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    Making my first Portfolio

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    • ajillustrates
      ajillustrates @Geoffrey Mégardon last edited by

      @Geoffrey-Mégardon Why not both? You can have a layer that’s the pink overlay, mask it to just show the house/trees/etc, and then you can control how strong the pink is relative to the dark background with the opacity or blending modes.

      https://ajillustrates.com
      https://www.instagram.com/aj.illustrates/

      Jean Watson 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 4
      • Chantal Goetheer
        Chantal Goetheer @Geoffrey Mégardon last edited by

        @Geoffrey-Mégardon I love your candy house! I'm trying to create a candy world but struggle a lot and yours seems so fun, effortless and simply awesome.
        Colour wise my first instinct is the darker one but I would also turn it to gray scale to check how the character and house stand out best in terms of contrasting values.

        Geoffrey Mégardon 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • Griffin McPherson
          Griffin McPherson @Geoffrey Mégardon last edited by

          @Geoffrey-Mégardon these look great! The start to a strong portfolio I think

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • A
            AnumC last edited by

            These look great! I love the illustration of the candy house. Amazing work!

            Website: https://anumchowdhry.wixsite.com/oncloudline
            Instagram: https://instagram.com/on.cloudline

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • Geoffrey Mégardon
              Geoffrey Mégardon @Chantal Goetheer last edited by Geoffrey Mégardon

              @Chantal-Goetheer it is definitely not effortless haha! But they says it becomes easier and easier with time, right 🙂

              I do check the grayscale regularly, I set up my iPad so that 3 click on the power button make the screen in grayscale. Super handy!

              Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nodragem/
              Portfolio: https://www.nodragemillustration.com

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • Geoffrey Mégardon
                Geoffrey Mégardon last edited by Geoffrey Mégardon

                Thank you for all your feedback!

                As usual, I could not wait to start a new piece, so I let the question of pink or blue for the candy house for later. But it seems that many people like the blue one.

                So here is my current piece. After the feedback on Hansel, I wanted to make a kid with a head shape and proportion that is more standard in the industry. I also tried to go toward a more painting style using Aveline Stokart as an inspiration (she speak about her method in 21Draw). It was fun but there is so much to explore!

                Without background:
                A2808298-17BC-42EB-966A-ED69ACDCF272.jpeg

                With a simple background:
                C4AD4BA7-0B06-4CCF-93EB-88181B012BE1.jpeg

                What do you think of the general illustration? Should I have a few illustrations in that style in my portfolio next to my usual line art/comics style which I used for Hansel and Gretel? Do you think the version with the background is good enough? I like the way the light pops up on the version without background, but I also like how the background create a sense of space.

                Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nodragem/
                Portfolio: https://www.nodragemillustration.com

                kayleenartlover 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • ArtistErin
                  ArtistErin @Geoffrey Mégardon last edited by

                  @Geoffrey-Mégardon Love this 🙂 I love the silhouette of the candy house, so much fun.. If you make any changes on this, I would lighten the value of the dark blue background so the house pops more?

                  Erin Richardson
                  instagram.com/erinrichardsondesigns21
                  www.erinrichardsondesigns.com

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • Geoffrey Mégardon
                    Geoffrey Mégardon last edited by

                    I am working on the composition of my next portfolio piece, featuring one of my original character, John Space.

                    What do you think in terms of the narrative and the composition? Is it clear what is happening? Would kids like this? Is the composition working?

                    33AC7F7B-EB53-4235-B9A3-36539ABEE4A2.jpeg

                    I also tried with only one creature here.
                    50171089-09B0-4F0D-9064-043833AD59C3.jpeg

                    I initially thought of a swarm of scary black rabbits, but I thought it was too scary, too reminiscent of Rayman Legends and also the angle did not allow to really show their faces. But I don’t know, I am still hesitating!
                    A4036BBF-B1FF-46A5-A5C6-14BF870D3E1E.jpeg

                    I believe that this kind of space ranger adventure won’t necessarily be for younger kids. But seeing Disney releasing Light Year and Strange World makes me think that there might be a market for space rangers and exploring strange worlds 😃 haha!

                    Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nodragem/
                    Portfolio: https://www.nodragemillustration.com

                    kirsten-mcg ArtistErin 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
                    • kirsten-mcg
                      kirsten-mcg @Geoffrey Mégardon last edited by

                      @Geoffrey-Mégardon I like The compositions with The creatures that completely fill the bottom of the image best. The tentacles are probably my favorite, but the bunny things with teeth are also cool. For some reason they remind me of a carnivorous plant, which could be fun. This kind of image reminds me of the kind of characters and situations you see in graphic novels. Have you ever considered exploring that route? I can see this character in the kind of graphic novel that my kids go crazy for! They are junior high age, And I think this sort thing fits that age group perfectly.

                      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirsten.mcgonigal.art/
                      Portfolio Site: www.kirstenmcgonigalart.com

                      Geoffrey Mégardon 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • Geoffrey Mégardon
                        Geoffrey Mégardon @kirsten-mcg last edited by

                        @kirsten-mcg yes, I would love to make comics for kids / adults /all the family.

                        Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nodragem/
                        Portfolio: https://www.nodragemillustration.com

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • Geoffrey Mégardon
                          Geoffrey Mégardon last edited by

                          Portfolio_John_space_tentacle.jpg
                          Progress of the day 🙂

                          Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nodragem/
                          Portfolio: https://www.nodragemillustration.com

                          Sarah VanDam 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                          • Jean Watson
                            Jean Watson @ajillustrates last edited by

                            @ajillustrates I think this is a good idea. The pink really makes the house pop but might be too much for the background as well.

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • Sarah VanDam
                              Sarah VanDam @Geoffrey Mégardon last edited by

                              @Geoffrey-Mégardon Hey, this is phenomenal!! Super cool character and environment design. I’d say, just watch a couple tangents. In fact, maybe you could simplify some of the background elements and push the tentacles more so they’re not competing as much with the cactus-y plants.

                              8CDB3722-7DE6-4093-8DF9-73108B0F92D8.jpeg

                              EB857445-DD5C-437B-9171-AC9227CC7BFC.jpeg

                              https://sarahvandam.art/
                              Instagram: @sarahvandam.art and @artistsandbox.etsy

                              Geoffrey Mégardon 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • Geoffrey Mégardon
                                Geoffrey Mégardon @Sarah VanDam last edited by

                                @Sarah-VanDam that's a good point, it was complicated to avoid tangents with so many elements, so I am glad you point them out. I think to move the elements slightly around should solve them.

                                The new composition that you suggest is similar to some of my earlier thumbnails, and I decided to give the tentacles less space so that we can see the background more. I sometimes hesitate so much with 2 different solutions that at the end I just go for one.

                                @kirsten-mcg by the way, would you be able to send me a little list of the graphic novels that your kids love? I would like to get a better understanding of what's on the market, which is close to what I like 😃

                                Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nodragem/
                                Portfolio: https://www.nodragemillustration.com

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • kayleenartlover
                                  kayleenartlover @Geoffrey Mégardon last edited by

                                  @Geoffrey-Mégardon One trick for making a kid look younger, is having them missing a tooth. It’s optional, but sometimes it makes it look cute and the age a bit more clear than a full set of teeth.

                                  Geoffrey Mégardon 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • Geoffrey Mégardon
                                    Geoffrey Mégardon @kayleenartlover last edited by

                                    @kayleenartlover do you mean for the kid who is opening a box? Or for Hansel?

                                    Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nodragem/
                                    Portfolio: https://www.nodragemillustration.com

                                    kayleenartlover 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • Geoffrey Mégardon
                                      Geoffrey Mégardon last edited by

                                      I fixed the tangents and I did a draft of how the final colors and lights could look like. I changed the color of the guns as a result, to make it more readable.
                                      I might try other lightings/colors.
                                      743AAD51-40DA-477C-A816-6BEF627463A1.jpeg

                                      Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nodragem/
                                      Portfolio: https://www.nodragemillustration.com

                                      MimiHecher 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                                      • kayleenartlover
                                        kayleenartlover @Geoffrey Mégardon last edited by

                                        @Geoffrey-Mégardon the little kid sitting down, not Hansel. It was just an idea when I saw him and his mouth open enough to see all his teeth.

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                        • MimiHecher
                                          MimiHecher @Geoffrey Mégardon last edited by

                                          @Geoffrey-Mégardon I know, you are already very far in the progress - I'm sorry I didn't find the time to read through your thread earlier!

                                          I am missing a visual connection between the tentacles and the space ranger. Having them so dark and blueish they more look like a foreground element to me than something that is a danger to him.
                                          How do you think about letting ONE of the tentacles creep on the ground to his feet and touch one of his shoes? This would connect the fore- and the middleground.

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • Geoffrey Mégardon
                                            Geoffrey Mégardon last edited by Geoffrey Mégardon

                                            I finally have some time to update this thread with the final version of John Space vs Tentacles.

                                            5D3F586D-5961-4A1E-BA66-7465FC0BA9D1.jpeg

                                            @MimiHecher unfortunately, as I finished this piece last week, I did not intent to come back on it except for small corrections (i.e. changing a shadow) 😕 but you can see one tentacle creeping on the ground in between his legs a little bit. Maybe if I add a bit more contact shadow it will be clearer that the tentacle is on the ground 😕

                                            Mmmh actually I probably need to retouch the shadow of John Space’s leg, as it has a tangent with the creeping tentacle. Ah well, gonna have to retouch this piece 😃 !

                                            Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nodragem/
                                            Portfolio: https://www.nodragemillustration.com

                                            Sarah VanDam 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
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