So I decided to actually finish this beetle drawing and share it with the DTIYS community I am not really trying to win any contests or anything, but I liked the way the colors were looking on my screen and figured why not. I spent a good chunk of time layering those minty greens and lemon yellow highlights to get the shell to look right using a new drawing app i found.
I am thinking this is a stag beetle given the large antler like pincers. That is what I want to achieve at this stage
The process for the shell was mostly just trying to get the segments to feel distinct without overcomplicating the whole thing . I used a digital brush that has a bit of a textured edge because I am not really into that super sharp vector look. The mandibles were a bit of a challenge to get right since I wanted them to look solid but still fit with the softer vibe of the body and so I ended up adding those large eyes at the very end to give him a bit more of a personality they are looking squinty.
It should have strong mandibles really if I want the stag beetle to show up
It was mostly just an exercise in color and seeing how these specific shades of green play off each other against the lighter background. I kept the shading pretty minimal to stay true to the style I have playing with lately. If anyone feels like redoing him in their own style then go for it, it would be cool to see
I don't have a reason for the color base choice aside from avoiding dark colors altogether
What do you think about the bug's expression does he look friendly enough?