Follow these steps:
pose, sketch, block colors, pick light source, shade, refine.
Pose:
rough out the pose / scene. Do this using primatives, lines and anything to build up the shapes of your character / scene.
sketch:
rough out some detail into your image, using your pose step as a guideline. Doesn't at all need to be detailed. This is the key, to not worry about the finer detail until a later point.
block colors:
Fill in areas with block colors, envolves simply going over your sketch areas.
pick light source(s):
It is essential you choose your type of light source, and where the lights are coming from. If you don't keep this globally during the entire image, everything will look completly wrong. Also think about the materials in your scene. Metal will shine, and reflect.. cloth will absorb light, and have many creases and folds that have soft shadow.
shade:
this is the hardest part. You need to build up your colors, try to look at what your surface is comprised of, then slowly water color / smooth the colors together until you get the style you want.
refine:
this is where you bring your image to life. Add in light shines, minor creeases and generally add the really small details, that "make" an image.
It's a long process, and it is what puts people off, but just practice this drawing method (for anything) and you'll see it produces good results.
A good way to practice, is to take a photo, and copy it by hand. It should teach you about how light falls, and is recieved. Which of course, is the key to good art.
pose, sketch, block colors, pick light source, shade, refine.
Pose:
rough out the pose / scene. Do this using primatives, lines and anything to build up the shapes of your character / scene.
sketch:
rough out some detail into your image, using your pose step as a guideline. Doesn't at all need to be detailed. This is the key, to not worry about the finer detail until a later point.
block colors:
Fill in areas with block colors, envolves simply going over your sketch areas.
pick light source(s):
It is essential you choose your type of light source, and where the lights are coming from. If you don't keep this globally during the entire image, everything will look completly wrong. Also think about the materials in your scene. Metal will shine, and reflect.. cloth will absorb light, and have many creases and folds that have soft shadow.
shade:
this is the hardest part. You need to build up your colors, try to look at what your surface is comprised of, then slowly water color / smooth the colors together until you get the style you want.
refine:
this is where you bring your image to life. Add in light shines, minor creeases and generally add the really small details, that "make" an image.
It's a long process, and it is what puts people off, but just practice this drawing method (for anything) and you'll see it produces good results.
A good way to practice, is to take a photo, and copy it by hand. It should teach you about how light falls, and is recieved. Which of course, is the key to good art.