Simpler is harder

Heather Bouteneff

I'm trying to do a simple gesso animal every day because I think I tend to overdo things. But it is hard knowing if I'm not done yet- does it just eventually click? How simple is just unfinished?
alt text

NessIllustration

Those are beautiful, and they look finished to me

Heather Bouteneff

@NessIllustration thank you Ness!

Adriana Bergstrom

I know the struggle. I think simple style looks finished when every line and every stroke in the image is as it should be. Every mark is deliberate. The third image (dog/wolf in red hood) is the closest to finished, whereas your unicorn doing math seems to be unfinished. Why does it read this way? Your overlay line (in black) seems too thin and not of the same quality/thought as the rest. It could be color choice, thickness, confidence, placement that makes it read this way.
Love the subject matter, and that third one is so darned cute and thoughtful.

Whitney Simms

I think they are really close. The bottom one seems done. The top one needs some value or contrast somewhere. It’s all a pastel and could use just a little value change. Maybe use a darker color for the hair? And the elephant, the pool doesn’t really read as a pool. Maybe add a small row of squares to make pool tiles between the line and the water? And the water wings need something else too. Just a little. Maybe some orange brush strokes like you are using for texture? They just need a touch of definition. They are bright and overpower the picture.

Overall, I really like the styling of the characters. They are super nice! I really like where you are headed with these types of drawings. I can’t wait to see more!

Heather Bouteneff

@Adriana-Bergstrom and @Whitney-Simms y'all are magic. I worked on them a bit more with your suggestions and I like them way more! alt text

Whitney Simms

&
@Heather-Bouteneff I forgot to respond. Looks much stronger! Those changes were perfect. I love the little swimming pool. Much clearer. They are adorable little characters. I hope you do more. They’re just great!

Phil Cullen

These look great and I think the changes you made really helped, the simplicity of the water is great cos it really does feel like water.

Can I offer a suggestion on the elephant's pose. If i'm drawing a character and they are stepping forward (lets say like you have right foot forward), I generally try to have right arm back ward, for balance. Even just a little, so I would curve the armbands the opposite way.

I love the illustrations tho and the style is great. The wolf is so cool.

LauraA

I like them! Simple is good here! There's still a little something about the elephant's food and the side of the pool that is bugging me slightly. I think it's the tangent with the elephant's left foot (on our right). I like the overlapping water, though, and the bold simplicity of all, especially the elephant and the wolf.

ArtofAleksey

These are so cute. I’m struggling with a bit of that myself, I have to constantly tell myself to put the pen down. But these look so great.