Sketched this tonight. I'm so excited because I've wanted to do a Princess and the Pea illustration for YEARS and now have an excuse to do so. :D Each mattress and blanket, including the wall will have a pattern on it. Only the princess will not. I'm not entirely sold on the window. Let me know if it works or not. If not, any suggestions on how to say it's night time would be great. Remember, she's on tons of mattresses so she's pretty high up in the room. :)
Can't wait to see all of your Illustration Friday sketches/illos!
6 comments:
Sara , This is really beautiful. I can't wait to see the painted version. I think the window is okay, but you need to see a bit more of it. It didn't read as a window to me in the sketch. You might want to move it a bit to the right so it doesn't end the curve at the edge.
Patti
I would try to make the background more like its night time by actually removing the window and adding drapes there. It would give a more cozy feel to the room. I'd color the wall, blanket and mattress in muted colors to convey that dark and cozy feeling. I would also add a glimpse of the bed head.
I have seen other illustrators try painting a similar scene with arched windows showing a night sky, shadows casted on the bed and even chandeliers hanging above the bed. Although it adds interest to the piece I think it would be more realistic to show that she is trying to sleep w/o any lights on disturbing her sleep, and simply the pea causing all the trouble. Please see this image http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/12/Edmund_Dulac_-_Princess_and_pea.jpg
Great sketch and good details on the mattress. I like how you can tell each mattress in unique. I didn't know that was a window in the BKGD. I understand you're trying to show the height of the bed. Maybe you could have the rafters just above her head and she could crouch down a bit more....if you want to show the height of the bed.
I like Steve's idea about the rafters, too. I know you're placing the window to show that the setting takes place at night. What about ditching the window and adding candlelight? Something about that window is doing weird things visually to the composition.
I think your character is very well rendered, and the mattresses/blankets look very nice.
nuts...I'm late on the critique...So what I was thinking has already been said...
I agree with the window comments - it could be removed, or moved up...I'm sure it'll read more when it's colored...I think I see the moon in there...
The rafters sounds really nice - or some indication of the ceiling...
Other than that - it's a great drawing! The character looks very solid, and the bedding reads as mattresses...you're already telling quite a story with this one drawing!
Good job!
Argh, I am late too -- but, I think this is going to be a lovely illustration, and it doesn't seem like very many people do this story. I love the pile of mattresses and sheets, and the princess looks perfectly miserable. Poor thing.
I really liked the rafters idea, that would help a ton with the height issue -- maybe the window would balance out too with the rafters in there. I know you are really good at night scenes colorwise (there has been plenty of practice with your last book!) so it might not even be necessary to show a window to get the feeling of night across.
I look forward to seeing where this goes...
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