Hello everyone. I apologize- I have been a member of this board for some time and yet this is my first post.I have found that I have a very difficult time creating illustrations that are dynamic and interesting, so I decided to push myself with this composition. I am curious to hear your opinions about what is, and is not, working about this piece. It originally started as sort of a joke- the huge bear eating the vegetarian dinner with the rabbit family- but I wonder if maybe now it is so active that the joke gets lost? Please let me know what you think... and thank you :)
11 comments:
What a great illustration! Lots of characters! But they're all really well done! Great job anthropomorphising them (that was horribly misspelled...). You can see the comfusion or discomfort on the bear's face...I didn't get the fact that he's a carnivore at a vegan dinner...
What you should do is a two panel drawing - this one you can just change the bear's eyeline to the food he's holding - and then in the next panel it can be just the bear content with red around his mouth and the rest of the animals are gone.
But anyway - ignore that last paragraph...the only thing I can see fixing/watching is the rabbit on the left hand side of the bear. The nose tangents a bit with his elbow - and the rabbit's one eye is kind of at that upturned angle that looks like he's worried or something...which is a different mood than the rest of the rabbits who are quite happy and oblivious to the possible danger...
Oh - and there aren't enough carrots on the table. Rabbits like carrots. And Cabbage. Right? I don't know...don't worry about that.
Anyway - great job! I wanna see it colored! Get to work!
Heya Aja!
I just LOVE your animals! I adore the concept and it's a very entertaining piece. All of the personalities, the setting, and the bear...he's classic. He definitely looks confused and uncomfortable. I agree with Issac about the mama rabbit's nose, but I kind of like how she's the only one noticing there's a bear in her dining room...not too far from her children. Dunno if that's your intent or not. If it isn't, then maybe make her eyelashes a bit more defined or going the other way.
My only concern really are the dishes. They are SO darn difficult in perspective. The plate in the middle with the pumpkin seems to be lifting up a bit, and the dish with mama and baby seems a bit off to me in comparison to Mr. Bear's plate. So maybe draw some perspective lines vertically then horizontally so you make wee squares for your ovals. :)
I guess if I can get real nit picky I find the baby's high chair pretty distant from the brother with the tongue. It's a large gap. I know mama should be right next to baby, so maybe moving them down a bit? That would also fix the nose problem. Up to you. It's a nit pick.
Totally excited to see it done!! I think you've achieved some dynamic energy and eye movement. The interaction is beautiful!
PS: Sorry Isaac for spelling your name wrong. I do that all the time! Sheesh. :P
Hey, bears are omnivores so they'd be happy to eat whatever they can get their paws on! :) I bet he's confused on just what to eat...maybe have him pouring ketchup on the cute rabbit next to him. ;)
I've always been a fan of your animals - they have so much character and really come to life in the image. I like their faces and placement. I also enjoy the background and how you've given thought to the architecture of the house (the arced wall feels like a tunnel). Have you considered making dirt walls and floors? That'd be awesome!
I agree about the high chair, there's something off in the perspective of that. Also, you might consider just leaving out the rabbit opposite the bear. It might leave that space open for the viewer, making us feel like we're part of the dinner! Just a thought. I think you could slide him around next to the rabbit with the bows in her ears. That space feels a little out of balance to me.
Welcome! I like this...it is dynamic, but I think Isaac has an excellent idea with him eating them....LOL Maybe not. :)
I think Sara's comments are dead on for the perspective and mama's need to move in closer. Maybe the bear could be looking a limp and dangling carrot with a "what-the-heck-is-this" expression and that would take up some space right there? Have you considered a larger spread? It is a very active picture. I wish I could humanize (see I avoided that anthropomorphise word :D) animals the way that you do. They seem very believable and I love the little tongue sticking out on the front brother bunny.
Thanks for sharing. :)
The composition of this is really wonderful. I love the animals and their expressions. If the joke with the veggies is important, I wonder if you could have the bear holding a carrot or veggie. It might draw more attention to the veggie component.
Patti
I am still laughing at Isaac's two panel idea.
I feel like there needs to be more food on the table- it's a feast with a lot of hungry bunnies and one very hungry bear, so I feel like I want a lot more food. As everyone else has stated- love the animals. I do feel like the bear is a little too gloomy, but I guess it is because it's all veggies? Can't wait to see more!
I like the illustration so far. I didn't understand that the bear's discomfort was due to the menu, I thought it was because he was too big to fit in this little bunny house. I like it, wouldn't change a thing.
This rocks! So much going on, love all the characters and their expressions. The little lop-eared girl making castles from her potatoes is so cute.
I like mom's worried expression actually, especially since she seems to be staring at the bear's giant paws. But yep, I agree about the nose tangent.
Also agree about baby's high chair -- we should be able to see more of the top edge of it and also a bit of the other arm. More of a top-side view rather than just a side view, like you've done the chairs already. Baby's plate is also too round to be that far back on the table perspectivewise -- Sara has a good suggestion about drawing boxes first then putting plates inside. I know they are horrid to get right!!
The empty space next to dad on the left also bothers me... could either move dad over there or put something in that space, like moving the plant closer?
This really is a wonderful image, can't wait to see what you do with it! Wish I could pack so much action and detail into mine. ;)
Love the details you have added. the bear is definitely the focal point here. I am not sure what the accompanying text is saying but if it is focusing on the bear and his discomfort or emotional state then it would work for sure. You have used every inch of the space wonderfully.
Wow everyone, thank you for all of your thoughtful and helpful feedback. I originally did not notice the nose tangent nor the highchair issue- I will fix them immediately.
I was also bothered by the space next to dad- I think I am going to fix it by enlarging the sister rabbit a bit and bringing her a little closer. And the plates... ahh! Perspective gives me such a hard time!
But thank you all, I am off to make corrections and will post the final as soon as I get it done :)
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