Anna Dittmann is a digital illustrator from San Francisco with a passion for portraiture, tea and ice cream. She graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design and now lives and freelances in beautiful Scotland. Her work is inspired by organic natural elements, mythology and history, movement and texture, lyrics and melodies, expressions, color variations, pretty much anything which makes her want to grab her tablet and paint.
“I normally start with a vague concept in mind and sketch out my idea in black and white. After tweaking the composition and values, and being generally nitpicky, I start seeking out references and refining my sketch. Next, I throw in textures on a variety of layer modes such as soft light, divide, multiply, whatever may feel best. I add color using layer modes, and particularly like curves to manipulate hues. Toward the end, I detail the piece, sharpen it, and call it a day!
I often work on more than one image at a time because it keeps me refreshed when going back and forth. I draw whenever I can, but I’m a night person at heart and feel most inspired after dark. I like using a chalky brush for a more traditional effect—it’s the first on the list. I’ll occasionally use the others to achieve certain textures and traditional effects.” – Anna Dittmann (Design Tuts+)
