Simple composition changes for a much improved sketch

j.sienkowski

@NessIllustration This is already soooo good I feel terrible suggesting you change anything, but if this were my piece I would try and hide the wolf. Once her clothes are colored red everyone will know the story and instinctively look for the wolf. I think it will be more engaging if he is hidden.

Think of Steven Speilberg "monster" movies. You don't ever get a good look at the monster (alien, dinosaur, shark, etc...) until the movie is half over because it is scarier to let your imagination run wild.

Maybe only show his glowing red eyes from within the trees in the back ground. Or his tail or a claw sticking out from behind the tree in the foreground. Footprints and broken branches might be enough to suggest the wolf is near.

Now that I've completely suggested to change the entire composition of your piece...please feel free to ignore my ramblings. Good luck on this one and please let us know when we can see the finished illustration.

Jeremy Ross

Hi @NessIllustration, your agent is spot on. Just wondering if you could stealth the wolf a little more? Right now I think Red would easily spot the wolf, or at minimum, the bird would. Maybe add a few more trees or a rock in the same shape as the wolf?

Also, I think it would be interesting to draw a chimney and have some smoke coming out of the chimney to the sky. Just a thought.

Can’t wait to see the finished piece! Love your work!

baileyvidler

Wow, that's such a dramatic difference! Thanks for sharing. I love the flow of the ground, leading all the way up to the house.

Kevin Longueil

@NessIllustration looks awesome! only thing i could think of was maybe vary the scale between little red and the wolf by bringing the wolf into the foreground. I'm sure it will look great no matter what you come up with

Untitled_Artwork 7.jpg

NessIllustration

@j-sienkowski LOLLL no no, I'll definitely give this serious thought haha! It's a very interesting suggestion and you make very good points. My instinct is always to try and emphasized the important elements so it definitely feels against the grain to me to try hide a character on purpose haha.. However it makes sense in the context of this particular story. @Jeremy-Ross also mentions the wolf should be a bit more hidden so that Red can't easily spot him. I wonder if I should put him behind the tree he's currently in front of. Do you think that might be hidden enough, yet obvious enough?

@baileymvidler Thanks Bailey, the advice I received from my agent was really spot on and made a big difference!

@Kevin-Longueil That's an interesting idea! Whereas the others suggested I hide the wolf more, you suggested the opposite: put all the emphasis on the wolf instead. This is an original solution and I think works just as well! However I think I do personally want the focus to be on Red as the main character, and the wolf be a still hidden looming threat, not quite yet entering the story. Thanks for your suggestion, you've given me lots to think about! It really goes to show how there are so many possible solution to each illustration we make.

aprilshin

Wow, what a difference! And such a great image! My only two cents is that the bird looks very big. It looks like the size of a large bird of prey instead of a tiny bird that might rest on her finger. Love your character designs, though! Your shapes really convey the right emotions! ️

Rachel Horne

@NessIllustration this is maybe due to inexperience on my part but I think it's pretty much fine just the way it is. I like the fact that we can see the wolf in that sinister pose, maybe he could be just a tad further back but nothing much and I also agree that maybe the bird is a little large and the dress-hem comment but I really like the composition a lot, it's got a lovely flow to it.

Julia

@NessIllustration another composition that remind me yours and you may find interesting : the cover of the mitaines gang by a French illustrator
https://www.izneo.com/fr/bd/action-aventure/the-mitaines-gang-31462/the-mitaines-gang-1-a-bear-s-tale-74540

NessIllustration

@aprilshin Thank you for your insight! You are quite right about the bird, I think I will revise it.

@Rachel-Horne Thank you for giving me your thoughts on it, dear!

@Julia Wow quelle jolie couverture! J'aime beaucoup l'ombre du sapin qui se transforme en loup, comme c'est original!

NessIllustration

Pheeew it took me a while to find this post again haha! I finally finished this piece and wanted to show you how it turned out Thank you so so much everyone for your help!