Japanese Artist Illustrates Step-By-Step Process On Drawing A Realistic Octopus

Every time we see a very realistic drawing, we can’t help but wonder how on Earth did the artist make it so lifelike? Sometimes, these illustrations seem so real that it’s impossible to believe they’re created by hand. Japanese artist Yuki Tokuda shares a detailed process on how he created a hyperrealistic drawing of an octopus. So, get ready to learn from the best and put your drawing skills to the test.

Tokuda is known for his colorful illustrations of original characters that have been featured in books and on merchandise. Aside from his cartoon-like drawings, the talented illustrator also creates incredibly realistic drawings that look like high-resolution photos. Using colored pencil, a Copic marker and acrylic paint, Tokuda can draw anything with incredible detail. One of his awesome creations is his illustration of a sea creature. The finished drawing is so realistic that it looks as though the gray cephalopod crawled out of the water and onto the paper.

 

Japanese Artist Yuki Tokuda Shows How He Creates Realistic Drawing Of An Octopus

yuki tokuda realistic octopus illustration

Tokuda shared the step-by-step process on how he made the hyperrealistic drawing on the Japanese site LINE Blog. On his blog, he posted accompanying photos for each step to give readers a visual demonstration of the entire process. First, he drew the outline with a pale gray colored pencil.

yuki tokuda colored pencil outline

 

realisitc drawing step by step process outline sketch

 

realisitc drawing process outline sketch

He then uses gray Copic marker to fill the outline of the sketch.

yuki tokuda copic marker fill

 

realisitc drawing process filling copic marker

Next, he draws and paints the details with colored pencils. He adds texture and shading to by using different shades of grey. Each detail such as tentacles, suckers, mantle and head, are recreated masterfully.

realisitc drawing octopus details

 

yuki tokuda colored pencil details

 

yuki tokuda uses colored pencils for detail

 

yuki tokuda octopus tentacle details

 

realisitc drawing octopus tentacle suckers

 

realisitc drawing tentacle curls

 

yuki tokuda octopus illustration

After filling in the details, Tokuda adjusts the color with the Copic marker to give it a more realistic appearance.

realisitc drawing step by step process copic marker

 

yuki tokuda uses copic marker for detail

Then he goes over the drawing in colored pencils for the finishing shades.

yuki tokuda colored pencil dark grey

 

yuki tokuda uses colored pencils for shading

 

realisitc drawing octopus colored pencil

Next, he adds some glistening effect on the illustration with white acrylic paint. This gives the cephalopod a shiny wet look that mostly contributes to its lifelike appearance.

yuki tokuda white acrylic paint

 

realisitc octopus drawng acrylic paint

 

realisitc octopus drawing tentacles

 

yuki tokuda wet effect with acrylic paint

 

yuki tokuda realistic octopus drawing

 

hyperrealistic octopus drawing

Looking at the final drawing, it looks as if the the creature is ready to move at any moment. Although Tokuda has shown the entire drawing process, it is still hard to believe that it’s only an illustration. You can check out his LINE Blog to learn more tricks and tips on how to create realistic drawings. Also, follow Tokuda on Instagram to keep up to date with his latest illustrations.

 

Here’s the final drawing

yuki tokuda hyperrealistic drawing tutorial

Source: Instagram | LINE Blog