I've been a fan of mecha anime (Japanese cartoons involving giant fighting robots of varying levels of awesomeness) ever since I was a little kid. With this illustration, I decided to pay homage to one of the grandaddies of them all, the Defender of the Universe, Voltron. 

Digital illustration for me always begins on paper. I've always found starting from a concrete, physical medium allows me a better eye for how the finished product will look. After I finished the sketch, I took it into illustrator to trace the curves, add color, and give it the finishing touches complete with the Japanese title of the show set in appropriately epic-looking type.