Late Afternoon Sketch – Aubrey Beardsley Tribute

 

This is a late afternoon sketch I made of Aubrey Beardsley, the brilliant and short-lived 19th-century illustrator whose work continues to inspire me. His sharp lines, bold contrasts, and striking compositions have always stood out as something unique, timeless in their graphic clarity.

I drew this using Infinite Painter, trying to keep the process simple and direct. No elaborate setup, just a quick session focused on capturing the elegance and eccentricity that defined Beardsley’s visual language.

Even in a short sketch, something is rewarding about spending time with the work of artists who came before, absorbing their choices, their rhythms, and letting some of that filter into your own practice.

Why I Use Shotdeck for My References

 

When it comes to building a strong library of visual references, Shotdeck has become one of my go-to resources.
Whether I’m looking for mood, lighting, composition ideas, or just fresh inspiration, it’s a tool that saves time and consistently delivers.

Shotdeck offers a curated collection of high-quality frames pulled from a wide range of films. What makes it so useful isn’t just the quality of the images, but the way everything is categorized, you can search by color palette, mood, composition type, time of day, genre, or even specific visual themes.

As someone who works across both illustration and concept art, having quick access to frames that have already mastered color balance, staging, and atmosphere is incredibly valuable. It’s not about copying, it’s about learning. Analyzing a great frame gives you practical insight into how professionals structure an image and guide the viewer’s eye.
I often use Shotdeck when preparing moodboards, studying lighting scenarios, or warming up with quick composition sketches. It’s efficient, inspiring, and constantly growing, which means you’re never short on new material to learn from.

If you’re serious about improving your sense of composition, color, or visual storytelling, I highly recommend checking it out. -> https://shotdeck.com

#Shotdeck #ArtReference #VisualStorytelling #ConceptArt #SimonLocheArt

✏️ Step-by-Step Pencil Portrait Tutorial: Master Realistic Drawing!

Drawing realistic portraits can seem intimidating, but with the right approach and a bit of guidance, it becomes a process you can enjoy and grow through.
I’ve just shared a new YouTube tutorial where I walk you through a step-by-step pencil portrait using Infinite Painter as my tool of choice.

Whether you’re just starting out or already comfortable with sketching, this tutorial is designed to help you build solid fundamentals, understand structure, and practice rendering with confidence.

Why Infinite Painter?

Though this is a pencil-style drawing, the tutorial is done entirely in Infinite Painter, an intuitive and powerful app that mimics the feel of traditional tools. Its brush response, simplicity, and ability to replicate the texture of graphite make it a great choice for both digital and traditional artists.
However you can use whatever digital or traditional technique you're comfortable with.

Who Is This For?

This tutorial is ideal for:

• Beginners looking to learn portrait drawing in a step-by-step way

• Traditional artists curious about transitioning to digital tools

• Digital sketchers who want to push their realism and accuracy

• Anyone who wants to draw along and build confidence

Watch the Full Timelapse

If you’ve ever wanted to create portraits that feel lifelike and grounded, this is a great place to start or deepen your practice.

Profile Portrait – Created in Infinite Painter

This is a profile portrait I created on iPad using Infinite Painter, based on a reference photo and sketched with a red old pencil brush. I wanted to keep it simple while exploring texture and line flow, and this brush has just the right feel for that, soft, tactile, and a bit unpredictable in the best way.

Infinite Painter continues to impress with how well it replicates natural media like pencils, oils, gouache, and watercolor. The control it offers over paper texture, depth, and brush behavior makes it one of my go-to tools for digital sketching and painting.

Highly recommend checking it out if you’re after that traditional feel in a digital space.

#DigitalArt #InfinitePainter #iPadArt