@Joy-Heyer said:
It isn't just the actual measurement of each, it is their visual weight. Visually the cowboy and the sign feel the same weight to me. Enlarging the font of the title and changing it's background color may change the visual weight. Also making the cowboy a bit smaller would help in multiple ways: it would move him away from the edge, give the author and illustrator text more room, and create size variance but still keep him in front of the sign.
I get what you are saying now--I'll play around with it!
@theprairiefox Yeah, I see what you mean. I’ll definitely mess with the values, maybe on the middle and back characters, and see how it comes out. Thanks for the help!
@hannahmccaffery Thanks for compliments and Crit:) unfortunately....the logo must not be altered...I was pretty bummed when I found out because originally I had a similar idea! lol I'm looking forward to getting it painted as well, but after taking into consideration the different points given here, I will make some adjustments and what for sign-off on the sketch before painting Ill be sure to post here and tag y'all when I do tho
Really love the textures! Adds so much interest to the piece. I also like how you have that atmospheric perspective thing going. Looking forward to seeing the finished piece!
Hello my fellow illustrators!
The SVS Virtual Studio has been so popular that we are going to make a new thread each month for it now.
Post what you are working on in Our SVS Virtual Studio MAY 2018thread.
@VitoPetra Yes! I think 'too much information' is the right way to put it! Thank you for that point of view! Strong cast shadow is certainly another good idea to highlight the focal point.
These are so cool! I love the initial drawings and the colour choices you made for the water in the end. It really feels like you drew all these different feeling aspects and facettes out of the shared subject matter each painting has.
Agreeing with Kevin too, that in some of the final images, especially the busier compositions, the initial clarity faded a little, where the sketches read maybe a little clearer. But then again it's kind of cool that the life creatures blend in with the trash, makes it feel more like they are being overwhelmed and pushed aside by all the waste.
@Jon-Anderson I like your idea and this scene makes me laugh. Regarding your questions: (1) Your concept of spreading color as a metaphor for the added flavor that the octopus is bringing to the chef's cooking is really cool, but I think the hatching detracts from that effect. I feel that focusing on the color gradually turning to b/w or more subdued values at the edges, without the hatching, would communicate your message better; (2) The color palette works for me. I think if you keep to those colors, then add some light and shade values from the light sources in the room, everything may tie together.
Extra note: that silhouette in the door behind the main figures is very mysterious and pulls me away from the important action in the kitchen. Perhaps if you added another silhouette in the other door window, as if they two figures out there were just talking, it would feel less distracting.
@Lee-White I think this is absolutely a learning piece and I will have to redo it to get it to fit. Ironically I am just about to do that with the text for the book dummy too because it's my one rhyming one and apparently rhyming books from beginning authors are like a big joke.
I literally painted myself into a corner with it by doing the background as food that is supposed to look good. Changing almost any of it made it look unappetizing and this is supposed to be the part of the book where he's just so in love with cooking it's like 70's flower fest. I have to admit I just ended up Lisa Franking it for now just to put it on the shelf and be able to face a redo.
@Sliproot that is adorable!!!
The tail of the lightest monster in front drags my eye away. Maybe, darken it a bit as it’s moving out of the light from the magic box.
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Edit: sorry. I just saw it was final. I missed the works in progress.
@Braden-Hallett Thanks much--this gives me insight into how you work and I can see more into each of your steps. And alas, many of the things I learn along the way are more in the "foundation of the house would be better 2 feet to the left" than color of the paint. But I am learning and progressing-much do to tips and encouragement here.
Have a great comic-con!
@Sophie-Lawson That's so nice Sophie! I love your work too
@Whitney-Simms Thank you Whitney, you are always so encouraging, motivate me and inspire me so much!
@Susan-Marks Thanks! 'A pleasure to read' is a good thing
Thanks for the feedback! I'll be making changes once I get back from the Calgary comic convention.
This particular snippet of comic is actually a chapter out of my webcomic redone as a fantasy, so I'll just be using this little bit for my portfolio. I won't be continuing it since it's all already finished and posted (400 some odd pages).
I'll be sure to repost these pages once they're inked and coloured
@theprairiefox Well done! and yes indeed some days life is too busy for a challenge-so I go with stick with it until done, even if it takes more than the suggested days.
I've been continuing on-how can I pivot the original challenge to do more work-for-me, i.e. use the paradigm to serve my goals. I try to do this with many of these exercises. So I'm working on another 100 heads, this time, drawing characters in my comic-in-development.
I'm also using some comic references (in addition to photo images)--these are taken from work by Doug Holgate, artist for Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles. I'm using these to find an expression I need to convey the emotion in a panel that I need, and then practicing expressing that in my character's head. And continued work on trying to make my characters look consistent.
Nice idea! I love the dragon in the background and the fact that you keep it subtle, so as to be more of a lurking presence rather than detracting from the focal point, but honestly I didn't even notice it at first. The silhouette of the body may need just a slight bit more contrast to draw the eye there at all?
