Drawing and Shading Complex Forms from Imagination - Steven Zapata

Illustrator and concept designer Steven Zapata gives a demonstration on how he draws in graphite from imagination! Using a harpy from “Dante’s Inferno” as his subject, he’ll walk you through his process from the materials he uses to adding intricate and detailed textures. Throughout the demo you’ll also get to see how he establishes the initial gesture and transitions from sketching to rendering to creating unique forms.
FOLLOW STEVEN:
Steven’s KZbin: / stevenzapataart
Steven’s Instagram: / stevenzapata_art
Steven’s Patreon: / stevenzapata
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ABOUT PROKO:
Instructional How to Draw videos for artists. My drawing lessons are approachable enough for beginners and detailed enough for advanced artists. My philosophy is to teach timeless concepts in an entertaining way. I believe that when you are having fun, you learn better. I take pride in producing high quality videos that you will enjoy watching and re-watching.
CREDITS:
Artist | Instructor - Steven Zapata ( / stevenzapataart )
Producer - Stan Prokopenko (www.stanprokopenko.com)
Script - Steven Zapata
Production Assistance - Kristian Nee (www.kristiannee.com/)
Editing - Rebecca Bozza ( / itsrebeccarose , Sean Ramsey (peoplewhodrawstuff.com/)
Music Used with Permission
Intro - The Freak Fandango Orchestra
A Minor Jazz by Brett Van Donsel is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

[@ProkoTV]

Thank you Steven! Be sure to check out his KZbin channel for more tutorials and demos - kzbin.info

[@hi.241]

Helo

[@humandog3240]

Proko, in your portrait drawing fundamentals video on lips you said something about how you plan on covering facial expressions, do you still plan on covering that?

[@henrythegreatamerican8136]

When I first saw the image I thought it was his symbolic way of showing the terrible Thanksgiving Turkey his family cooked.

[@briggsmalcolm1102]

You all prolly dont give a damn but does anybody know of a tool to get back into an instagram account?? I was stupid lost my login password. I would appreciate any help you can offer me

[@seanjohn467]

@Briggs Malcolm instablaster :)

[@PrincipledEnt]

*_"This comes down to your taste, but just make sure your taste is for stuff that looks awesome!!"_* -Steven Zapata

[@habib205]

Best quote

[@adammasterx5854]

So true

[@danielrko9895]

if this is the demo I can't even imagine what sort of godly knowledge would be in the paid course

[@orxa88]

Go check out his yt page, its amazing

[@telmenamar9499]

Were you paid to say this?

[@rhime7177]

This must be the guy the devil commissioned for designing hell.

[@exyj]

He's been illustrating Milton's Paradise Lost for a while now so if you check his social media/website you'll see how on point this comment is haha.

[@Lilliathi]

Hell is designed by an amateur furry artist. That's who I'd pick if I were the devil.

[@StevenZapataArt]

You've made me very happy.

[@TETRISoner]

Respect for everything, but I think, hell was designed by H.R. Giger.

[@nohc4]

Hell yes!!

[@purawastaken]

Holy Molly this vid is fresh

[@hi.241]

Ye

[@dahlia8534]

Mmm a nice fresh video indeed

[@samdeaconart3772]

Flesh*

[@ninjason57]

This is definitely my favorite one. Those highlight lines he puts with the tiny eraser is a great technique.

[@te9591]

Specularity can really add dimension to an art piece. Another eraser i liked outside of the kneaded eraser I've liked the guitar pick eraser.

[@TheVanillatech]

Small mechanical eraser is great for cutting a white line through shade. Chisel the eraser end with a scalpel first.

[@diabolicalfox]

Me: doesn't even know how to shade basic forms Also me: Imma watch a video about doing it from imagination

[@arminosas]

*HANDS and FEET*

[@carliiuxiiz]

HAHAHAH

[@MM-Iconoclast]

This guy gives meaning to the word virtuoso. He's also amazingly articulate. So impressive.

[@darasto2023]

nice, Proko going for he best art channel on youtube I see.

[@himesightcreativestudios3490]

I just watched this video and as an artist myself, I appreciated the time that you took to ensure that your vocal communication was clear, concise, and detailed. As you are aware, your art is astoundingly enticing and I thank you for sharing. I find it inspirational.

[@guywithapencil]

More Proko is always a gift! Loving how much content is being put out. This one is definitely one I've been needing.

[@BTT16]

Yes!!! I'm really glad you uploaded this video with Steven. I do similar creature design and concept art, especially in traditional mediums, and I'm still trying to somehow make a career out of it.

[@niceone7199]

Amazing Stephen! And thank you for the thorough walkthrough. I need to watch it ten more times to really get every explanation, so lucky, KZbin has that save-button :)

[@bambledaczymbledek]

Brilliant lesson-articulate and direct. You are a gifted teacher as well, it seems.

[@weijunzhang6418]

this demystified some of the value steps in just seeing it play out. ty

[@robbielu22]

really liked how you pointed out all the materials FANTASTIC!

[@benmccrea1981]

Great video! Steven is a fantastic teacher, and I love how he pulled in the info from Proko's previous video w/ Dorian Iten.

[@zenbrandon]

Yes! He's one of my favorite artists!!!

[@renovasquez5589]

such a great video! thank you Steven for the amazing insight.

[@stefaniekarg-theartof]

Really good explanation! Thank you! It was informative and fun to watch!

[@niclasbagenheim7181]

Awesome and humbling! Clearly something to be inspired by!

[@curtistaylor832]

Steven explained the process very well. Great job!

[@axh50268]

Excellent video Steven and Proko! Thank you for sharing!

[@morenofranco9235]

Exquisite, Steven. Almost my style of drawing. Thank you.

[@NA0S90]

This is incredibly helpful. Thank you so much!!!

[@ClutchGen]

Steven knocked this one out of the park -- thanks!

[@nilufertek3177]

GORGEOUS WORK! Thanks for your tutorials

[@tokyopp]

your art is the best i have ever seen on KZbin and pretty much anywhere, just epic, amazing!!!

[@jraltwies]

I learned so much about why I get discouraged so early in my process. The way you broke this down fits perfect with my thought process. well done!

[@MarysZenDoodleArt]

Awesome demonstration and drawing ...thanks for sharing ❤️😊

[@MaxMustermann-xq6ob]

It really looks like a nightmarish fusion of human and bird. Despite being a fantasy creature, the anatomy seems correct in terms of musculature and build. Really excellent!

[@max_mittler]

Steven is an amazing artist and a great teacher. Very well done

[@mikekloepfer7424]

Great video! Thanks Steven, and thanks Stan for featuring Steven. A light bulb went off when you were explaining how 'the most important part of rendering forms will be the dark halftones adjacent to the shadow shapes.' That explained why - for me - the most exciting part of a tonal drawing is 'turning the form' from the Terminator up towards the light. If that is done well, the drawing reads well and is dynamic even before indicating the tone in the light areas. Thanks again, this is a great drawing and an awesome bit of instruction and advice. :)

[@chrisevansart3036]

Awesome render. I've really learnt a lot about shading and lighting techniques from simply erasing. Plenty of knowledge. I'm gonna start practicing this and be revisiting this video over and over. Good Stuff!

[@esperthebard]

Excellence. Definitely will rewatch this.

[@bakotademon5543]

Really amazing tips and artwork...thanks so much...💜

[@jonhand2197]

That was absolutely incredible.

[@redflag2508]

Such amazing work. Totally had me with “dastardly...”

[@tommead5948]

This is a subject matter I have always been really curious about, thankyou for posting this up! As an artist that primarily draws made up characters this was really useful :)

[@russellpratt]

Thank you for your help motivating (I want to draw every time I see a youtube recommending a new video of yours) & teaching me how to draw ( I have lots to learn & have learned lots:)) Your a modern day Messiah, God blessed you, thank you for sharing your gift!

[@vincehuang3344]

Love how this video taught, appreciate

[@greivinchaves6209]

Loved how you make the subject interesting and fun! Great video,

[@casualtmusic]

This is SO good on SO many levels!

[@MaiHead92]

Ive been an artist for years now but I still couldn't teach anyone for my life. I do draw by nature, but taking my process and dissecting it into pieces of information for others to use is something I can't do. Whenever anybody asks me to teach them how to draw and render things out, all I can say is "uhmm..just draw it? lol", and I feel so dumb. Stephen does a very good job in articulating his process, making it very easy for students to learn. Great video as usual!

[@maan7715]

Oh wow my kind of creature designs! Reminds me of the stuff i used to draw in art school. With worse skills of course! These are mindblowing. Awesome vid!

[@DingbatToast]

not only an amazing artist but also an amazing teacher

[@taylorMFilms]

not only is this a supberb drawing, the explanation and instructional clearity and language is equally superb.

[@SC4RArt]

It's really amazing, I Absolutely love it!!! Thank you for sharing. 👀👀

[@auto-did-act]

Superb. This was so information-rich!

[@alfonsolaparra1908]

Awesome Video Proko! It is awesome to see the different styles each artist you’ve featured these last few days chooses to go about with their pieces. As I saw Mr. Zapata beginning his gesture traces I couldn’t stop thinking about perhaps one of the best in the business when it comes to scribble lines turning into amazing pieces, Jim Lee. I think it would awesome if you can get a hold of him so that he can let us all into how he developed that style of drawing.

[@hponethetkhaing6409]

Finally!! Steve has come

[@emperorstudy]

Thank you! Very helpful.

[@danielmosonyi]

I just cannot get over it how fucking good this is. I have tried to draw the head and mine looks amazing too but when I came back to rewatch the vid I was stunned how much better this is.

[@LoomingSmoke]

Very insightful, Thanks proko!

[@DennisCNolasco]

I'm digging these new videos about drawing from imagination Proko!

[@rosumparat]

This is insanely sick!!!

[@romsawyer2694]

Wow. That's a masterpiece!

[@dangreen254]

Great advice, very informative, and of course, great drawing!

[@williamconcepcion4635]

Excellent drawing very good ideas and combinations the color nice Thanks you

[@KillerTacos54]

That came out so so well

[@Qhennf]

It's beautiful!

[@audleycampbell8128]

How?how can anyone dislike this video,so very informative

[@bmxt939]

As a super noob in drawing this makes me super jealous and inspired. This guy is a beast.

[@luihoang4634]

i love this Video, have learned alot from this. Thank you very much.

[@nassimsina9021]

Best video on this Channel, the things i learned here are gold, thank you man, well done ! very straight forward guide no academic bulllshit no waste of time, great vid.

[@MarcLaisneARTVenture]

Another great video. Thanks guys

[@Uhrensohn6669]

This is so........I don't find words. Just amazing.😲

[@GuiBarradas]

Amazing and solid video! Great work

[@VickGaza]

Brilliant video ! Fantastic naration and explanations !

[@colinredwood]

this is brilliant thank you

[@rgfser]

Very informative! Thank you!

[@mellissabushby2712]

Wow! This is awesome.

[@David-Field.Stuff01]

Stunning, terrifing work. Superb.

[@iantucker4070]

Superb work!

[@inkwellflood8276]

Love this.

[@venkateshanujpawar405]

JUST WHAT I NEEDED

[@dorian3017]

Amazing! Thank you!

[@atolye_kovuk]

perfect drawing 👌and good tutorial, inspiring...

[@blahblahblahdeeblah]

This info is solid gold.

[@fjc8900]

Great pc! Thanks for your video and advice

[@lordofgraphite]

incredible

[@zarkruzam3090]

awesome talent!!

[@nightshade6988]

Thank you Pal, it's a huge help - from beginning to end :))

[@notsogood6025]

Steven Zapata: "Texture is most noticeable near the terminator." Me: "Many things are noticeable near the terminator." Terminator: "Draw with me if you want to live."

[@arminosas]

Trouble with creativity? Create an art piece with a literal terminator looking at textures teaching a young padawan about them

[@zoeyheart777]

This is Amazing!!

[@nikajcm8564]

Muchas gracias amigo En verdad me ayudan tus vídeos a mejorar en mi dibujo de verdad aprecio tus vídeos 👍

[@sebastiansahlin4472]

Very inspirational, I should take my graphite drawing more seriously.

[@timnorton1568]

love it!

[@readywhen]

It's difficult to compress basically a whole skill into a 20 minute tutorial, but this is about as good as it gets!

[@paulleeming5733]

A fantastic drawing Steven, very inspiring and great use of control and imagination. I am an Art Teacher in Australia who initially trained as a graphic Designer, I love seeing creativity in action from amazing artists and designers such as yourself. Thankyou for sharing and I wish you all the very best for 2021.

[@delko000]

This is magnificent

[@HimanArtists]

Wow, Amazing art

[@santoshr2984]

Damn !!!! .... thats stunning

[@MrJackal43]

Mad skills my friend.... great vid!

[@naramatt8702]

Love your art. That is insane 😍🤩😘

[@Trowa71]

I've done this type of sketching since I was small, I just love doing off the dome creatures and shading bone/muscle/teeth/claws.

[@moketemononela6471]

Beautiful man absolutely beautiful 👏👏👏 As an upcoming artist this is the level im aiming to achieve, once again beautiful work

[@StevenZapataArt]

Go beyond! Leave me in the dust.

[@artilacious8561]

Beautiful

[@edambrose8079]

Well done.

[@Alos2023]

This is a really nice and informative video