Neo!!

Here's the timelapse - (I apologise in advance for the bad resolution, it was the best I could get)

So I'll talk a little about my process, then general tips/advice. I don't do clean lineart (I think it removes texture and makes me too perfectionist), so my sketch layer is my lineart equivalent. I'll make a layer below for the base, and that's where all the coloring happens. Then I have a layer for highlights and noise

As for general advice, the tips I would give are:

Flip the canvas often, it actually helps. I tend to forget so I actively remind myself to

Texture is important - so having good brushes, interesting shapes/speckles/lines, really add to a piece. Texture is easy to get with traditional art, but not so given with digital 🥲

Contrast is also, unfortunately, important - even when drawing supposedly light skin/clothes, the shadows will be very dark. A good way to practice this is by having a ref on hand, or by switching to grayscale every now and then to assess the contrast. You can also draw in monotone!

There are different types of shadows - sharp and soft ones, depending on the surface. Areas like under the neck/nose have sharp shadows, but more subtle planes like cheeks have softer ones. There's a lot of tutorials out there for drawing shadows! I use a low opacity mapping pen/airbrush for softer shadows like around the cheeks/jaw.

Refs are really helpful for colouring. I don't do big render-y pieces without one. I like getting my refs from two places; music videos and films. You get some really interesting colours and cinematic lighting that way. You can take refs from Pinterest, but I think there's a certain intimacy to collecting your own refs from series you watch and the music you listen to. Collect inspo from the stuff you love!! :)

Don't delete 'bad' art - it can take a long time to get comfortable with a style and what you create (and to those day I still have pieces I make but hate). Your art will evolve - and that's fine! 'Bad' art is okay! It's a part of the process