@Susan-Marks Thanks Susan, good idea to revisit this project at a later time. I agree the house needs work. Ultimately I want to do a version where I create the whimsical text from scratch vs typing it out. The bend in the text felt a little forced just to make it feel playful. Thank you for the comments!
Everyone is really rocking this cover prompt! I feel like a humbug with this very non-illustrated approach to mine. For more background on how I arrived at this I just posted my process here:
https://forum.svslearn.com/topic/7303/the-wonderful-wizard-of-oz-cover-this-got-personal
Bravo, everyone!
@RAYMOND_KASELAU
https://www.instagram.com/raymondkaselau
https://www.raymondkaselau.com
Sis quit
Ray Kaselau
Sun 3/31/2019 10:00 AM
I really struggled this month. It’s helpful for me to know I’m not alone in the difficulties and often lonely process of creating. So when I put pencil to paper to leave my Kansas, I was excited at the beginning of the month with all the possibilities. Then I was quickly overwhelmed, Oz is so vast. To draw this was world building! But I had to focus on this, I had already sketched several concepts for my other favorites, Harry Potter - Azkaban, Pippi Longstocking, but I wasn’t satisfied with my versions of those. If I couldn’t recreate my favorite book Oz then why bother calling myself an illustrator, ouch.
That is the beauty of this forum, I really value the input and direction to help determine what’s working and what’s not. This month I failed by not asking for input, I thought I would just have a day to hammer it out. That didn’t happen, not in the style I was thinking anyway. I didn’t "have the brain" to ask for help sooner. Warning: More Oz reference to come.
The challenge for me is often deciding on a direction, which image, after all the thumbnails, then how to approach it, where is my brick road to follow? I need a good witch to point me! Or an art director! As long as I can recall I’ve had difficulty asking for help (a good podcast topic specific for artists?). I find that the forum here and Instagram artist I follow will inspire me, while also really making me feel inadequate. So I knock myself down before I start, then pick myself back up by drawing until something clicks. I believe in learning from others, and we steal like artists, but often if I look at the genius artists before I start, I begin with a broken heart. Warned ya 
Finally, I made my way back to “Kansas” (Wisconsin, but just as many comments of living in a “nowhere”). So I went to the tools I use in my professional paid life, graphic design. The final cover I used Illustrator, Photoshop, and Procreate. Honestly, I feel like I cheated. I didn’t illustrate much, no iconic characters, no specific scene. A shortcut to hit the deadline. Finished, not perfect..? I could click my heels the whole time and be done? Poof, feels like I skipped the hard part. Well, I didn't teach myself illustrating that's for sure. Just big beautiful text using a font called “Trajan Color”. I feel like a fraud, a humbug. But somehow I’m satisfied with it as a concept - that it’s mysterious. It doesn’t give away too much of what amazing things happen inside, it lets the characters and places live individually in our minds. Shifting to our own wonderful visions. The best covers and movie trailers aren’t spoilers. But mine certainly doesn’t feel children’s lit, some scenes in the original story where definitely teen by modern standards.
Ultimately, it’s important for me I do this, I share, I learn, I grow. I often put on a brave face say I’m an artist with conviction, but I daily need to keep trying and have the courage to face the vast white page. And make friends along the way.
With that here’s my month in visuals. Thanks for sharing everyone, you’re amazing and you populate the world with beautiful imagery!
Ray
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Hi Dan, welcome! You're doing great. I think you have great control of color, clear layouts and fun storytelling happening here. Also you have a consistent style and line technique. Keep it up, I can certainly picture your work in bookstores. My personal favorite courses were, Visual Storytelling Techniques with Lee White, and his How to Making Money in Illustration courses. These get into the "why" and "for who" behind a drawing before the process of moving pencil even starts.
“The Magic of Love”
www.RaymondKaselau.com
@theprairiefox #2 is the clearest read for me. The size relationship of the cupid to father is defined. The left to right of the broken arrow and the tape is like a before and after, the solution is easy to read. Cool concept! hmmm, what else is on the handy dad workbench
@theprairiefox Thanks much, good direction too - I like where this is heading.
@juliepeelart thanks much! Also I just checked your website from your link. Great art, illustrations & comics! Wunderbar!
@Debra-Garcia you're right I like that the airplane is coming directly to the recipient, now I will play with the wall angle. #1 & 4 are more observational, #3 is more of the pov of the character. Since the idea started as the visual metaphor for how love can enter or be void in our lives - now I need to decide what the story / intent is. About the situation or about the character. hmm
@Debra-Garcia thank you, you totally got it 
@Kevin-Longueil thank you Kevin, much appreciated!
@Ailantan thanks! I wasn’t sure which line flow was working, I didn’t see the half heart shape, thanks for pointing it out I’ll explore that and the colors too. Much appreciated!
Working through an idea of portraying love. Perhaps this is more an editorial approach than children’s lit? I had my symbolic thoughts while drawing this (working digital in Procreate). Please let me know which layout you prefer or suggestions for improvements. What does this say to you?
@johanna-kim thanks these prompt competitions are so much fun!
Misunderstood Monster submission:
"Something on the Wing"
I used traditional dip ink and brush (continuing Inktober) over the pencil sketch, then photoshop colored and deleted part of the inking to soften and blend the edges. This bi-plane I saw in person and had several photo references to work from. I really wanted to do something with an engine for our friend Jake!
https://www.instagram.com/raymondkaselau
https://www.raymondkaselau.com
@art-of-b said in SVS does Inktober Part 2, days 11-20:
Tryin' to learn how to use spot blacks.
11: Whale
Nailing it!!! Linework is spot on beautiful Jeff Smith style. I jumped over to your webcomic page, WOW you've got a solid body of work there, I have some reading to do! BRAVO!
It's great to see the Inktoberists here, great idea - and bravo everyone! I've been following a little caveman in my head lately so he's having some adventures with the Inktober prompts. Throughout the days I've tried several brush markers and fountain pens, but I've been settling on brush and dip ink, with a little wash effect.
Day 12 - Whale
