TIGER: WIP feedback requested

chrisaakins

I wanted a sweet story that conveyed a heartwarming scene of little tigers going through a coming of age ritual in which an elder paints their stripes. I picture this taking place in an ancient village with Chinese architecture and influence. Think Kung Fu Panda.

I like the idea of a grizzled grandfatherly type doing the painting.

Question:
Robe or no robe? Straw hats or no straw hats?
Spot illustration or fleshed out hut?

Melissa_Bailey

@chrisaakins really creative concept. Love it!

My answer to your questions is: it depends on what story you want to tell and where you want the focus.

Is the story all about the characters and what they're doing? If robes, hats, and backgrounds aren't needed to tell the story, then you may want to consider leaving them out because they could be distracting or raise questions for the viewer.

But if the storytelling hinges on tigers inhabiting an ancient fantasy world, and the stripe painting is a rite of passage, then it might not be all about the characters and you might need robes and background to fully tell that story.

Asyas_illos

Very cool concept, I like the robes and hats I think they add to story especially if you are opting out of a background and I like the idea of the elder but he’s gotta have pi mei beard! (Kill bill)can’t wait to see how it develops

burvantill

Super cute! I like the robes and hats.
I'm thinking a vignette with the hut/architecture in a pale background.

theprairiefox

@chrisaakins

Yes to the robes and hat... they add story depth to the image.

I kind of like it as a spot illustration. I could actually see adding a couple more tigers that just got finished and having them admiring their stripes as they walk off to the right.

chrisaakins

More progress. Still trying to decide on background or not. For a background I am picturing bamboo structures like a porch or something. I think my problem is that I have no clear picture of a background in my head.

Jeremy Ross

Hi @chrisaakins, like where this going. I think traditional dojo wood floor planks go well here, and good opportunity for a vignette piece. Keeps the focus on the characters.

chrisaakins

@jeremy-ross so keep the floors as I? I looked up dojo floors and they don’t look too far off from what I have. Except blond wood.

lizardillo

I agree with Jeremy. The characters are strong so a vignette would be a good idea. It’s looking great

chrisaakins

I think I’m done. Unless anyone sees some glaring issues. I am pretty happy with it and think I finally have a good storytelling illustration to enter. The old tiger’s eyes were bothering me and I think this looks better.

chrisaakins

@lizardillo thanks! I do love me some tigers.

Jeremy Ross

Yep @chrisaakins!

aurelia

I love the story behind this piece, very interesting and unique. The eyes of the older tiger does get a lot better after you changed it. You keep the composition very simple and sweet.

Here's my suggestions, feel free to ignore me, as I can be totally wrong

Maybe add some kind of sign or flag, to write it's a ceremony of coming of age ritual. As the teachers might say why there's a need to paint strips?
I do figure out the straw hat the little tiger is holding, but the silhoutte is not so clear at first glance. Maybe tilt the angle or show a bit inside of the hat.

Great work though!

Griffin McPherson

@chrisaakins love this concept! The only thing I might suggest changing is making the hat slightly darker, it seems a bit too close in value to the background