burvant ill VS the dream portfolio

[burvantill]

@Amber-Lynn-Benton 's dream portfolio vs her own portfolio was so inspiring I had to watch How to Discover your Style. I have learned quite a lot about myself and it wasn't fun... just kidding. This was a very interesting exercise. I thought I would share my findings.
For years I have been saving awesome images on Pinterest in a board called burvant ill daily art pick. I was fairly consistent for a while so I had a lot of images to choose from. It was difficult to weed it down to the top 20, but I followed @Lee-White 's instructions and choose the images that would push me in the direction that I want to go. I had a bunch of similar images so it was easier to weed those out to one each. Anyway, here's what I ended up with.

And here is a grouping of my art. I had to pick through some older stuff to get 20 good pieces.

Here is my Dream Portfolio Evaluation
•Recognizable objects are drawn wonky (skewed), but still recognizable.
•Overlapping patterns and detail. Textures. Busy. A lot to look at.
•Surreal or stylized
•Muted palette. No heavy saturation
•Funky characters
•Contrast without losing focus

Mine vs Dream
What do they have in common?
Not much.

What does the Dream have that I don’t?
•Characters are whimsical without appearing “cartoony”
•I lack the ability to harness the light.
•Mine are flat in comparison.
•It has dark darks without loosing the light.
•Pattern, texture & detail

Now I'm going to pick my most favorite images from the dream portfolio and do master copies. I'll post those here and talk about how that went.
I am most curious what I will take away from this lesson, as I wanted to make some changes to my current portfolio anyway. Looking at my current lineup, I think that I have a steady style, but i just want/need to shake things up a bit. I still have so much to learn... and I would really like to get a job. =)x

[Annemieke]

OMG! The Holly Hobbie image just threw me back 35 years! I used to love her when I was young but had totally forgotten about her! Thank you for this wave of inspiration !

[Amber Lynn Benton]

@Annemieke I agree!! Holly almost made my list, too!

[Amber Lynn Benton]

@burvantill This is fantastic!! Now I want to pull mine into a separate thread to track my progress, too!! Looking at your pieces I definitely think you have the skills and content to hit that style that your after. And you’re right, contrast seems to one of the biggest missing elements.

Have you thought about bringing some of your originals into PS and playing with the curves to improve the contrast? Or even some masked adjustment layers to help with the emphasize the focal points? There is a digital mixed with watercolor class I have my eye on once I complete the first set of basic classes.

I’d just like to see your pieces paired against your dream portfolio without the distraction of contrast. Can’t wait to watch you soar!

[suenaumi]

and @Amber-Lynn-Benton I am very inspired by you both. Thank you for sharing this. What a fantastic process.

[Amber Lynn Benton]

@burvantill Inespecially love that raven piece on the top left.

[Chip Valecek]

@burvantill I think you have a great collection right there. I do agree with the dark darks and I agree with @Amber-Lynn-Benton said about bringing them into photoshop and messing with the levels. That may be all it needs. I definitely see your style in your pieces, try not to loss that while you work towards your dream portfolio.

[burvantill]

@Amber-Lynn-Benton @Annemieke I LOVE Holly Hobbie. When I was little, and now her Toot And Puddle collection. The patterns and texture. Plus they are always adorable. I would like to incorporate that into my work.

[Amber Lynn Benton]

@burvantill My boys have grown up with Toot and Puddle!!

[burvantill]

@Chip-Valecek @Amber-Lynn-Benton Great idea! I want to be able to do what I want with the original watercolor painting so I’ve resisted using PS to manipulate the finished paintings. I DID do this on my 50 things project though and I had a lot of compliments on that after. Plus it will probably help me see that I could push those darks without screwing up future images. Which is my biggest fear when painting because watercolor is so not forgiving. I should tweak my thinking. People paint over their oils and acrylics ALL the time. Digital could be my repair man.

[burvantill]

@Amber-Lynn-Benton yep. That’s how I got hooked.

[Amber Lynn Benton]

@burvantill Do it! Do you have an iPad or a Wacom pad of some sort?

[burvantill]

@Amber-Lynn-Benton thank you! That’s from a series using an old folk story/poem thing about ravens as omens.
One for sorrow, two for mirth, three for death, four for birth.

[Amber Lynn Benton]

@burvantill I love, love, love that! I have an idea for an illustration with crows that I’ve been working up the courage to attempt. I have tons of sketches and thumbnails from more than a decade ago and it won’t be too hard to comp. I brought it out of the box last week when I was planning my next portfolio pieces.

[Coley]

Holly Freakin Hobbie. omg. That took me back! This is a very cool exercise! I haven't watched how to discover your style, will have to!

[burvantill]

@Amber-Lynn-Benton I have an iPad mini, but I will probably use my computer. I’m at home in Photoshop. I would love to have that setup from the Tools of the trade link that you posted. Was that a Wacom on that guys desk? If so it was HUGE! I showed my husband, and his response was crickets.

[burvantill]

@Coley it’s a nice and quick video that you can watch all the way through and then jump straight into the assignment. It has some pretty interesting topics. Like how the masters got their style (not just born with it).

[Coley]

@burvantill ha ha on the crickets! I totally know that response lol

[Amber Lynn Benton]

@burvantill That’s the Cintiq! I have a smaller Wacom pad with no screen. I mostly use it for layer masks and cleaning up files and not drawing or painting. Jago says he no longer uses PS - he’s using just Procreate right now which means maybe that big Cintiq is getting dusty?!

[burvantill]

@Amber-Lynn-Benton a dusty cintiq. that’s the saddest thing I’ve heard today.