How to Draw Motion Blur Manually
This technique allows simulating in a static illustration the visual effect captured by a camera with a long exposure time. It is based on creating a deliberate contrast between a sharp element and dynamic diffuse strokes. 🎨
Define the Frozen Instant
The first step is to draw the main figure or object in its current position. This element must have defined lines and clear details, as it represents the precise instant that you want to show as frozen. It acts as the visual anchor point of the composition.
Process to create the base:- Outline the main subject with precision and firm contours.
- Ensure that all key details are visible and sharp.
- This drawing will be done on its own layer or as the main stroke.
The key to the effect lies in the contrast between the defined and the diffuse.
Generate the Motion Trails
To create the illusion that the object is moving, supplementary strokes are added. On a new layer or with a reduced opacity tool, semi-transparent versions of the subject are drawn. These copies, often called ghosts, are placed in the theoretical positions it occupied before and after the main instant.
Characteristics of the trails:- They must become progressively fainter and less defined.
- The farther they are from the central point, the greater the transparency.
- They imitate the way a photographic sensor records a trajectory.
Integrate and Adjust the Composition
The final step is to unify all the elements so that they work as a coherent visual set. The intensity of the main subject's lines and the transparency of the trails are adjusted. The goal is for the sharp figure to stand out over a blurry and dynamic trail. This contrast is what makes the viewer of the drawing perceive an intense sensation of speed in a static medium. A practical tip: if the result resembles "an octopus in a centrifuge," it is likely that the quantity or opacity of the ghosts has been exaggerated. ⚡