Making the Geisha

I am going to start by saying I loved the new Ghost in the Shell Movie. 

I know there was a lot of controversy around casting a caucasian, Scarlett Johanssen, as the lead, but I believe that in terms of Plot and Artistic Presentation it was the right decision. The movie is so visually stunning and pays so much homage to the anime with the references it makes, that as an artist I could not help but be inspired by it and want to capture it in my own style. 

There were a lot of elements I found myself drawn to: the Geishas, the concept of eternal cognition, the depth and quiet of the ocean, and especially the jewel tones and neons that engulf the film. 

I started this drawing with a pencil sketch working out all of the elements I wanted to focus on: The glowing cables, the detail in the androids face, and the Japanese style elements. 

From here, I moved onto using waterproof Faber-Castell ink pens to finaize the line art onto paper. This original drawing measures 17" tall. To scan the line art I had to split the drawing and then realign the pieces in photoshop.

I then went on to convert the line art into CG/Digital Art and created multiple layers in photoshop for colour, shading, and perspective. 

Here is a final comparison shot, from the paper line art to the finished print.

Thanks for looking!

All Artwork Original and (c) Ashe Wolf, 2019