3rd Thursday ~ newbie
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Hello, this is my first time uploading an artwork, I have been pursuing ( maybe that should be lurking) for a while... like others (from comments I have read) I don't have a lot of time so haven't posted but enjoy seeing everyone's creations and feedback.
This is a possible entry for 3rd Thursday March, but I'm not sure if it makes the grade. Its done in my rather sketchy / messy cartoon style and when I compare it to the very polished and finished artworks I see on here I'm not sure that I want to display it
This is a trial to test the waters ...**Haven took the new puppy to show and tell and it seemed a good idea at the time...
**I know classes talk about trying not to have the subject stare straight out at the viewer but I thought it portrayed her conviction that this was a great idea ( even if in reality she was starting to doubt it). I wanted her to look confident but some of the signs of cracks starting to show, before chaos really ensues. I also went for quite cartoony anatomy.
Any feedback appreciated, I'm particularly keen to hear if you think my style in this illustration is just too messy
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Oops - not sure where my image was .... best read how to upload an image.
Okay - done
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I don't think it's too messy at all. It's a nice style. My crits would actually center on the the idea you've come up with to illustrate the prompt. You mentioned that this scene is just before the chaos ensues.
My question is: Why?
In other words, why give the viewer the calm before the storm (i.e. "boring") when you could push the concept and show some kind of comical, disasterous/hilarious result? @Will-terry has this very informative section in his Illustrating Children's Books class where he goes over the decision process regarding how to take an author's text and illustrate the scene in the most interesting way. In his example he talks something about kids going down a hill in a wagon. He gives a lot of examples that are "static" (i.e. weak and boring), like the kid in the wagon at the top of the hill before any action or the kid in the pond at the bottom after the action, and a few examples that are dynamic (i.e. strong and interesting), like the kid flying through the air in the wagon.
I can see you have the artistic chops--I'd just recommend going back to the drawing board a bit and trying to come up with a really great scene to sell the idea of a non-average Show and Tell (I would imagine that kids bringing pets is probably pretty common so what is going on this time that is really out of the ordinary/funny/diasterous?).
Lastly, the pigtails help but she might be coming off as more adult-like than kid-like---I may be wrong here so I'd be interested in what others think.
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I think that it's really cute and I like your style. The advice from Matt sounds really good though! It's so difficult to pick the right thing! I'm just learning too. Xxx
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Thanks to both of you for your comments and I especially appreciate the feedback detail Matt, and you are 100% correct of course, as I read your comment I was thinking - well yes that's right to each point!
I did another quick image but I know I need to put more time into planning - that has always been something I don't do well because I want to rush to finished piece -
Now I look at my second image a whole stack of other ideas come floating in! I know that I can improve on this.
So thanks again, I really have appreciated being prompted in a a supportive way to do more.
Back to the drawing board I go
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Great concept, thanks for sharing!
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That pup is so sweet! Really fun action in second piece. Keep going.
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Your first drawing is darling, but I agree with the advice given...your second example is much more interesting and tells a better story.
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Thanks Lisa, Charlie and Carrie
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Your drawings are very expressive. I love the details, like the left shoe of the girl and the gesture of her legs in the first image. Both, the dog and the girl are very good "actors". I also like the color scheme.
The second image is more complex in terms of what it's telling to us and it's more "attached" to the promp, but it hasn't the same level of visual charm that the first image has. Possibly because it's a rough sketch.
I think you can mix both images. The girl sitting in the chair trying to control her doggy that is biting a boy partiture (a dog in a class of music is even more unsuitable, and the instruments will add interest to the image).
Some people giggle when realize that their resolution was a bad idea. I think it could be a good facial expression for the girl.
Hope it helps.
Please, excuse my english.
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Thank you so much for your kind and constructive comments Sergio. And your english is very clear to me. I agree with what you said and while I like the movement in the second one, I feel more warmth from the first and I feel the character is more relatable. I love the idea of music class chaos.
I am worried I am straying off topic a bit so will hit the drawing board again to move more toward the prompt. Thanks again, the feedback is greatly appreciated
