So Happy New Year artists. I wanted to know what everyone's New Years resolutions are this year. mine are as follows
1. Lose 30 pounds
2. Print my portfolio and send them out to clients that I really want to work with.
3. Self publish my book (more details to come)
4. Go to as many life drawing classes as I can.
5. Improve as an artist everyday
I've read in several motivational books that people that write down their goals are more likely to accomplish them than those that don't. So let's write them down here so we have no excuses not to do them.
This is a new illustration that I am working on. This will be the last image for my portfolio. I felt like I needed one more kid image and I wanted the image to tell a story. This is still very rough so Isaac, let me know if you see any tangents. You're the king at finding those.
7 comments:
Holy dam! Well, first of all, it's an impressive illustration! I think it's terrific!
There is a tangent on the one mutant rabbit jumping up on the left side (his tail should either show further overlapping behind the rock or not at all...I expect it needs to be behind so the viewer can register that he's jumping from back there...). Also there's the top right hand corner rabbit with the mouth open - his face is too close to the ball coming out of the kid's head and his foot is tangenting the other rabbit's (underneath him) head. There might be a couple more, but maybe those will be resolved when it's finished.
Also - and this might be a small thing - but there seems to be a vortexing of lines where the lightning, the rabbit and the kid's hand all meet at the kid's wrist.
Anyway - I love the color - the action, the posing. It all seems to be working quite well. And what's nice is that you have so many characters and each one has a different emotion and pose.
One thing I keep reading (and I've probably mentioned it on this board) is that when people see portfolios, they want to see storytelling and possibly multiple illustrations that tell a story. Because while anyone can draw one really good picture, can you sustain a character or story through 32 pages? So while I haven't seen your entire portfolio - it would be (more) successful if you have several relating illustrations.
Wow, Steve! This is truly awesome! The colors work together really well, and choosing red for the candy bar wrapper makes it pop and I can easily see what all of those ravenous alien critters are after (I want some chocolate, too). You've also done a great job with the shaping of the rocks and electricity bolts, that helps lead the eye around the page.
I assume you're not done putting in the pupils of everybody's eyes, and I am sure that will bring even more attention to the candy bar when they are all staring at it.
On the bottom right corner where there are two critters running together, I'd watch the light and shadow between their heads and ears so that it is easy to see where each of them is in space, since they overlap in several places.
Since Isaac mentioned multiple illustrations from the same story for your portfolio, wouldn't this be a great one to explore further? I love it!
Most excellent illustration, Steve!
You've developed some pretty hilarious characters, established who the main character is, and created a unbelievably alien environment for them to interact! I like that you've incorporated all the variations of the 3-eyed, long-tailed alien rabbit. An argument could be made that by showing them in all these different positions you are showing that you can carry a character through a story - while keeping them looking like they should.
If I was to crit something, I'd say go darker with your sky...maybe even to near black in between the bolts of lightening. If I squint at your picture, then I see lots of pastel hues running into each other - but that's partly due to the fact that you've got lots going on in the image. If you darken the sky, I think it'll bring your characters forward. I'd also go with high contrast painting - like you always do.
Best of luck with the resolutions!
My illustration resolutions...
1. Illustrate my first book by the end of May! Yikes!
2. Continue to add new and interesting portfolio art.
3. Find new leads and keep the streak of illustration work flowing.
4. Produce 3 runs of postcard mailers
5. Look into writer/illustrator possibilities
...and I wanted to say, "Go for it!" on the self-publishing! In this economy, I think there are some real opportunities for making your own success. I know another specific illustrator/writer (successfully published many times over by big publishing houses) who's turning to that method during this time.
Wow, Steve. I love this one....I think most of the critique was taken care of by Isaac...darn, he finds them all. LOL
I love, love this one...you should think about more kids (not that I don't love the monsters). The colors are perfect for the situation (maybe a darker sky like Pete said), but I love all the motion and different aliens converging on that chocolate. Now what would be hilarious (if a bit sexist) is if you made them all chunky girl bunnies....nah, never mind. LOL
I have only one goal this year and that is to get my book done by April 1....I don't know if I can do it, but I will try. :) 30 pounds would be nice too, but I am not going to say it out loud...that tends to attract more pounds. :)
Happy New Year all!
Wow, you are very ambitious! I have a friend that has been doing life drawing a lot and posting his work on his blog. He is really phenomenal and it makes me want to do some live model painting.Doing that every so often would be a goal I'd have. I also share your goal of improving as an artist. I keep pushing myself to work on things that I find difficult or challenging.
This piece you have posted by the way is really great. I love you child character. and your mutant bunnies. I agree that a darker background would help them pop a bit. I might go more towards the blues and less lavender so that your bunnies stand out a bit more. Really great!
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