Saltwater Mage

Hey everyone! Nite morning 👋 How are you doing? I’m here This is my entry for this week's [Splinterlands art contest](https://peakd.com/hive-13323/@splinterlands/splinterlands-art-contest-week-365). I drew it directly in Photoshop, without using a sketchbook or anything like that. I started with some random smudges and lines until I found a position I liked, and from there I built the whole character.  I like working that way because I feel like the illustration gradually emerges, almost as if I were discovering it rather than planning it too much. It's not always the fastest way, but it gives me that feeling of surprise as I go along. ‎ # ·[Saltwater Mage](https://splinterlands.com/card-detail/846/regular/15/?tab=lore)· This is the character I have taken as a reference for this week. During the process, I paused several times to look at the drawing from a distance and think about what it needed. Sometimes it was just minor adjustments, like moving a shadow or changing a colour, but I feel that those details are what ultimately make the difference. In the end, I also tried Corel Painter, where I made some adjustments and added certain details. However, most of the process was done in Photoshop, which is where I've been working recently and feel comfortable working too! Another thing I liked about this piece was playing with different brush combinations. I tried the new ones I mentioned in a previous post and was surprised by the texture they achieved. It was interesting to see how they added something different. But even so, I didn't use that many brushes; I don't like to get too involved with that. This week I was quite busy with real-life stuff, so I didn't have as much time to devote to it as I would have liked. Even so, I took advantage of every moment I could find to make progress. Something else that happened to me was that I had to pause the drawing a couple of times and then pick it up again later. And although I thought that would make me lose my train of thought, on the contrary, it helped me see the illustration with fresh eyes and find things I could improve. Soooo that's not entirely a bad thing because you can take a break from the piece and come back to it with a fresh perspective. One of the things I enjoyed most was the freedom of not striving for perfection. Instead, I focused on enjoying the process and letting the drawing come together calmly. I think that attitude made me feel more connected to the final result. It makes me a little sad when I stress myself out trying to do something quickly or do something that doesn't work for me, so I'd rather take my time. *** In the end, this piece was a lot of fun to make, and I’m happy to finally share it with you all, I hope to see you next week with another one! If I'm not too busy, I'd like to participate as usual. *** # Thank you very much for taking the time to view my work. A while ago I was looking for this little shark you see down here 🦈. It’s really special to me. I won it a long time ago here, n it was done by a person many years ago but also I consider a **GREAT** **GREAT** **GREAT** **FRIEND** now n who does amazing work , very talented🤗. I thought I had lost it , I was very sad… but noooo! I got it back! Yes ! He found n sent it to me again, and I’m so happy to have it with me once more. So from now on, this shark will be keeping me company 💙 **Now yes! See you next time.**