Nov. prompt work in progress.

[erinrew]

I think the hardest part for me is coming up with an idea that I love every month. My youngest daughter came up with the idea for this months prompt ‘Together’ and now that it’s in my head I can’t think of anything else, but I’m just not in love with any of the compositions I’m coming up with. I’d like there to be a story of growing together over time, but I just can’t think of anything that I could add that would successfully convey that without being cheesy.

Any feedback and help would be appreciated.

[Heather Boyd]

@erinrew Hi! Have you thought about putting more into your background. The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton comes to my mind because she visually depicts the passing of time with her main character (house) with the surroundings changing (from out in the country to small suburbia and to city etc...) Or if you added other trees in the background that were earlier and later in their growth than the two in the front or maybe if they are snuggling close they need not have to be in the front, the variation of the others separated from each other and your two snuggled together plus the age of the trees might be enough difference (of course you can play with value, lighting, colour, shape etc...)

[Coley]

A cute idea for this prompt for sure! I’d think about not having the trees be exactly the same size/shape in some way, maybe That would just be a perspective thing, but if they’re perfectly balanced and cantered then the composition isn’t as interesting as it could be? I like the one that’s cropped with the faces . Maybe if they weren’t centred or balanced as I said , and maybe a little more twisted together (just a thought!). Their faces are cute and I like how they are leaning into each other happily

[erinrew]

@Heather-Boyd Thank you Heather. I was hoping to tell a story in just one illustration, but you’ve given me some food for thought.

@Coley Thank you Coley. I’m leaning towards the cropped in one too, but I’m just not sure where to take it.

[Heather Boyd]

@erinrew No I didn't mean you to make more than one image, just multiple approaches to a single image.

[erinrew]

@Heather-Boyd ok, I see. Thank you for the clarification. ‍️

[Coley]

@erinrew just keep playing with it. Did you do thumbnails? You could do a pile very quickly to generate ideas

[chrisaakins]

@erinrew I love trees as characters! As a kid I drew so many tree people because of reading Tolkein's work about ents. What if you made the trees more anthropomorphic? Like looking like a slender rowan woman with a strong oak man. Kind of like they are dryads or something? Maybe intertwined branches in the shape of a heart? I am just throwing out ideas.

[Neha Rawat]

@erinrew Cute concept! I think it's ok to leave the background empty but definitely add some other element of life to it. Maybe 2 small squirrels or birds (I personally like having characters in an illustration).
I second Nicole's feedback on making the trees not look similar. I can see you've tried some variation, but maybe push it a little more? Mainly right now they're the same width, height and the branching also starts at the same height.

I like the idea of the branches making the heart shape. It could be made a little more prominent.

It also depends how realistic you want to create your piece. You can exaggerate the twining of the trees further and actually have the branches wrap around each other.

My main feedback is the background color. It's too warm for me and almost looks fire-y. I'd add more purples/pinks and tone down the orange-yellow. The white bark would pop more against them too.

Even if you draw faces in the trees, how about having them face each other? I can see they still have a nice pleasant expression but they're book looking away so a part of the "togetherness" feeling is slipping away.

[erinrew]

Thank you everyone wonderful feedback!

[erinrew]

Constructive feedback welcome before I call it quits and submit it.

Thanks.

[ajillustrates]

@erinrew Perhaps darken the lines in the face of the brown tree? It's a little softer than that of birch, so it receeds a little bit.

[erinrew]

@ajillustrates I also have this version where the lines are darker. Which do you think works better?

[ajillustrates]

@erinrew My vote is for the darker lines. I must admit that I am a fan of bold linework, so it could just be a personal taste issue. I do think that they darkness in the lines of the brown trees face are perfect, and the rest could be dialed back about 50% to rest between the two options.