Tutorial of the Week – How to Paint a Concept Environmental Scene by Xia Taptara

Xia Taptara is the master of speed painting tutorials.

His tutorial site, IDrawGirls.com, is a treasure trove of digital drawing and painting tutorials.  Don’t let the name fool you.  He draws a lot more than girls, as the above image demonstrates.  His tutorials cover everything from figures to robots to environmental scenes.

One of the best things about watching his videos is the emphasis placed on a quick, fluid approach that yields incredible results.  It’s a great example of letting go of the need to be too precious with your work, which in his case allows for a lot of expression and atmosphere.  He also often accompanies the videos with image captures of the painting at various stages of completion.  Unlike some video tutorials you might find, he doesn’t lay the inspirational voiceovers too thick.  Rather, he offers just the right balance of commentary and wisdom to help you get the most out of the experience.

One of the prime examples of this is his tutorial called How to Draw and Paint Mech Robotech Concept Environmental Scene.

This was the first painting of his that I came across, and it’s still my favorite because it’s the perfect combination of environment, mood, and scale.  He also seems to have a great sense of when to stop painting, which is an invaluable lesson in its own right.

Enjoy!

Thomas James

Related Tutorials:

Wookie Rage by Chris Oatley

Digital Painting of a Creature by Bobby Chiu

Conceiving and Creating the Hellboy Movie Poster Art by Drew Struzan

Did you find value in this tutorial? Have you ever tried speedpainting?  Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Also feel free to recommend a tutorial for a future Tutorial of the Week.

Thanks!