Step 1: basic design lines.
Using Manga Studio Ex, I start on a fresh layer, I set the pencil tool to something big and thick and just splash away at a basic figure. I pay attention to movement - see how the spine is jutting all over the place? That's something I like. This has pretty bad proportions... do I fix them? Well no, but, YOU SHOULD. This is the stage to erase a lot and scribble a lot without any penalties.
Step 2: Pencil in details.
On a second layer I use a smaller pencil brush and sloppily draw in some details. This part doesn't have to be neat unless you're a twitchy inker. I sometimes scribble in some solid shadows, but basically this is just refining my idea before I get down to specifics.
Step 3: Inks
With a little more patience and precision I throw down some inks. I'm not being terribly cautious here because this drawing was more for a laugh than anything. Manga Studio Ex is the best inking program I have ever used. Use a small brush for fine details, use a thick brush for shading, but otherwise the program is so intuitive it practically inks for you.
Step 4: Colours
I guess I skipped Step 3.5: Learn to colour :P. I'm a shit, I know. But while it's easy to save my steps when drawing, it's a bitch to save my steps while colouring. I'm a lazy colourist anyway, I slop everyhting onto the page and then blend using the watercolour brush in Sai. I only use one layer. I basically paint digitally the way I would with oils, background first, then build it up.
So Viola! Your very own Alice. Get off my lawn and try it yourself, you damn kids.
