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    Building my Portfolio

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    • audrey dowling
      audrey dowling last edited by

      here's where I am with my illustration.
      there has been great progress, but lord it's SO slow!
      I can't wait to improve to the stage where I can work faster. My portfolio will be ready in 10 years time at that pace 😕
      any feedback on this, while I'm at it?

      website: https://audreydowling.wordpress.com/
      twitter: https://twitter.com/audreydowling
      facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Audrey-Dowling-Artist-Illustrator-498582176906242/timeline/?ref=bookmarks

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      • Ace Connell
        Ace Connell last edited by

        Lovely composition! I like it 🙂

        Ace

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        • mattramsey
          mattramsey last edited by

          Just know that, even if it is (painfully) slow, you are on the right track. I happen to be a pretty slow painter and that's what I have to keep telling myself. Also I have to keep reminding myself that if I don't get up at 5:30am everyday to paint for 1-1.5 hours my portfolio will never ever get done.

          This is very good work!

          https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/mattramsey/
          https://mattramsey.artstation.com/
          https://twitter.com/mramseyART

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          • audrey dowling
            audrey dowling last edited by

            5.30!
            I'll go crazy if I sleep any less 😃
            I manage to squeeze some time most afternoons. I wish I had more time (story of my life ^^ )
            thanks for the support
            I love your work matt

            website: https://audreydowling.wordpress.com/
            twitter: https://twitter.com/audreydowling
            facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Audrey-Dowling-Artist-Illustrator-498582176906242/timeline/?ref=bookmarks

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            • shinjifujioka
              shinjifujioka SVS OG last edited by

              Sweet illustration! I really like how you depicted that bush the bunny is hiding behind with those variations of blue.

              My suggestion would be to add a more distinct contact shadow where her legs and bum are making contact with the grass. I think it will give more of the illusion of something heavy kind of pressing the grass down. Not that I think she is heavy...

              Also, because I like that blue bush so much, I think it is making the ferns and the leaves in the foreground feel out of place. The intricate linework of the leaves and ferns give it more of a feeling of "exactness" while the bush has more of a feeling of whimsy and playfulness. Hope that kind of makes sense, lol 🙂

              shinjifujioka.com
              https://www.facebook.com/shinjifujiokaart
              IG: @shinjifujiokastudio

              audrey dowling 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • audrey dowling
                audrey dowling last edited by

                yes perfect sense 😉 I'll take your suggestions into account when I get to these. thanks!

                website: https://audreydowling.wordpress.com/
                twitter: https://twitter.com/audreydowling
                facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Audrey-Dowling-Artist-Illustrator-498582176906242/timeline/?ref=bookmarks

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                • audrey dowling
                  audrey dowling last edited by

                  I managed to work a bit on this piece lately, so here's the progression so far

                  I still have a lot to do on the vegetation and animals, but getting there...

                  website: https://audreydowling.wordpress.com/
                  twitter: https://twitter.com/audreydowling
                  facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Audrey-Dowling-Artist-Illustrator-498582176906242/timeline/?ref=bookmarks

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                  • audrey dowling
                    audrey dowling @shinjifujioka last edited by audrey dowling

                    @shinjifujioka I thought about the firm lines versus fuzzy lines of the fern and bush, but the leaves of the trees might give a nice balance to that, so I'll see how it looks when I have done more

                    website: https://audreydowling.wordpress.com/
                    twitter: https://twitter.com/audreydowling
                    facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Audrey-Dowling-Artist-Illustrator-498582176906242/timeline/?ref=bookmarks

                    shinjifujioka 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • shinjifujioka
                      shinjifujioka SVS OG @audrey dowling last edited by

                      @audrey-dowling Actually, I think it's balancing out better now. In the version before, there were darker outlines around the fern leaves which made them look like a different style than the bushes. Since both the bushes and the ferns don't have the dark outline, it feels more unified.

                      Your piece is really coming together. Really love that bird in her hair!

                      shinjifujioka.com
                      https://www.facebook.com/shinjifujiokaart
                      IG: @shinjifujiokastudio

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                      • Kevin Longueil
                        Kevin Longueil SVS OG last edited by

                        Hello Audrey - this is a really nice piece - i especially like your owl! - the thing i wanted to mention critique-wise is that to me the warmth of the background is pulling it forward - i did a super quick paint over - not suggesting this is correct - i picked the color of the tree trunks in the color picker and slid the slider up to blue and sprayed a low opacity airbrush over it - i just wanted to see it with a lower color temperature behind the girl - i think it helps push the background back where it belongs - i know i am not exactly the color guy but what do you think? - 2.jpg

                        Portfolio: kevinlongueil.com
                        https://www.instagram.com/kevinlongueil/

                        audrey dowling 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • audrey dowling
                          audrey dowling @Kevin Longueil last edited by

                          @Kevin-Longueil yes definitely!
                          I'm not an expert at colours either (yet! 😃 ). I wasn't completely satisfied with that background but wanted to experiment again later. I definitely prefer it that way. thanks for that 😉

                          website: https://audreydowling.wordpress.com/
                          twitter: https://twitter.com/audreydowling
                          facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Audrey-Dowling-Artist-Illustrator-498582176906242/timeline/?ref=bookmarks

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                          • audrey dowling
                            audrey dowling last edited by

                            How about 4 months per illustration for a work pace? ahem...
                            And this one is not even finished yet, but I WILL get there 😃 leaves on the top and a fine tuning and done. what do you think?

                            website: https://audreydowling.wordpress.com/
                            twitter: https://twitter.com/audreydowling
                            facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Audrey-Dowling-Artist-Illustrator-498582176906242/timeline/?ref=bookmarks

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                            • Bobby Aquitania
                              Bobby Aquitania last edited by Bobby Aquitania

                              I want to preface that I think your work is great, and that you ARE on the right track. Everyone has given you great advice... this is just one thing I caught in the portraits, because I have used the same style. Which is to use a layer of grunge for the background...

                              What I think you did here is apply the grunge AFTER the piece was done, which I hope can still be altered. I think when this is done after the fact, the tendency is to make the piece look muddy. I have marked with red arrows where your whites are disappearing from their brightness. And where your colors are looking more speckly and not adding anything to the piece as a whole.

                              Also watch out for applying this effect too dark or opaque. It tends to take away from the surrounding areas.

                              Like the side of man's nose and chin, the girl's braid, and parts of the man's coat. This can be avoided if the grunge layer is on it's own layer, so that it can be adjusted. I would turn the opacity down slightly so that the man's face comes forward more. And erase it out of the braid, the coat, the collar, her eyes, and his white shirt...

                              I know you meant to do this, but the grunge is overpowering all the other great stuff you did, so much so that I saw it first. Cause it covered up all your great little details, and you don't want that to happen. This is just my opinion. I hope I haven't offended you... I see in your new piece you didn't use grunge at all, and it's full of bright wonderful color.

                              But I do get why you did use it for the single pieces, it gives a nice " antique-y " feel to them, like old photographs.

                              untitled.jpg

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                              • audrey dowling
                                audrey dowling last edited by audrey dowling

                                Thank you Bobby I will remember your advice for next pieces. However, for these two, it is the effect I was looking for 😉 The grungy background and the details that you have pointed out are 2 different layers, and I purposely used a brush with a lot of texture to paint the characters. Like you said, the "antique-y" feel was what I was after 🙂

                                And I think I am finished with this piece too. phew!
                                Feel free to critique 🙂

                                website: https://audreydowling.wordpress.com/
                                twitter: https://twitter.com/audreydowling
                                facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Audrey-Dowling-Artist-Illustrator-498582176906242/timeline/?ref=bookmarks

                                Lynn Larson 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 4
                                • Lynn Larson
                                  Lynn Larson SVS OG @audrey dowling last edited by

                                  @audrey-dowling I think it is amazing! The critters are adorable, she's cute as a button, and your colors are so pleasing 🙂 I wouldn't change a thing

                                  https://instagram.com/lynnlarsonart/
                                  https://twitter.com/lynnlarsonart

                                  audrey dowling 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • audrey dowling
                                    audrey dowling @Lynn Larson last edited by

                                    @Lynn-Larson thanks so much Lynn!
                                    Especially the nice comment about the colors, which are not my strongest point. I've sweated to get this illustration done... and already I'm starting to become not entirely satisfied. I can't wait to start the next one to improve! 😃

                                    website: https://audreydowling.wordpress.com/
                                    twitter: https://twitter.com/audreydowling
                                    facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Audrey-Dowling-Artist-Illustrator-498582176906242/timeline/?ref=bookmarks

                                    Lynn Larson 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                    • Lynn Larson
                                      Lynn Larson SVS OG @audrey dowling last edited by

                                      @audrey-dowling I can't wait to see the next one! Keep progressing like you are and it will be incredible!!

                                      https://instagram.com/lynnlarsonart/
                                      https://twitter.com/lynnlarsonart

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                      • Stephanie Hider
                                        Stephanie Hider last edited by

                                        Very pretty, I thought as you were progressing I would like the rabbit best but I like the owl best now 🙂 very nice

                                        http://stephisdoodling.com
                                        http://stephaniehider.com
                                        https://www.instagram.com/stephhider/

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                                        • smoke
                                          smoke last edited by

                                          nice work, love your feel for color, composition and style, try to practice your hands and feet, it will give it that extra punch! but overal great work!! keep it up 😉

                                          smoke

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