August Dragonfly WIP - feedback appreciated!
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Hey there, SVS friends! Looking for some help deciding on which direction to go for August’s Dragonfly prompt. My concept is based around a dragon and a fly as separate characters. The left one is a bearded dragon vs. a fly in a sort of classic storybook knight vs. dragon pose. The right sketch is more of a cartoon friendly dragon, flying with his fly friend. Questions for you:
- Is this take on the prompt ‘’legal’’/does it make sense?
- Of the two sketches, which do you prefer?
- Are the concepts clear?
- Any tips/ideas/advice on the composition of your preferred sketch?
- Should I go back to the drawing board for a fresh idea? Haha
Thanks in advance! !
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The judges appreciate a play on words, I don't think the final piece HAS to be a dragonfly insect specifically.
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I like the first idea with the knight/dragon dynamic, but think you could thumbnail a few more ideas to build the story/composition.
Here's a couple of giant vs small inspiration pieces. Ask yourself: Are they opponents or partners? What's the knight's story - does the dragon have a treasure hoard or a hostage? Maybe the dragon has one eye and the knight's here to finish the job?
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I think with creative interpretations of the prompt, you run the risk of one or both of the judges not agreeing that it meets the requirements. It can be up to the judges personal interpretation or current mood. You just never know! That being said, I don't think it should stop you from interpreting the prompt this way though. I like it when people stretch the interpretation of the prompts.
I personally like the fly riding the dragon. I think it's really funny that a flying creature would want to free ride off of another faster flying creature. The way you are zooming in is also really funny, because you are expecting a traditional character type, and yet you get a fly. You can also really relate to the feeling the fly must be feeling- so free and exhilarated!
All that being said, it is fairly simple and reliant on a "punch line joke", so I question how it would work in a contest setting. The first idea with the sword might have more of an overall visual impact, and be a stronger contender against other pieces.
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@Ruth-Tripp i think youre on to something with the idea, perhaps a bit more storytelling might be useful, but if the prompt is simply 'dragonfly' then yeah, you can definately have a dragon and a fly up to no good. In my eyes a prompt that open is almost certainly inviting creative interpretation. Otherwise it would be more specific. Im sure they dont just want 200 hundred pictures of dragonflies. From what i can tell, if it looks good and is rendered nicely, it'll be considered!
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@carriecopadraws Thank you so much!!! That is super helpful feedback and I appreciate you taking the time to find example photos! Also, I LOVED (and voted for!) your July, Oz, piece- amazing!!!
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@TessaW thank you!! I was having the same internal debate! Especially looking at the size of the pictures in the feed/critique arena, I feel like the “punch line” one lacks the visual “oomph” it needs. Thank you for the feedback. Very helpful!!
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@gavpartridge Thank you! Ok, I will work on adding some storytelling and play with different composition/layout to add story depth. Thanks for the feedback!
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@Ruth-Tripp I really enjoy the "dragon and a fly" concept! It's a good play on words.
My favorite sketch is the first one with the bearded dragon. I think it could make a really cool and striking image. As others have suggested; more storytelling can really bring the concept and overall drawing to life! I can't wait to see what you decide to do
