Hi, Eli here
Creating art is a process of problem solving. With every new piece we make, we create problems for ourselves. Problems like, “I need to convey this character’s personality by design alone”. And we use our skills to find the best solution. Evaluating your own work and coming up with solutions as new problems arise; these are important steps in the creative process.
Examples of draw-overs done over my own art. Draw-overs by Chris Mitchell (left) and Jackie Droujko (right).
That’s where draw-overs come into play. Sometimes you get stuck on a problem you can’t solve… and sometimes it’s hard to identify what the problem even is. Having an artist that you trust to go over your work with a fresh pair of eyes (or hands) can really help with problem-solving. Allowing you to learn new problem-solving techniques.
I’ve benefited so much as an artist by letting others draw all over my art. It’s like, for a moment, I can see how their minds work. It can be a humbling experience, yes, but being open to growth sometimes means being open to vulnerability.
To help support KCU’s Kickstarter campaign goals, I’m offering draw-overs and art feedback. I’ll be available for a one-on-one call to review your art/comics, character design line-up, and/or offer guidance on how to streamline your drawing process. This includes multiple draw-overs, written notes, and tips to provide areas of improvement and advice on next steps, so you become a more confident artist. All proceeds go to the KCU community’s Kickstarter.
Here are two examples of draw-overs I’ve recently done to help fellow artists:
Draw-over #1
Floppsie has a kids series she’s developing called Roller Bark City. I love her style; it’s giving Littlest Pet Shop and My Little Pony. She’s looking for advice on her character designs, including having the protagonist (left) compliment her rival (right). Floppsie does a great job with this parallel already, with the shape languages (curly vs pointy) and posing (open vs closed body language). The draw-overs below focus heavily on pushing the skills she is already showcasing in her own art:
Draw-over #2
Funne Robote is in the process of redesigning her characters. She’s satisfied with all of them, except for Retris. They just don’t feel like her design landed well; something feels off. It’s not giving “80’s gamer” vibes. It’s just not feeling authentic to the aesthetic and style they’re going for. The draw-over below focuses on posing tweaks to feel more fluid, as well as stylization edits to help them see new solutions they haven’t explored yet.
Have you ever gotten a draw-over before?
Thank you so much for taking the time to read through this, I hope you learned something new. And thanks again for supporting our Kickstarter.
If you enjoy my problem-solving break-downs, consider checking out my newsletter. I’ve been posting monthly about my art process and how I approach each project differently.
Eli Estrella Pérez is a Cuban-American graphic novelist, working primarily on YA comics. As an emerging comics artist, they received the 2024 Cupcake Award at CAKE Chicago. Eli is a 2025 Comics Advocacy Group Grant Awardee, and is currently pitching her graphic novel that nabbed first place at KCU’s 2023 Pitchfest.