Lord of the Flies WIP
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I started on my cover last night and with it being so late I forgot to save my sketches. Anyway I continued on till now where I will break and let it breathe a little before final touches. So I ask you all what are your critiques on it? Anything standing out that needs to be tweaked? Here are a few process steps.
Clean sketch (forgot to save first sketches and thumbnails):
Little but of values:
Ink and outline:
Color added with Multiple and Color Layers:
Starting to Add Detail:
I will add shadows and rim light next, but need to take a break and wait for some feedback from my SVS peps.
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Wow really nice to see this progress, great work
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I really like the white outlines. Really makes it pop. The word, FLIES, is getting a little lost though. Iโm not sure if itโs the fog behind it or the lines, maybe both. The green leaf to the left of the pig head is drawing my attention. There is a tiny tangent there, maybe darkening and desaturating it would help.
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Chip, you are delightfully twisted. Nice work. The only thing for me is that it's not totally clear the people in the background are kids.
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Looks good. I think the perspective of the pigs snowt needs fixing, it should be at an angle to the viewer. Hope that helps and makes sense
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@Chip-Valecek I like how grotesque the pig head and figures are, that really works with the subject matter. I wonder about the relevance of the plane to the cover art. It feels really distracting to me and I don't think of that as an important story beat. I think if you put a lone figure over on that side without a weapon to represent Ralph and maybe a second for Piggy or Simon with a light stick? The pigs head would separate the two groups and communicate the divide in the story. I like the lettering of the LORD of the FLIES but agree that it starts to be a little hard to read. I wonder if it was entirely in white if it would read better against the dark value of that upper third. On the note of lettering, I would play with the authors typeface a little more, it looks like a placeholder and not part of the final.
This is great and gross! I can't wait to see the finished product!
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@Chip-Valecek - You are always great at bringing your own style into very iconic stories/films. Really beautifully done - it looks like you created your own font for the title which suits this cover so nicely.
My only feedback would be the plane. It seems to me that the tail and the head of the plane are not aligned quite right. I think if you were to bring the head over to align a bit better with the tail it would read a bit better.
Otherwise, as always, love your work!
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Looking good Chip! I love your style. When I scroll instagram, I always recognize your art for your unique style.
I agree with the others on the color choice of your font. And also the right eye (the one closest to us) of the pig makes it look off with his snout. I can't tell if its the placing of the nostrils or the eye that's a tad crocked.
Love how you worked the white lines around his head. It gives it a nice 3D effect and makes it pop right off my screen. Also great placing of the authors name! Not overruling your piece but not really hidden away either.
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Thank You so much for all the great feedback. I took everyone's suggestions and tweaked it. Here is the updated cover. Again please let me know if anything needs changing or suggestions. I plan to add the final detail later this week. Thanks!
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@Chip-Valecek Hi! I haven't read the Lord of the Flies. I must say your bookcover is striking! I would definitely stop and check the book out if I saw this bookcover on a shelf. Well done!
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Wow Chip - I love this.
I am way into the grunge of it.
Like super into it.For the William Golding what would it be like if you put the William on the left side of the spike, and Golding on the right - a little larger? Did you try that already? I'm just curious.
I image when you say Final Detail you may mean tightening up the flies a bit more - I think that would be really delicious.Also, total side note, but I would LOVE to see your work on some vintage "Weird Tales" magazine covers.
Oh man - I'm just so excited about this piece!!!
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@kaitlinmakes thanks for all the positive feedback. That is a good idea with the name of the author, I will try that out. And yes final touches will be cleaning up the flies, some more shadows/hightlights on the pig as well as some extra light source to create a rim light.
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@Chip-Valecek the right ear on the pig needs to be pushed back, the mass of the head just needs putting in front of it it's looking great
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Looks great. I like the changes to the scale of the kids. I miss the plane, but I totally get that itโs hard to tell the entire story on the cover. The changes to the font look great too. The I and the e at the bottom of flies touches and it is kinda hard to see. Maybe disconnect them and make the I longer? Leaving it the same is fine too. It is much clearer than the wording with the black. The text in general is awesome! Totally reflects the mod of the book.
I was hoping you would do โscary things to tell in the dark.โ But lord of the flies is good too. I kinda want to nanny cam my house when the 12 year old is in charge when Iโm gone!
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@Whitney-Simms with the movie coming out soon for scary stories to tell in the dark, I am sure to do fan art of those characters
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@burvantill I agree. There need to be more space between "I" and "E" or it reads "FLES"
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@Chip-Valecek sweet, I think. We are all even scared of goosebumps in this house. And Harry Potter is even a stretch and the kids havenโt seen all of them. My 12 year old mad the sleepover turn off โthe sixth senseโ. So, we will just relive the book through your work.
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Here is the final cover and mockup.
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@Chip-Valecek awesome
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@Chip-Valecek looks awesome! Great job!