Fart Cloud

ArtistErin

Cloud entry that I tried to finish in time but didn't get there.. I will likely enter this month's Critique Arena if I can squeeze it in. So anyway, thought I'd share regardless. Trying to teach myself aspects of Photoshop that I feel I need to learn. So I figured this was a good challenge, to draw things I'm not used to drawing, yet the theme of cute just didn't match the idea I had to go against the grain and draw something disgusting! How about a crop dusting fart cloud from dad snoring in a chair while the poor kids and family pug sit on the floor...

Thoughts are welcome! Fart copy.jpg

susanhowarth.art

@ArtistErin Haha, that’s funny! I especially like the way you drew the dad on the chair.

I have two comments for your consideration.

The pose of the little girl makes her look more scared than grossed out; and
the kids and dog look a bit like they are floating since the floor and background are so blurred.

Great job!!

Asyas_illos

Great concept! I second what @susanhowarth-art said about the girl and the lack of connection between the background and foreground.

Oana

Hi! I like the construction of the scene and characters and poses! I think what needs more work is the rendering, and beside what others have already said, I would add that digital blurry pens ( I mean with soft edges) are tricky and give the akward begginer digital painter look. I am sorry I can’t think now of a certain class to reccomend but I am sure I encountered this discussion somewhere…. Although it seems logical to use a soft edged brush, you should try looking for other methods of representing the … “ cloud”🥲 … texture, tansparency maybe. Another thing that troubles me about the image is the color palette, to me at least looks a bit too much on the dreary side for what’s intended as a funny childrens illustration, more like a sad Dickens scene
Hope that’s been useful

ArtistErin

@Asyas_illos Yep I see that! I was intending to recede the background by rendering most of it in pencil and then it morphed into simplifying it with just vague airbrushing. I see how the kids look like they're floating...

ArtistErin

@Oana Haaaahhaaa yep I know the color palette ended up looking depressing lol which I'll fix

ArtistErin

@susanhowarth-art That's true! They're floating and also I need to adjust the blurriness of the scene with making the cloud feel less "airbrushed"...

kirsten-mcg

@ArtistErin clouds can be so tricky to render! One of my favorite things to do when I have to draw clouds is to go on Pinterest and search for "cloud drawings," to see what other people have done. "Stylized cloud digital" also turns up some cool ideas. It's great for inspiration for making interesting looking clouds.

ArtistErin

@Oana @susanhowarth-art @Asyas_illos So been working on this piece, let me know if this is better... Fart Cloud is thrilled to be free LOL
The color palette, just trying to see if I like the effect of the saturation in the front and a little more color on Dad. I am itching to start a new piece! Feel like I have been on this forever...

susanhowarth.art

@ArtistErin It looks a lot better! I like that the room isn’t so dark, the floor is more defined, and it works better without the girl. (Although she was very cute - maybe she could be used in something else!)

My personal preference is not to have the character in the cloud. I think it takes away from the mood/style of the piece.

Asyas_illos

@ArtistErin looks way better this way. Much more cohesive!

ArtMelC

@ArtistErin it is much better in terms of light and composition but I feel the fart cloud doesn't read as fart or cloud because of the face. If I didn't know the prompt I would have thought that dad's soul is flying away or something like that... which makes it a bit more sinister than intended.

Oana

@ArtistErin Oh, I really like what you did with the cloud now! And the character in it is really funny, though I agree with the fact it confuses a bit the subject. maybe you can reuse him as a genie in the lamp thing

von_Nimmermehr

@ArtistErin Love to see your progress, when i first saw your picture, the first attempt (and i am seeing way to many horror movies) it felt like kids sitting in a basement, where the girl is affraid and the boy just disgusted.

i guess you could putt in some light background/Shapes of stuff. But you made a great progress so far!
I bett you kan still push it a little bit more, but if you feel it's finished, just follow your itch for a new piece.

ArtistErin

@von_Nimmermehr I actually started out with a full background with a chair and mom sitting in it making a sour face, but took it out because it felt busy, and I am trying to simplify... however I see other art that has a ton of elements in the piece and somehow they make it look good. I'll keep at it, learning... it's so worth it when stuff starts coming together! Thank you for your feedback, I really appreciate it.

ArtistErin

@ArtMelC I took out the face on the fart cloud and I like it much better thank you! Sent it to my daughter and she "got it" right away so that was enough for me to go with it. I could keep tweaking this but I am eager to get started on something new... Thank you for your feedback, that was very helpful!

ArtistErin

@Oana Ha ha ha! I love it.

ArtistErin

@Asyas_illos Thank you! It's interesting how the process from thumbnail to full color is such a learning process. I really appreciate everyone's feedback. Now on to another piece...

ArtistErin

@susanhowarth-art Thank you! LOL I took the face out of the cloud... it looked too sinister not mischievous like I intended. I used to wish I had my own personal genie! I'll keep that in mind