January WIP as is tradition

braden H · 6 Jan 2020, 18:03

As is tradition, feedback is always welcome and appreciated

So this prompt is seemingly pretty limited. There's gotta be snow (or something you call snow) footprints, and someone named Will.

When I hear 'footprints' I think of Calvin and Hobbes and gravity falls. Specifically these two shots/comics:

So while I like these two ideas, I wanna do something different (I was literally going to do the Gravity Falls idea until I remembered exactly where I'd got it from, lol).

I don't want to do tracks just in snow, no matter how crazy and weird they are, since a lot of other people are doing it. So I've decided to reverse things and have some weirdness in my piece. Footprints made OUT of snow, but still in the snow if you get what I mean.

Here's the pitch and progress so far

ArtofAleksey · 6 Jan 2020, 18:15

@Braden-Hallett i think this is interesting and clever abd at first I saw the kids but my brain didnt let me believe those were footprints I don’t know if that makes sense. It kind of removed me from the illustration.

xin li · 6 Jan 2020, 18:35

I love the second inspiration you posted. It was so clever. I love your take on the prompt as well. It is very different. But I also have a bit of problem seeing the snowy footprints. Maybe when you rendered a bit more, the story will become clearer. Because the object depicted is unfamiliar/strange to readers, it is hard to read clearly in the thumbnail stage. Maybe it also needs some kind of storytelling elements in the picture to hint where these snowy footprints come from.

Looking forward to seeing how this will be developed

NicolaSchofield · 7 Jan 2020, 00:40

@Braden-Hallett said in January WIP as is tradition:

(I was literally going to do the Gravity Falls idea until I remembered exactly where I'd got it from, lol).

This image is instantly what I thought of for this prompt and I can't get it out of my head to let any other ideas in! I've never seen (read?) gravity falls though - I was thinking I must have seen it with dino footprints in Jurassic park or something.

Kali · 7 Jan 2020, 03:15

@Braden-Hallett This is a great idea and is looking great so far! I love the concept.

jdubz · 7 Jan 2020, 04:44

Nice! That's literally the same gravity falls panel I had up on my board for this one as well

It definitely took a while I see what is in the description - it wasn't connecting at first glance. Are the footprints themselves still frozen? I'm definitely seeing the flowers and the bunny now at first glance.

Neha Rawat · 7 Jan 2020, 05:32

Great idea thinking outside the box! The concept definitely fits the brief and the key words.
How about changing the perspective just a tag bit more to an ariel view... so the snowy footprints are more prominent and easily identifiable based on shape.
Looking forward to see this develop!

braden H · 8 Jan 2020, 17:43

Thanks everyone! I hear what you're sayin. I think the image needs some tweaking (but I'm still hopeful it could work!) I also may do the standard really BIG footprint scenario instead. We'll see!

Gonna take a quick break from this one til about the 15th to try and throw a book dummy together, so no progress for now

braden H · 28 Jan 2020, 00:16

Looked at the other entries. Saw there are one or two that mine was preeeetty close to, so I decided to go in a completely different direction

Got to a simple coour comp. Next is sketch and minipainting.

Coley · 28 Jan 2020, 00:43

@Braden-Hallett tee hee hee sooooo cute and fun!

braden H · 28 Jan 2020, 01:03

@Coley Thanks! Glad it reads

Finished study, tomorrow is lineart and maybe some paint.

ArtofAleksey · 28 Jan 2020, 03:30

@Braden-Hallett i love it but the way the footprints are laid out are flattening the sphere but im guessing its just a rough everything else is great

carlianne · 28 Jan 2020, 03:54

@Braden-Hallett I don't know if you meant to, but the planet kinda looks like a fish? The ice caps on the top look like fins and the alien like the tail. Maybe it's just me

braden H · 28 Jan 2020, 14:00

@Aleksey said in January WIP as is tradition:

@Braden-Hallett i love it but the way the footprints are laid out are flattening the sphere but im guessing its just a rough everything else is great

Making the footprints follow the form is definitely on my change list I think I may have them kinda curling around the icy outcroppings

braden H · 28 Jan 2020, 14:03

@carlianne said in January WIP as is tradition:

@Braden-Hallett I don't know if you meant to, but the planet kinda looks like a fish? The ice caps on the top look like fins and the alien like the tail. Maybe it's just me

Oh my gosh it really does! And if the cast shadow were the other way it would totally act as a gill