DECEMBER CONTEST: YETI

[Melissa_Bailey]

Been encountering technical difficulties and haven’t been able to post until now. I know this is late, but hopefully it can be included ... if not, that’s okay too ... just wanted to share with you all.

What if I was hired to illustrate a nonfiction / informational fiction picture book about yetis? That supposition fired my imagination, got me diving into internet research, and it snowballed from there!

Looking forward to feedback. Thanks so much!

[Melissa_Bailey]

@carlianne this is so cute! Love the fanciful palette.

[Melissa_Bailey]

@Jonathan-Malski very creative approach.

[Melissa_Bailey]

@powsupermum this is such a creative approach. Love the addition of the fins. It helps tie the upper and lower halves together.

[Melissa_Bailey]

@miranda-hoover love the humor in this character!

[Melissa_Bailey]

@j-sienkowski this looks so professional! Love the story you’re telling here. Great design!

[Melissa_Bailey]

@Braden-Hallett LOVE this character! You’ve conveyed his personality so masterfully.

[Melissa_Bailey]

@Kim-Rosenlof love your style! Great job!

[Melissa_Bailey]

@JoshSchouwstra great concept!

[vmerryweather]

@vmerryweather

[Asyas_illos]

@Melissa-Bailey-0 thank you I agree my family didn’t like it but I’m glad i Went through with it!

[Asyas_illos]

@Melissa-Bailey-0 i hope they include yours it’s very unique and I like the approach!

[carlianne]

@Melissa-Bailey-0 thank you ️️️

[Jonathan Malski]

@Melissa-Bailey-0 Thank you! It's definitely aimed at an audience other than that of children's illustration, but I think that helps it stand out, too.

I love how you created the fur on yours! I took a look through your portfolio and your work is all very realistically rendered. If you don't mind me asking, was this piece done digitally or traditionally? And I take it you drew/painted the dark/shadow-colored fur first, followed by the midtones and highlights?

[Melissa_Bailey]

@powsupermum aww, thanks so much!

[Melissa_Bailey]

@Jonathan-Malski thanks! Yep, even when I try to go another route, this seems to be my style, so I’m embracing it.

To answer your questions (don’t mind you asking at all!): this piece was done both digitally and traditionally. The sketch was done in Procreate then printed out on watercolor paper and finished with watercolor and colored pencil. And yes, I focused on clumps of fur first instead of individual hairs, defining the darks and shadows first. Highlights were very last thing to go in.

[Jonathan Malski]

@Melissa-Bailey-0 Interesting! That's quite a number of steps/mediums; thank you for the insight on your process!

[j.sienkowski]

@Melissa-Bailey-0 Thank you! I spent a little extra time on the design so it could be immediately plugged into my portfolio because I don't have any character design

[Melissa_Bailey]

@Jonathan-Malski you’re welcome!

[Melissa_Bailey]

@j-sienkowski great idea! It’s something my portfolio needs as well.