I've done this illustration recently for @good-karma who is developing eSteem mobile blockchain client. Every month he is generously giving away SBD prizes monthly for the top commenators, writers and most rewarded users.
Original
Initially this design was used for such a purposes.
My version
I was honoured to create special illustration redesign. You might know that STEEM is like an ocean and we are like it's living creatures. Some of us are just starting as a plankton, some are minnows and others are growing into dolphins, orcas and whales with huge amount of Steem Power. It's really inspiring, isn't it? Great metaphor!
Sketches
Just wanted to draw those winners as ocean characters on the 1-2-3 postament. Raw sketching came out with this first:
These days being extremely busy with my current commercial order at the same time I went to Rebecca Dautremer illustration workshop in Moscow. Was awesome there but tired a bit doing lot's of different things, working in my sister's house with four small kids destroying things around, crying and asking for help :) Had to wake up at 5-6 a.m. to work in silence for few hours.
Was so excited with the sketch could not wait to finish it. I've sent my current project illustration to the customer and there was a pause in between corrections and comments. At last I could clean this sketch up, changed octopus to another sharky or orca (I don't know actually who is it).
Coloring process
And then in the evening before sleep coloring started. This time I've made 8000px large format. It was really good decision. If your machine can handle it, it's better to start with as large as possible files. If you are not working on the icons of course.
My character looked so crisp in this biger than usual canvas size. Fell asleep but woke up at 5 a.m. to continue. It was really inspiring. There even was no need of alarm. I woke up 3 times at night looking at the watches to check if it's time to wake up or not like when you are going to travel somewhere and that night it's hard to sleep usually because you are so excited you know.
Stickers
By the way, I am filling up Telegram by eSteem Ocean Sticker pack with these three guys. Soon it will be available right inside eSteem app toghether with it's inner chat functionality.
