I recently completed a digital illustration for Mestre Besouro Preto, celebrating his achievement of earning his cordão (Mestre de Primeiro Grau). This project was a special blend of portraiture, action, and symbolism, reflecting his journey and his nickname, “Black Beetle.”
Working closely with Besouro Preto, we gathered reference photos and discussed his envisioned style, drawing inspiration from previous works. I started with a loose sketch, diving into Procreate on the iPad to bring his vision to life. The process moved smoothly from initial sketches to refined lines and finally, vibrant colors—all digitally drawn on a tablet.
One of the key challenges was capturing his essence through the reference photos provided. I aimed to create a dynamic composition that would resonate with his personality and capoeira spirit. Drawing a bit on my love of comics, I focused on creating a piece that balanced action with a strong, symbolic presence.
The final illustration was a hit. After some minor tweaks and refinements, Besouro was thrilled with the outcome.
This project was a great opportunity to further explore creating entirely using the iPad and shows Procreate can be a 1 stop shop for projects. If you’re interested in a custom illustration or have a project in mind, feel free to reach out!
