Independent WIP

[EmilyM]

My foray into this months challenge. This is my first one, and I can already feel my art myscles growing! So far it's lots of fun, but I'm having a hard time bringing myself to the next step. Is my line work telling the story, etc. Any feedback is appreciated.

[TessaW]

This sketch is very fun. I'm glad that you feel your art muscles growing! That's very exciting. Are all three kids meant to be showing the theme of independence, and the parent is exasperated about it?

What would be the next step in your process, after this sketch?

[NoWayMe]

Maybe if you tell us what story you have in mind, we can help you make it clearer Right now I can guess some of the story, but I think it could be clearer.

[WithLinesOfInk]

Hi there! What a fun sketch, and cute kids! I don't really feel anything "independent" about it, though. I bet if you played with some more thumbnail; compositions and sketching you could get something that really tells your story and hits the theme on the nose.

THIS bit seems to be a really good start:

[EmilyM]

Originally it was going to be all about the kid on the right. Kids are what popped into my mind when I thought of independence, (no brainer, I work with kids, lol). First I thought, getting dressed, but then I pushed it a little further and came up with cooking.

The story I see so far is dad is stepping back and letting them assert their independence by cooking. Kind of like how a toddler can get upset if you help them put on their shoes? He's been roped into a tea party. Big sister is reading the cookbook and younger brother is determined to do it all. Baby is mostly along for the ride, and the free samples.

Should dad even be in it? Would it be more pronounced if dad wasn't in the picture?

The next step I was thinking of was tweaking/changing it before doing anything permanent, with ink or paints. Haven't decided on a final medium yet.

@WithLinesOfInk I'm currently working my way through the composition class. Was having a crack at directing eyes around the image with some help from a freind. did you have any thoughts on what I could specifically tweak?

[TessaW]

I feel that overall you've illustrated your idea well, and I can really relate to this idea. My kids are all about wanting to do things for themselves, and sometimes it can be so annoying, because you know it's going to take forever or make a big mess! Haha. That being said, I think the composition could be stronger. I'm finding I kind of want that right side extended more. The baby is super cute how it is, but what about it trying to hold a spoon far away from it's dad, like it doesn't want the dad interfering?

Anyway, I'm excited to see where this goes. I think you have a great start, and this could easily double as a Draw 50 Things challenge along with the independence theme.

[WithLinesOfInk]

AH! I see now! I get it. I think there are a few small tweaks you can make while keeping the whole scene together, in that case, and still really hit the mark for the theme.

First, I would move the father and baby down and to the left, so they're not so close to the center of the composition. Then bring the boy climbing the drawers down a bit and maybe make him a bit bigger.

Aside from that, some other suggestions are:

• Have the father a bit less worried or his emotion overruns the whole scene
• I like the idea of the baby being more independent too
• Make the mixing bowl bigger to help pull the eye
• Make the farthest item on the stove taller to help lead the eye from the boy to the reading girl
• I feel like the girl would be more independent if she refused to have anything to do with the rest of the scene and just completely buried herself in the book.

Just a few ideas to help push the theme a bit more!

[EmilyM]

I've changed a few of the things you suggested, except for moving the table and dad forward. I'm thinking the blank table is my text space. I also changed the baby to a more active independent role.

My next steps are going to be adding color and value.