Hi! Here is my entry for July's contest! Glad I finished it in time! I'm new here and super excited. It is a pleasure to see all of these different takes on the subject come together!

Freya Chakour
@Freya Chakour
Freelance Illustrator who would love to get work with publishers for young adults or childrensbooks illustrations.
Super new here but so in awe with all of the resourceful information and content that is offered here.
Best posts made by Freya Chakour
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RE: JULY CONTEST: Design a book cover for the Wizard of Oz
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RE: AUGUST CONTEST: Dragonfly
Hi There! I wanted to challenge myself by illustrating a double page as I'm watching the Children's book course at the moment and really like to try out all of the different page formats and combinations (Vignettes, Spot Illustrations etc.) Also its so inspirational to watch Jake working on that dummy of Little Red Riding hood! Also its lovely too see all your takes on the theme! < 3
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Witchshop Final Feedback very welcome
Hi so, I posted a WIP of this a few month ago, and forgot to update my process. This was original my slowvember piece and draw50things-challange in one thing. turns out.... I needed way more time for this than I expected and I am working at this for the last four month now.
I would like to finish it know and am looking for objects that could do more rendering oder look odd to you or maybe you think could have a different color. So I would be super glad if you could give me some feedback if you spot something!
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RE: NOVEMBER CONTEST: TOGETHER
Last Minute entry for this lovely challenge! So wholesome to see everyone’s entry’s
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Slowvember/draw 50 things - Feedback needed
![Hi everyone, this is the first time I upload a WIP here, but I really could use some fresh eyes on this. I started this work early November, but have been thinking about it a few month earlier when I first heard of the 50 things challenge on the podcast. So I thought Slowvember was a good time to work on this project.
And it really is worth is, I have learned so much with this piece already, even if there is still a long way to go, and really EVERYTHING seems to take me ages (because I normally shy away from drawing backgrounds and objects....) but I also enjoy the feeling of development and learning so many new things.
now to my question: I'm working on the figure right now and its like the tenth version, but I'm still not sure if the perspective and proportions are right
Also: Are the Proportions in relation to the room and other objects convincing???Also if you have any other comments and feedback for me I am gald to hear it! (other objects looking strange or wrong to you? how do you like the composition
Also, pls feel free to also give some hard feedback. I can take it
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RE: Feedback on ink fairy sketches
@silvialcg hmmm yeah I think it’s definitely nice to see a bit of the room and the setting, and I like the picture on the wall. But on the right side there is really just the light button ( xD forgot what it’s called in English) soo I guess there are two ways for this, go nearer to the girl but loose a bit of the scenery, or make the scenery part of the storytelling. Like maybe there is a Gallery of mystic creatures that got photographed, or newsletters and notes pinned on a board or something like that
also inside the room there is just this plant, maybe you can add some things there too
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RE: Featured Student 2020 Review Edition
How have you improved this year thanks to SVSLearn?
At the beginning of the year I discovered the podcast "three point perspective" and that was a total eye opener. I studied fine arts, but after that I realized that I would rather work in the field of illustration. It felt like a complete new start, even though after years I finally found my way back to what I never stopped doing as a child: drawing. Except for the fact that I wanted to improve my drawing skills and try out conventions and would love to illustrate childrensbooks, I had no idea what possibilities there were, how anything works in this field, which areas might suit me and the podcast helped me a lot with all these questions.
After I was done with the podcast, my hunger for information was just awakened. I now knew what I wanted to learn and I must say that all the courses I have seen at SVS have been extremely helpful. I love the "Portfolio Perfection Course" and "Creative Composition" so it really was time that I finally learn how to use perspective and draw backgrounds, and understand color theory - so I'm currently working through all the courses on these topics.
The other day I said to my husband: "this is exactly how I imagined studying at a university when I was at school. It is a wonderful feeling to want to learn on your own initiative and to know what you are learning for. "
How did SVSLearn impact the creation of this piece?
The monthly competitions are extremely important to me. They give me a framework and the opportunity to compare my work with others. It is so fascinating to see how different topics can be interpreted, how different styles are and I learn a lot from the other members here.
The book cover of "The Wizard of Oz" has changed my work a lot.I have never put so much work into an illustration, researched, thumbnailed, and really tried to stay focused until the end. To push the image as far as I could. I am super proud that I have achieved this. -
RE: Constructive criticism needed for my next print!
I really love a lot of the fine details here, like the kind of magical dust coming out of that door, the question where the door is leading to, and the mix of everyday live with magical themes is so well done, and the cat is just perfect in its design and body language!
For the feedback part. I'm thinking about the overall shape of the illustration, I really like the cutout style especially on the right and top side, while on the bottom and left side for my tase there a bit to much little edges that don't resonate with the illustration and the objects in it. ( its so difficult find the right words in English, hope you can get what I mean)Also i was thinking if a bit of orange, warm light could look nice,(maybe on her bag or cheek.
Hope this useful to you
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RE: Basic Perspective Final assignment
Hey I'm still thinking about the dimensions in the room, like, the dresser in the back seems very large compared to the door, and the lamb on top of it is even higher than the door. this gives it a bit of an unusual feeling, (also the walls are pretty high - these things compared make the door look very narrow (like you have to duck to go through it) (i'm not sure, maybe this is just for you to study and then its not as important, but if you want to use this for a project, maybe this is helpful for you to balance those things out)
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RE: Feedback on ink fairy sketches
@silvialcg this is so much better already! It’s telling a story that is understandable even if the viewer didn’t know anything about the prompt! Als for the composition, maybe it would be nice to get us a bit closer to the scene, so it feels more like we’re part of the action?
Latest posts made by Freya Chakour
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RE: Witchshop Final Feedback very welcome
@Alicia thank you very much! I really had so much fun adding all the lights and magical glows!
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RE: Witchshop Final Feedback very welcome
@KathrynAdebayo Haha! Thank you so much! I think you are the third person pointing this out. maybe I should really check out some puzzlemakers and see if they would be interested in licensing the picture! that would be so cool
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RE: Witchshop Final Feedback very welcome
@Nathalie-Kranich @Casual-T @Kim-Rosenlof thank you so much for your feedback! its really good to get some fresh eyes on this, and i will try to work with these values and and get it a bit less even.
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Witchshop Final Feedback very welcome
Hi so, I posted a WIP of this a few month ago, and forgot to update my process. This was original my slowvember piece and draw50things-challange in one thing. turns out.... I needed way more time for this than I expected and I am working at this for the last four month now.
I would like to finish it know and am looking for objects that could do more rendering oder look odd to you or maybe you think could have a different color. So I would be super glad if you could give me some feedback if you spot something!
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RE: Feedback on wip western magic
I think you made it work very well in the end!! Love the typo and it really feels like a header now, more than an illustration. Also I think you moved the girl a bit away from the center of the image and that makes it so much more dynamic! beautiful work
love the lizard also and the cow has such a cure expression
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RE: Congratulations Xin Li for Winning the SCBWI Winter Portfolio Showcase 2021!
that's so cool! Congratulations @xin-li I loved the three pieces you chose in the end!! They are all so beautiful and rich of textures and lovely storytelling!
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RE: Featured Student 2020 Review Edition
How have you improved this year thanks to SVSLearn?
At the beginning of the year I discovered the podcast "three point perspective" and that was a total eye opener. I studied fine arts, but after that I realized that I would rather work in the field of illustration. It felt like a complete new start, even though after years I finally found my way back to what I never stopped doing as a child: drawing. Except for the fact that I wanted to improve my drawing skills and try out conventions and would love to illustrate childrensbooks, I had no idea what possibilities there were, how anything works in this field, which areas might suit me and the podcast helped me a lot with all these questions.
After I was done with the podcast, my hunger for information was just awakened. I now knew what I wanted to learn and I must say that all the courses I have seen at SVS have been extremely helpful. I love the "Portfolio Perfection Course" and "Creative Composition" so it really was time that I finally learn how to use perspective and draw backgrounds, and understand color theory - so I'm currently working through all the courses on these topics.
The other day I said to my husband: "this is exactly how I imagined studying at a university when I was at school. It is a wonderful feeling to want to learn on your own initiative and to know what you are learning for. "
How did SVSLearn impact the creation of this piece?
The monthly competitions are extremely important to me. They give me a framework and the opportunity to compare my work with others. It is so fascinating to see how different topics can be interpreted, how different styles are and I learn a lot from the other members here.
The book cover of "The Wizard of Oz" has changed my work a lot.I have never put so much work into an illustration, researched, thumbnailed, and really tried to stay focused until the end. To push the image as far as I could. I am super proud that I have achieved this. -
RE: Slowvember/draw 50 things - Feedback needed
@ValD oh really? How so? Can’t say I know much more about it than the name ^^‘)
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RE: Slowvember/draw 50 things - Feedback needed
@MichaelaH ahh thank you so much! you are right about the hand, I want him to take something down, and it really looks more like he is putting something back at its place. so I will rework that!
(also.. XDD thanks I worked really hard on that, it was so hard to get all of the body shapes kind of right in his perspective) -
RE: Slowvember 2020
@MichaelaH the character design is so cool!! I really love all the details in the clothing!! also the expressions are great! so determined and grimm and still so cute. my heart goes out for them!