April Inn/Lodge/Tavern WIP

KevinTreaccar

It's been fun watching everyone's entries come together in these WIP threads and education watching the feedback, so I've decided to give the WIP thread a try.

While we don't have to stick to our fairy tale traveler(s), I decided I wanted to start with Ezio as a launching pad.

For reference, here's Ezio:

I immediately started picturing it being Ezio, his mentor and his new animal familiar (the unicorn) needing a place to crash. I focused in on the following words: Fairy tale, Inn, Tavern, Night, Weary, Hinterlands, Village.

Then I started drawing, not worried about perspective yet. Just building and exploring.

While I originally thought I might want something flying or surrounded by a mote, the idea of something run down and even abandoned started to capture my imagination. I pictured it being a village that didn't much like unicorns. The reason they picked the inn they picked was because "It's the only one without a 'No Unicorns'" sign.

So here's where I'm at now. Trying to figure out if it's just run down and/or abandoned or if it could/should be haunted, too.

Right now, I'm trying to decide if I need to add more shapes to it's general architecture, or if I want to keep it more borderline cabin-y.

Anyways, thanks for checking out my thread. I'm all ears if you have any thoughts or advice.

aska

@Kevintreaccar I like the simple one on the bottom left of second page:-) Very often, simple is the best. Just made add a fancy little house for the unicorn too

KevinTreaccar

@aska Yes, simplicity helps keep things focused on what matters. Good reminder to keep it simple.

aska

@Kevintreaccar No worries, I have to remind it myself all the time

KevinTreaccar

Oops. I moved to my computer to try to create a two-story version of my last inn drawing and man. I feel like I’ve sucked the life out of it.

Oh well. Still plenty of time. Was too focused on straight lines and getting as close as possible for me to accurate perspective.

Going to move on to one of the others and finish it hand drawn before I take it digital.

JoshSchouwstra

I like that you have a basement entrance to the Inn
Though a note: something that I need to keep reminding myself of when designing something (and a note that was given in the Yeti House Critique Arena) is 'What makes this _________, and not something else?' So using my own Yeti House as an example:

What makes this a Yeti House, and not any other house? Not much, if anything. It doesn't look like anything that a typical Yeti would build, nor does it look like it belongs in a place that Yeti's usually live.

So before you submit your final, I would ask yourself the question what makes this Inn a fairytale in? Or even an Inn verses an any other building?

But don't get discouraged! Keep drawing and figure out what would be the best Inn for Ezio's story!

KevinTreaccar

@JoshSchouwstra “What makes this a fairy tale inn?” Yes. Thank you. That nails why I think the life was gone. There’s no “icing” on my last post – there’s going to be an abandoned feel to it – but its definitely missing its fairy tale core to start. Thank you for clearly saying the words that finally let’s me accurately put down the tack for why this wasn’t working.

And thank you. Definitely getting back to work with the pencil in the sketchbook.

KevinTreaccar

Got my new direction while watching some Hayao Miyazaki this morning. Floating cabins provide some added security for our wizard, magical elf mentor and unicorn.

KevinTreaccar

Building 1 of my inn...

Going to need my floating cabins behind it, too, though.

Of course, maybe I also need to include whatever the floating cabins anchor to when they're not in the sky...

KevinTreaccar

Got most of the early inking done before work this morning. Racing to get this done by Friday now.

Thoughts? Concerns?

Thank you

KevinTreaccar

More progress this morning before I had to get the kids up.

lizardillo

@Kevintreaccar Hiya Kevin. Will the Cloud 9 inn be on a cloud rather than on the floor? or have some clouds around the others? It could have some elements that show bliss or happiness to play on the saying 'on cloud nine'. Perhaps the round window could have a smiley face.

KevinTreaccar

@lizardillo The check-in cabin that’s front and center sits on a cliff edge. The nine cabins for rental stay on the ground until they’re being rented. At that point, they float into the sky.

I was trying to figure out how to show the magic of them floating and had been planning to use a glowing light, but I love your cloud idea!

I had already planned to add some clouds and birds for sky context, but magic clouds that float the cabins work well with a name I was wondering if I needed to change.

Thank you!

KevinTreaccar

@lizardillo And I love your thought about a smile on the check-in buildings face. That’s definitely something I need to consider as I add final details to the cabins.

Honestly, with the deadline breathing down our necks now and working trying to grab hours outside of its 9-5, was just trying to get functional cabins in the air first.

lizardillo

@Kevintreaccar look forward to seeing the final piece

KevinTreaccar

More progress made last night and this morning.

Almost ready for you to float on into the Float On Inn.

KevinTreaccar

Think I’ve got this wrapped up and ready to post/submit unless anyone sees anything that needs fixing/adjusting.

Thank you for checking this thread out.

lizardillo

@Kevintreaccar I'm loving the name

Jacy13

@Kevintreaccar I like the concept! It's looking pretty cool

KevinTreaccar

@lizardillo Thank you! Glad you like it