First off, here's Slowbro in avatar size for More_Cowbell
Secondly, how I make my pictures!!!
THE GUIDE
The program i use is an iPhone/iPod Touch app called Sketchbook Mobile. There is a free version, and a paid version for around 3 dollars.
STEP ONE: Base Picture
First off I find a picture of the pokemon I'm drawing on google images (in this case Marowak). Then I import it onto the bottom layer and keep it hidden. It is used for reference, and is never traced. It is for if I need to know what details of the design are, for example Marowak's skull.
Layers at start:
NOTE: There is a three layer maximum.
STEP TWO: Lineart
In front of it is the lineart layer, on which i draw the lineart. I use a standard pencil between 2 - 4 thickness. I don't sketch first, I just draw on. At this stage, erasing is a bitch, as you have to keep the lines the right thickness when you're erasing around them which is fiddly when you're using fingers. Zoom in to make it easier. After a while I finish the lineart.
Lineart:
STEP THREE: Shading
First, I create a new layer below the lineart layer and above the base picture layer
Layers now:
Then, using a brush, I put the base colour on a certain area (eg. Marowak's animal skin). It doesn't have to be perfectly within the boundaries, just in the generally right place
Base colour:
Then, again using a brush but with a darker shade of the same colour, I put shading where its in shade (duh). I usually picture the sun coming from the top-left and work with that. Again it doesn't have to be too accurate, we will deal with that later.
Base shading:
Then I take the pencil tool in the same darker shade and scribble randomly on the edges of the shaded areas. You don't have to be careful at all, or precise, just scribble.
Scribbled edges:
Continue for all other colours in the picture.
Finished shading:
STEP FOUR: Cleaning up
Now, cleaning up, where we fix up those nasty rough edges and overlapping colours. Here you
do have to be precise, as this is making it neat and finished.
First, using an eraser, rub out the protruding colours all around the edges. Erasing isn't as much of a bitch here, as you can not rub out the lineart as it is ON A DIFFERENT LAYER (shock horror)
Edges cleaned:
Then, using a pencil in the colours needed, fix up the overlapping colours.
Overlap cleaned:
Then add an appropriate word(s) in a very dark shade of the dominant colour, and you are FINISHED! DONE! ENDED! YAY!
Finished Caveman Marowak with Thick Club for SlimMan:
And there you have it, my process outlined to you all =D