subtle color bleeds between shapes only add painterly charm and texture to the final illustration.In this last pass, I added smaller details like facial blush (using a very fine brush with tight, parallel strokes to build subtle skin texture), individual eyebrow hairs, soft lip highlights, extra hair strands, and eyelashes.This is also the stage where edge control really matters. Where two distinct forms meet or overlap, like the contour of the chin against the neck, I used a hard edge to define depth. Where a surface curves gently, like the bridge of the nose or the fleshy swell of the cheeks I used a soft edge with a smooth gradient to suggest volume.Following the XPPen tutorial, I focused on adding subtle cool, bluish undertones to the cooler zones of the face. Even though she's under a cool light source, I intentionally chose a warm, orange-tinted blush for her cheeks, creating a vibrant color contrast that draws immediate attention to her face and makes her skin feel more alive.Huge thanks to XPPen for putting together such a thoughtful tutorial series! Episode 07 genuinely changed the way I think about rendering skin tones! This challenge pushed me to slow down and really study temperature and value instead of relying on habit, and I had so much fun with it. Can't wait to see everyone else's entries!

Hi everyone! I’m Bri, a self-taught artist, and I’d love to hear what everyone’s favorite XPPen feature is!I use an XPPen Artist 12 Pro, and one of my favorite things about it is the dial. I love being able to use it to move around my canvas so easily—it makes my workflow feel so much more comfortable and natural. I also really like the shortcut buttons on the side of the tablet. They’re super convenient and make it easier for me to access the tools I use the most without interrupting my drawing.XPPen has honestly made digital drawing feel so much more comfortable for me! 💗What about you? What’s your favorite feature on your XPPen?