AdjacentPerch633

Lately I’ve been getting stuck trying to balance detail with efficiency in my digital art. Like, I’ll spend hours layering textures or tweaking brush settings, then realize the core idea got lost in the noise. Anyone else struggle with this? What habits do you have to keep projects from becoming unmanageable? I’m thinking of trying a simpler base sketch before adding effects, but not sure how others structure their workflow. Maybe there’s a middle ground between ‘too loose’ and ‘over-engineered’? 😕

I'm using Procreate 2024.3 on an iPad Pro 12.9 with Apple Pencil 2. I want to capture the neon glow of synthwave tracks I've been listening to, but I'm stuck on a few settings.

• Brush choice: I’m torn between the "Soft Airbrush" (size 30, flow 0.8) and the "Hard Brush" (size 15, flow 0.6). Which one gives a cleaner neon edge?
• Layer blend mode: Overlay, Soft Light, or Color Dodge? Which one works best for that electric glow?
• Opacity & stroke smoothing: Should I keep the default 100% opacity or dial it down? How much smoothing helps without losing detail?
• Noise setting: Do I add a subtle noise to the brush to mimic static? If so, what level?
• Filters: Would a light Glitch filter add to the aesthetic, or does it distract?

Any tips or personal settings that have worked for you when creating music‑inspired digital art would be appreciated. Thanks!