Brainstorming for Fire Horse

Warming up for the Fire Horse illustration by writing down every little thought—because even the silly ones might spark something useful!

Brainstorming for Fire Horse
Just a rough sketch of a horse and some fire—imagining the fire like Calcifer from Howl’s Moving Castle! Can’t wait to see how the two come together!

Today, I spent some time brainstorming before starting the illustration for “Fire Horse.”
I feel like doing this step really changes the way ideas develop. Even the smallest, silliest thoughts can end up being surprisingly useful once they’re written down. I also tend to think in words, so jotting down emotions or moods in language helps a lot later when it’s time to actually draw.