Harry Potter - WIP

NessIllustration

I just finished the sketch for this piece, I'm having fun making a children's book version of Harry Potter scenes! I would love to get your opinion before I continue with the coloring, so I can make this as good as I possibly can... Thanks!

TessaW

I think it's very well done! The only thing I'm iffy about is the design of Ron's face. I would think about consistency of style. Everyone else's face looks consistently stylized, but Ron's face looks slightly more realistic- he has a pointed chin, eyelid lines, and a bridge for his nose. Everyone else has rounded chins, no distinct nose bridges, and more simplified eyes. While I think you could keep some of his features as is, the combo of them all together makes him stand out to me.

Other than that, while it doesn't personally bother me, you've created a tangent with Flitwick's hand being cut off at the wrist by the end of the page.

Just a couple of thoughts! I hope you share the final piece with us.

NessIllustration

Hi Tessa
Thank you so much for your feedback, this really helps! While I want to keep some of Ron's features as is, maybe I can change a few of them and then maybe a few things on other characters as well to create more unity. You've really given me something to think about, thank you!

TessaW

@nessillustration And assuming this isn't the only spread you're doing, you probably have other character designs to help make Ron's design feel like it belongs.

NessIllustration

@tessaw That's true, it's actually the second one I'm doing

Super cute- and I love seeing alternate versions of familiar characters! The only feedback I'd give is that the scene is a little weirdly composed, having Flitwick & the table with the three main characters on the same plane/right at the front. Could you push the table back a bit? Or maybe it's that the back tables/characters are so far away (so that it looks like the space between them is weirdly far)? Regardless, it's very nicely done.

Nyrryl Cadiz

I love this scene!. I remember reading it as a kid. It’s all spot on and the text that you’re pairing with the illustration is really just right to convey the story. I see this to be very effective with younger kids perhaps ages 6-8. When i was at that age, i remember seeing grownups reading thick books such as harry potter and thinking “i can never read like them”. Now, they finally can. Younger age groups can enjoy harry potter. You know, you should really approach an agent with this project. With the kind of fandom Hary Potter has, it will be amazing to have a picture made of it. This has potential. I wish you all the best.

NessIllustration

@CaroStoltz Thank you for the feedback! I'm deliberately trying to do a more abstract/conceptual kind of perspective here, but even so you got me thinking that Flitwick isn't as important as the trio here so indeed he should be at least a bit smaller. Thanks!

@nyrrylcadiz Wow thanks so much!! This is incredibly encouraging to hear I imagine for publishers it would be quite a logistical nightmare with copyrights and such.. I'm not even sure it's possible, but man would it be a dream come true!

Nyrryl Cadiz

@nessillustration yeah... hahahaha! I can only imagine. But just think about if it gets picked up by the right publishers, the copyright issues ironed out (i don’t know how but i’m sure they have their ways) and published and all that, it’ll definitely be a success.

NessIllustration

@nyrrylcadiz You're making me drool over here! o

TessaW

After seeing the new image, it looks like Petunia's design helps in establishing a more varied character design style. . . so Ron's design might not be an issue after all. I'd just keep an eye out for making sure you are keeping up some of that variety as you design more characters.

Your colored spread is amazing, btw. Beautiful colors and rendering!

Kevin Longueil

@nessillustration These are so great! For me the only thing that I am seeing is that your uncle Vernon design has a lot of similarities to Richard Griffiths’ facial features - I feel like all of the other characters are from your imaginings of what the characters might look like - really nice work and fearless of you to tackle it!!

NessIllustration

@tessaw I changed a few little things in the new image - rounded Ron's chin just a little bit, and added a bridge to Hermione's nose, and I think it does help! I also went back and added a nose on Dudley. After your comments I am definitely more aware of these things and I'm keeping an eye out now, so thanks so much!!

@Kevin-Longueil I had never realized that, you're quite right He did end up too close to the actor...

nasvikdraws

@nessillustration Just chiming in on the comment from @CaroStoltz . What if you make the kids in the background in one flat plane instead of scattering their tables in perspective? That would flatten your design I think and you can leave the foreground characters (including Flitwick) in one plane.

NessIllustration

@nasvikdraws That's an interesting idea I hadn't thought of! Before you commented, I went for making Flitwick just a bit smaller. I'd like to see what you guys think of it now, before I consider other options...
I also redrew Flitwick's face and made my color test! Thoughts?

@nessillustration Color choices & treatment are really nice- it still feels like the placement of the table is off (to me). It's not on the same plane as the back tables, it reads like it's up on a platform or something. But, that's pretty nit-picky! It's a very nice piece.

NessIllustration

@CaroStoltz I see what you mean, but in this instance, oddly, I kind of like that! I come from traditional animation and mobile games, I had very technical and strict perspective classes - multiple - where I learned to draw realistic environments, and while that was irreplaceable knowledge it made my backgrounds a little stiff to my taste, because what I admire is the children's book style where things are a little wacky, and I'm only just starting to be able to break the rules and prioritize design over perspective. I like that the trio is made more prominent by the placement of the table even if my brain is still trying to tell me that's not right!

TessaW

Just chiming in here, but I personally think the perspective works. It suits the playfulness of your style. It does look like they are on a platform, but I think that's ok. It definitely adds interest to the composition and it helps that it's a magical school set in a castle, and my mind jumps to the conclusion that there might be different levels in the same room.

nasvikdraws

@tessaw
....or floating tables

TessaW

@nasvikdraws Lol, True true.