Heyo from Salt Lake City!

kalyquarles

Hey new friends! I'm a long-time podcast listener and finally signed up for the courses. I'm struggling a lot with character poses and I think I need to step back to some basics. I'm really enamored with wonky mid-century style shapes with sorta caricatured faces. I feel like I can eventually get some of my characters to a place I like but it takes me forever and the I have to lean too heavily on reference photos. So I think I need to step back to some basics and rethink my approach. And put in that pencil mileage!

I'm also having a hard time reconciling my more vector/collage editorial style with character work, so that's more of a technique/style approach that I'm working through as well.

Here's some of my recent character work and something a bit more collaged:

If anyone has any tips or exercises from the courses that you found particularly helpful, I'm all ears. Thanks so much!

ajillustrates

@kalyquarles Can I just say that your style is wonderful?

kalyquarles

@ajillustrates Awwww, too kind - thank you so much!

Kim Rosenlof

@kalyquarles Welcome! Your style is so cool. I love it and love all the fun colors you use! I don't live very far from Salt Lake City, so it is cool to see someone else from there here on the forum.

Lisa Clark

@Kim-Rosenlof I grew up in Murray but I live in North Dakota now. It is so nice to see people on here from Utah!

Lisa Clark

@kalyquarles Hi! I love your style! It's so beautiful and visually appealing. I will be interested to see how you grow from here!

Kim Rosenlof

@Lisa-Clark Gotcha. I grew up in South Jordan and have moved around in Utah and out of state some, but ended up back in Utah. I always miss the mountains when I leave. I have never been to North Dakota, so I have no clue what is up there.
Do you do all your illustrations digitally? They are really fun!

Lisa Clark

@Kim-Rosenlof. did you go to Bingham high school by chance? My Dad was the ap.english teacher at bingham for a long time. my husband and i lived in montana a while and then ND. It's so flat here and I so miss the mountains so much but it has its own beauty.

I am just beginning digital. I have so much to learn. I'm still mostly traditional but working on it all!

Kevin Longueil

@kalyquarles Wow! Super nice work!

Kim Rosenlof

@Lisa-Clark I did go to Bingham! What is you dad's name? I took AP English, but there were two teachers so I am not sure I took it from him or not.

Lisa Clark

@Kim-Rosenlof

Mr. Davis!

Kim Rosenlof

@Lisa-Clark I had the other the other teacher, but I had friends that Mr. Davis taught. I do remember him. What a small world!

Lisa Clark

@Kim-Rosenlof Yep! So strange. Thanks for indulging in a little "Do you know..." game.

This forum is so awesome. I don't really know anyone in illustration so I love getting to see what other people are working on and such. I need to be more brave to actually share what I'm working on!

Kim Rosenlof

@Lisa-Clark Your work is great! You should definitely share more. I know can be intimidating, by this forum is very supportive.

Lisa Clark

@Kim-Rosenlof Thanks for the encouragement!! I will do that!

kalyquarles

@Kim-Rosenlof Thank you so much! I'm pretty comfortable with the pen tool, but man, those softer brushes for character work is throwing me a bit! I just moved to SLC from Austin this past October and my husband and I are LOVING IT! What a spectacular city with such friendly people. Also, I have been swooning over all the flowers and gardens here - just incredible what grows here!

kalyquarles

@Lisa-Clark Very cool! We're new here from Austin and it's been such a sensational move! I'm also hoping I'll lucky and meet Will sometime at some creative meet up or something around here!

kalyquarles

@Kevin-Longueil Awww <beaming!> thank you!

Lisa Clark

@kalyquarles Congrats on your big move! That's a huge climate difference. And a meet up would be so awesome!! Salt Lake is so fun. I love all the fun places to eat and stuff to do. Totally miss that. Enjoy!

Nyrryl Cadiz

@kalyquarles why hello! welcome to the forum! I love your art