Isolation May - WIP (critiques welcome)

Johanna Kim

Update as of 5/20/20: Simplified my thumbnail much further and jumped to color studies. I'm leaning towards B since the color is unexpected, but I will probably add a sun above so the yellow color makes more sense. If you have any thoughts on anything at this point, please let me know. I'd esp. be interested to know if you think I've lost the theme of isolation and keywords: family, fun.

isolation color study.jpg

Update as of 5/19/20: Decided to add two more thumbs after thinking about my concepts, which felt a bit too sad for my personal experience. These two extra thumbs take A and C and put a positive spin on the concept. In A1 and C1, the main character is shown enjoying a bit of coral gardening on his submarine and in A1, he's even walking his dog.

So sorry I've been absent from the forum. I'm just finishing a project and hope to be more active in the coming months.

Would love some feedback on these 3 thumbnails:

A. a world where people are living in isolation due to a pandemic in their personal submarines. The figures above will be socializing but wearing masks.

B. same pandemic world, but people live in subs or boats. The boat people above are having a fiesta and jumping and dancing from boat to boat.

C. same pandemic world, but just subs again, and a different angle with the main figure more prominent.

I'm leaning towards #3, but it lacks the social interaction of the people above.

The words I'm using to describe this image are isolation, loneliness, longing to connect but afraid. Was also thinking of including a goldfish pet for the main character, and little coronavirus fish in the water. Too depressing???

chrisaakins

@Johanna-Kim I like A best for some reason. Maybe it's the repetition of the subs that shows the contrast that one sub is all alone.

theprairiefox

@Johanna-Kim for the color studies this is the feeling I get from each.

A. Happy & energetic
B. Poisoned oceans
C. Threatening
D. Dreary and drab

I am not sure the feelings you are going for. But I would lean towards A. I liked B. but it felt like something was wrong. I wonder if you did it more monochromatic if you could pull off the yellow without having that poisoned ocean feel?

Johanna Kim

@theprairiefox Thanks for your feedback. I totally see what you mean. The feeling I am trying to achieve is "happy and energetic in isolation with one's family", but I was trying to experiment with nontraditional color choices. I'll do some research to see how other artists have made it work. It may just be that I need to tone down the intensity of the yellow, or work in a gradient. Also, going monotone, like you suggested could also help (i.e., making the sky a yellowish color as well). Thanks again for taking the time:)