To the moon

Charlie Eve Ryan · 22 Jul 2015, 13:29

@Naroth-Cow Stunning!

Naroth Kean · 22 Jul 2015, 20:56

Thanks @Rowan-Ferguson for the tip, I do need to move that tiny silhouette fox a bit to the right to avoid the gutter fold.
Thanks @Charlie-Eve-Ryan

Ashley D. Hunker · 22 Jul 2015, 23:58

I think the composition looks great! There's a nice flow going on as well. At first glance the design could come across as simplistic, but after a moment longer of viewing you can see many layers that create a stunning look of depth and lighting. Nicely done!

Naroth Kean · 23 Jul 2015, 06:17

intro page, it took me the longest and yet still not happen the way it turned out.

Leontine · 23 Jul 2015, 12:02

@Naroth Cow; Hi Naroth, I Love it, its so lively and sweet. The only thing thats grabing a bit to much attention from me is the orange leaf on the left, although the shape is great, and I love the watercolor effect.

Naroth Kean · 23 Jul 2015, 15:59

Thanks Leontine, I'll look into working on that leaf, I wonder if adding text would help. Appreciate the tip!

Lee White · 23 Jul 2015, 17:54

These are really great! You have a natural sensibility that is simply awesome!

The big leaf shape is dominating the scene due to three things, Color, size, and edge quality. We will always notice something bright red in an image. Our brains are hard wired for that. Our brain registers dangerous things in nature being red and we can't avoid that response. I would make the fox have the brightest splash of color on the page so the leaves don't have that dominance.

Having a big leaf is awesome to show the height, but I would think about making it a bit smaller because it's just so big now that we are left wondering what it is.

I LOVE all your mark making, but that hard edge running through the leaf is calling a lot of attention to it, so be careful.

I absolutely LOVE your work and think that if you aren't already published, you soon will be.

Here's a quick paint over if needed. : )

Naroth Kean · 23 Jul 2015, 17:44

Thank a lot for the tips Lee, and time for showing me with the image. It really helps and now I see what I need to do to make the fox more of a focus point. Since i dropped out of graphic school I slowly picked up illustration in my free time, and it felt just right, Yes I'm hoping one day I can have something published. That was such encouragement from you. Thanks again everyone.

Naroth Kean · 23 Jul 2015, 20:44

This is what my work used to look like before taking courses here. Acrylic, ink/pencil on wood.
composition/photoshop brushes courses probably has helped me the most.

Reid Smith · 23 Jul 2015, 23:33

@Naroth-Cow WOW--WHAT A DIFFERENCE!! These classes seem to really be helping out a lot. Thanks for sharing--and I like, no, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE these three drawing at the beginning of the thread. Stunning.

Rob Smith · 24 Jul 2015, 00:15

Terrific work...Bravo!

Leontine · 24 Jul 2015, 05:06

Chapeau! Practice does make perfect!

Naroth Kean · 24 Jul 2015, 05:31

Any critiques would be awesome! Thanks a lot guys

Sean Guzman · 24 Jul 2015, 23:57

Hi Naroth, just wanted to comment and say your latest are beautiful! I love the graphical yet painterly approach you have in these. The contrast of color on the fox in the dark woods pops, and the perspective shots are looking really good. The texture is pretty awesome too. Keep up the great work!

Naroth Kean · 25 Jul 2015, 02:03

Thanks a lot Sean.

Naroth Kean · 26 Jul 2015, 05:02

These are in progress, I feel like my composition is getting redundant. What do you guys think?

Lynn Larson · 28 Jul 2015, 19:33

I am so in love with this! I'm assuming the story will go in the open spots, so the composition is fine to me. I love the style, the color, and the fox just makes me happy! I really hope you pursue this, i know I want a copy on my bookshelf I'm struggling with the first picture of the eagle though, and it is probably just me. I think it is the perspective change.

Kasey Snow · 29 Jul 2015, 03:43

Your style is just lovely! Such graceful images.

Maile McCarthy · 29 Jul 2015, 17:46

@Naroth-Cow Oh wow! Your work is absolutely stunning. The shapes, colors and texture come together to great such breathtaking floaty imagery. I really like how you create implied shape, especially in the skies, with large areas of color. And the fox speaks so clearly, with such simple gestures, especially in the second image of the first set.

The only think I could even think to add that might be useful to you is that on my first read of the third image (with the fox in the trees), I mistook his tail for his head, and it threw me off for a second.

But, wow. Breathtaking. Thank you for sharing these as well as the illustrations from before SVS. Very inspiring to me.

Maile McCarthy · 29 Jul 2015, 18:45

@Naroth-Cow re: your question about redundant composition: Looking at your work, I'm seeing lots of different camera angles, close/far shots, etc.

But if you'd like to push it further-- Have you done a mock-up of the full book to see how one page flows into the next? This might help you see where/how/if to add variation. You might also try some illustrations that aren't full bleed spreads and see if anything comes of it.