Living Underwater - May prompt: let's share our WIPs and inspiration

[Jason Crowley]

@Erin-Hawkins You don't need to have humans in the prompt, but it's worth thinking about whether you want this to be a portfolio piece, and if so, consider who you want to target. For me, I haven't focused on showing characters and kids enough in my recent portfolio pieces, so I'm going to try and think of ways to put kids/people in my future HTFYA submissions.

[Jason Crowley]

Here's my initial pencil layers and value study. On to the hardest part of any illustration next: colour

[Erin Hawkins]

@Jason-Crowley yes, good point. I am just starting to work on my portfolio (I'm very new here!) but I agree it's good to have a mix of animals and humans. I watched the SVS class on "How to Perfect Your Children's Book Portfolio" (it's just a video) -- it was a great overview of everything you need. I'm just sharing in case that's of interest to you or anyone else here. I'm very early in my journey but I appreciated learning this now, rather than making a ton of illustrations and realizing I'm still missing important things.

[Oana]

Hi! This month's prompt made me think about my old Inktober comic stories, in 2017 and 2018 I managed to follow Inktober and it was the most fun I ever had drawing... My characters got involved in some aquatic mishaps too, so I want to use this prompt and revisit that world. I never had a proper "underwater" city but one could fit nicely there. I also feel that I improved my drawing skills since.. I hope to start again on that kind of endeavour, without Inktober help, and try to put all toghether in a small comic book, at least or my family and friends who love my drawings!

This is a board of images from those stories. Yes, that's ..me surrounded by pig characters, including a pig-mermaid...

I also made a board of references, I don't want to totally change the style but some upgrade is needed, and also not wanting to miss the opportunity to learn something new. I love the flowy and whimsical style of these artists. (Maria Surducan, Ryan Andrews, Ullikummi, Alvaro Arteaga - First two I have in my bookcase, last two found on random pinterest browsing)

[Fey Realme]

@reberlik youll never believe what pinterest showed me just now!
A harpy and a mermaid could love each other — how would you add on and ask “but where would they live?”

[Reb Erlik]

@R-Fey-Realme Awesome! Thanks R. Fey! I might use that idea for a personal project later.
After listening to Jake and Will discussing this prompt in the last livestream, I think I actually misunderstood it. The idea is to show what it would be like to live underwater. So... take an everyday activity you do on land and show how it would look underwater. Will's example was a child running after a schoolbus. Then add details to tell the story. I have a new idea that I'll try to post some sketches of soon.

[Joshua Chennault]

Still like this idea and perspective. The cast shadow of the hammerhead might be a bit much, however, it could show through on the rendering a lot better than in this sketch. Assuming I keep it somewhat subtle.

I worked on the characters a bit. Even overdeveloped them I think, and brought them back down a little simpler. Also got a lot better expression on the mother. Added in a couple of other small details.

Anywho, let me know y'all's opinions if you have any.

[Tash]

@Joshua-Chennault I think the adding the shadow of the shark is brilliant! It gives the viewer a little more context about why your characters are hiding, and it feels a little ominous

[Oana]

First sketches of what I am working on, I wonder how it reads to the viewer who knows nothing about my old porchi stories... !

First I tried a detail, hoping it will read well in a larger composition

The larger composition - presented as the opening page of a comic story:

I added the final result here. I am surprised I managed to get such a colorful result!

I was planning on adding more fish and brightening the lights inside the houses, but got no time left, maybe I will do it later...
Meanwhile, can you find the missing pearl?

[Reb Erlik]

I finally thought of an idea I want to do. Which version do you guys like better? Any other ideas for merpeople in the audience? Thanks!

[Reb Erlik]

@reberlik !

Working on detailing characters.The bass player is supposed to look like a seahorse in silhouette. Is it working?

[Reb Erlik]

@reberlik

Color studies. I think it needs another spotlight at the bottom to make the focal point on the human fan singing along. Maybe yellow or orange? Alternatively I could move the diver taking photos so that the camera flash will act as the third spotlight.
What do you think?

[Reb Erlik]

@reberlik Linework coming along

[Reb Erlik]

Linework done

[Oana]

@reberlik cool ideea and nice work!

[Reb Erlik]

@Oana Thank you so much!

[Jessica Jolicoeur]

@reberlik I love this idea, especially the seahorse.

[Reb Erlik]

@Jessica-Jolicoeur Thank you, Jessica! I posted the final in the May prompt section.

[Jessica Jolicoeur]

@reberlik I looked but I couldn't find it.

[Reb Erlik]

@Jessica-Jolicoeur Hi Jessica, thanks so much! I appreciate you taking a look. I'll re-upload it in this section.
Btw, I loved your tentacle cat from the February prompt! That could totally have worked for living underwater too. Looking forward to seeing more of your work!

Here's my finished piece for May. It's about a dedicated fan who went underwater to see her favorite band!

(If you're interested, the backstory of this piece is that I've been recovering from sciatica this month. I had to draw this whole thing either standing up or lying down.
That also means that my favorite summer activity of dancing at concerts is not gonna happen.
The silver lining is that I've rediscovered the joyfulness of swimming... something I haven't done since childhood. So this illustration is meant to communicate that feeling of joy and freedom of movement that I can only experience underwater).