Floe Fila (2020)
This was my first portrait-focused piece on Procreate, created as part of an early learning process during lockdown. At the time, I was only comfortable working with two brush settings, so this piece became an exercise in pushing those limitations to develop depth, facial proportions, and texture. Using a selfie of my best friend (with permission), I explored character design elements by incorporating cool-toned makeup, elf-like features, and playful fantasy motifs, such as a frog in a magician’s hat and a mushroom with legs. The title refers to a floe, or sheet of floating ice, which influenced the piece’s cool-toned palette and ethereal, frozen atmosphere. The goal was to build technical fluency while maintaining a surreal and imaginative composition.
Reflections & Areas for Improvement:
I worked with a limited number of layers, which made managing and adjusting individual elements more difficult as the composition developed.
My lack of familiarity with Procreate’s brush system led to uneven linework, especially visible in the butterflies, where the hard edges feel out of place with the rest of the image.
This process highlighted the importance of early structural planning and thoughtful brush variation to create a more cohesive and polished illustration.
