Hansel and Gretel exterior feedback

Griffin McPherson

So this assignment is just to design an exterior from the story I’m working on, Hansel and Gretel in this case. Here are my questions

Does the house feel finished? I feel like it’s lacking just a little something I can’t put my finger on.
Though the assignment is just to design an exterior should I include an entire background? I’d like this to be a portfolio piece so does that mean it should have a full background as well or is it fine for it to be just the house?

DoodleMick

This look great. With Hansel and Gretel, I would think more trees, maybe a walk path or stepping stones leading to the front porch and the wood pile. Some dead grass where there’s a lot of activity.

Hope that helped.

tonydupreart

I think this looks great!
To your first question - note that your porch roof has a definite thickness, but your main roof does not. This could be a little thing that makes a big difference?

If you want it to be in a portfolio, then I’d say this piece - especially for the story at hand - demands a creepy forest, but that’s just me.

miranda-hoover

@griffin It looks great! I love all the ways it's falling apart. The house definitely looks worse for wear without being a messy drawing.

Some smoke coming out the chimney might make it feel more lived-in, but that might depend on your backstory for the house. I like the moss and wouldn't mind seeing more of it--but that's probably a personal preference.

I don't think you need to have a full background to use it as a portfolio piece.

Griffin McPherson

@tonydupreart good catch on the roof! I think I’ll add some thickness to it, it looks too paper like at the moment . The reason I’m shying away from filling in a background is that I know every piece in my portfolio shouldn’t be a full page illustration, there should be a variety. I think a full page would certainly look better because a full page always does but I know I should have some spot illustrations and other varieties. Just can’t decide yet.

I’ve been looking at this illustration by Derek Laufman for what I have in mind and here’s where mine is at now. .

Heather Boyd

@griffin I see what you mean. The two differences I see are that his exterior looks isometric (I could be wrong) and has a base with a clean edge cut around its entirety (does that make sense), like it stands alone (reminds me a bit like a sticker you could just peel off).

So maybe if you wanted to put your exterior on a larger piece of paper or shrink your current one (so to include the laundry out the back ) and draw in a ground (round or squarish) maybe that would solve your dilemma. Just a thought.