WIP pixie with snail *final*

[stringfellowart]

I'm exploring mixing traditional and digital mediums together. I made a bunch of brushes for photoshop using my own paint strokes and ink lines. I'm really happy with the look I've been able to get so far. Here is the final sketch, and the wip with the background and color pallet.

[Tyson Ranes]

@stringfellowart Cool style

[bnewman]

I like that

[TessaW]

Very cute! Love the sneak peek with the background. Can't wait to see the pixie and snail rendered. The textures and colors are lovely.

[Laurie]

@stringfellowart Great textural results!!! I am also trying to venture more into including digital with traditional and it is daunting, to say the least! Cannot wait to see your final!

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[stringfellowart]

More progress made. I scaled down the pixie to give a better sense of scale. Also, I think the picture needs something more to create a story. I feel like she is playing her flute like Pied Piper, and I'm playing with ideas for what should be responding.

[Xovq]

Make sure you get some highlights or something on the flute so we can tell what it is but other than that I'm liking how it's turning out so far.

[Tyson Ranes]

@xovq Agreed, good call

[aska]

Very plesant to look at!:)

[Laurel Aylesworth]

@stringfellowart This is so sweet. Beautiful texture. I'm wondering about adding musical notes floating out of the flute (something subtle, like a breeze)? Can't wait to see the finished piece!

[WithLinesOfInk]

If she's like the pied piper, maybe show a gaggle of smallc reatures following her as if lead by the music? Small snails, slugs, beetles, ants?

[stringfellowart]

@withlinesofink Well that's a brilliant idea. Why didn't you give me this idea before I got so far along?
It really does go to show you have to figure all this out at the beginning with the sketch etc. I told myself, hey lets just do a quick painting to get practice with texture etc. So I didn't spend enough time thinking through the concept. Bad illustrator, bad.

[WithLinesOfInk]

@stringfellowart Ahaha oh no! Well, if it's digital you could always extend it to one side and.. add in? The joys of digital. And at least you're not stuck with a dimensions guideline... unless you are.

[stringfellowart]

Okay, added some buggies and flipped the layout. now can work on the details.

[WithLinesOfInk]

@stringfellowart Don't hate me.. but I liked the original direction. II feel like her going uphill against all those opposing verticals creates a real tensions. The buggies are so super cute tho!

[stringfellowart]

So which one is better? I think the second is not as dynamic as the first, but more pleasant to look at.

[Christine Garner]

@stringfellowart I think the second looks more balanced.

[Kasey Snow]

Yeah, the second one with the character facing into the center of the image directs the eye better. The one with her facing outward/uphill makes me want to look off the page to see where she's going and I spend less time admiring the details of the rest of the image.

[Kat]

With her facing the center, and the little bugs facing her, it looks like she's attracted them and is giving a little concert. Very sweet, and I like it a lot!

[WithLinesOfInk]

I agree with the crowd, the second one has a more balanced composition and still works with the narrative you wanted to plug. I think this is a great option. Just in case you want to try one last option, this is sort of what I had in mind.

Either way, though, make sure the lighting matches the environment, and I would suggest having her hair trail behind her a bit IF she's going to be in motion (even though it's just a snail >.<), but if she's going to be sitting still maybe she should use both hands to play the pipe?