December 3rd Thursday WIP
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I like it, but I think your train could use some Christmas Lights and Tinsel Strands... or at least a wreath. It looks a little plain. If you enlarged the locomotive part, you could do a reflection of the town below along the main engine.
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Looking good Dulcie.
I agree with bobby add a few bits on the train and that will look nice and christmasy
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@Bobby-Aquitania Thanks for your thoughts
I like the idea of adding reflections, I'd like it to be a really shiny train (it's going to be red, with golden metal fixtures so hopefully will add to the festive feel... I agree that fairy lights would be so much fun to add! ...though I was already worrying that I had too many light sources already with the rockets and the moon.@Lee-Holland Thank you also for your feedback! Well it looks like maybe I should add those lights...
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Yesssss! I have been waiting for someone to do either a sweet train or a classic car. Are you thinking of going with a retro paint style like the book?
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@gimmehummus Glad you approve! I am struggling to work out where to go with the painting. I love the retro feel of the illustrations in the book, would love to replicate that 'feel' in the picture particularly with the train. Another part of me is pulling towards doing a mixed media watercolour + digital job....not sure, I might just have to start and see what works...
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I'm partial to the vintage stuff
but whatever you decide I'm looking forward to seeing it. -
What if the jet pack exhausts were in different Xmas colors... they already look a little bulb like.
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@Bobby-Aquitania Thanks for the suggestion
I will see what works when I do the colouring.... -
@Dulcie I love your concept and where you're headed! Great stuff. I wish I'd thought of it! I think it would be great for you to do a vintage look but mixed with more contemporary bright Christmas lights.
The one thing that throws me off is the jet packs. I find them very distracting. If it were me, I'd get rid of them entirely and do a 'magical flying train' that doesn't have logic associated with how it's flying. It could have sparkles/light streams to show that it's enchanted and therefore doesn't need to have an explanation of how it flies.
Can't wait to see how it develops!
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@DanetteDraws Thank you! I appreciate your thoughts. Yes I think I'm going to experiment with some sort of crossover look that tries to draw from several places. Will see how it goes!
I totally get what you're saying about the jet packs. They bother me too...partly because I want them to feel properly connected to the train and believable. I wanted to show that the train is just taking off and hovering, just getting ready to go and say goodbye to poor Rudolph...if I did a magical train with sparkles I'd want to still convey that hovering-ness (as opposed to whooshing through the sky at speed, because you can't say goodbye to Rudolph like that) and not sure how to do that. Will have a think!
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I can't wait to see the painting begin. It looks like a fun piece
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Really nice job on all of the perspective work you have going on with the train Dulcie! Yet another piece of yours I already know I am going to be a huge fan of when you are done!
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Wonderful concept, perspective and values! Can't wait to see the final!
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I really like this idea. Trains are so classic and cool.
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Love the idea - I agree with Danette about the jet packs - if you go with a magical train you could have the Christmas Magic equivalent of pixie dust gently and subtly floating down to where the train lifted off (should there be a set of railroad tracks down there?) to show that it is hovering ...this is a very obvious idea that I'm sure you have thought of - so really just here to say I love the idea
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Nice composition, I'm looking forward to seeing it progress.
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I agree with Danette and Kevin about using magic instead of jet packs to propel the train. Santa doesn't strap jet packs to the reindeer...he uses magic. But regardless of what you choose, the direction you are going is fabulous! Can't wait to see it when painted!
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I really love this idea and i think the train looks really good so far. I totally agree adding some magic effect would be nice to the piece.
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I love it. What a great idea. Drawing a train, for me, would not be easy and I admire you taking on the unfamiliar. It looks good!
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@Kris-Knight @Rich-Green @bharris @Rob-Smith @joanie-stone Thank you all for your positive and encouraging comments!
@Kevin-Longueil @Joy-Heyer @Naroth-Kean Thank you for your input too, yes I’ve decided I will change things with the jet packs….I figured out what was bugging me - they are shaped like modern jets but on an old train, it looks incongruous…
So I’m going to try re-imagine them as if they were made in 1854 like the train, and they’re going to be much smaller and emit pixie dust, so they’re like jets of magic dust….hopefully more subtle instead of massive bulb shapes and will incorporate your ideas… @Joy-Heyer of course you’re right that the reindeer use magic to fly, so a train could be the same…so I will see how that goes. If they still look odd after re-working them I’ll find another way
@Marsha-Kay-Ottum-Owen Thank you, I appreciate your positive thoughts
