Mermay: "For you are worthy." (Need your feedback)

Darian

@MichaelaH Ah..thanks for that! I guess the skull crown is going to need more work to make it readable. It is a dinosaur skull though..

KathrynAdebayo

I'm going to throw in a vote for A. To me, the white dinosaurs give a certain emotion to the piece and make the creatures seem old and wise. Have you considered various colors for the mermaid? Or considered making different parts of her different colors?

Heather Boyd

@Darian

I like E in the first colour section - I think it tells your story best. But in terms of lighting I really like how C works so a combo would be perfect.

Darian

I know what you mean @KathrynAdebayo ! They seem like those ancient beings or something..

I did try some color variations for the mermaid
@darian.pereira-mermay-lighting-3.png
..and ended up only altering her hair/fin with the purpose of retaining the fish silhouette for a faster read.

May tweak the values of the reds so they aren't the same all the way..

Also playing around with some glow effects for the magical crown.

Darian

@Heather-Boyd Yes! The lighting sure makes option C stand out. Thank you for your feedback! Tied between C & E ( and even B of the third image )

Whitney Simms

@Darian I really like this piece. Love how the monsters are surrounding her. Love this tiny little mermaid who looks like the kindest thing ever. I like her fins in e the best. The only thing that I would like to see is the red changed. It seems like such a heavy color. In value and it’s is super muddy color. I like the color, but for this little creature I want a lighter color. I think that may even help with the lighting that you’re worried about. And the crown too. I almost want them to glow. She doesn’t seem to radiate light. I want her to eat sunshine. Like a glow worm toy. If your under 35 you will need to google for the reference!

But that’s it. I love the piece! Very very strong!

Darian

@Whitney-Simms thank you for the awesome feedback! Yes, the red has got darker than I would have liked..thanks to a the idea of making it dark on the a light background. Could definitely use a lighter color for the mermaid..the red makes her too serious or mature while I was going for the opposite!

May try pinks & see how it goes

MichaelaH

@Darian I have to say, I like the red as color for the mermaid, it makes it new thing, but the value is to dark, maybe take the lightest color from the belly, like the one in the B for the darkest color and than make it lighter.

shinjifujioka

The curves and movement in this piece is so good! Don't have an opinion right now on a letter option. I think they could all turn out really great.

Chip Valecek

Hope I am not to late to the party here but i like B and E the best.

Darian

@MichaelaH I love the red too. Unfortunately it got too dark..making it lighter would be a challenge with the background being light as well with the glowing light..love the opinions & feedback

@shinjifujioka welcome back! thank you for the positive support ..wish I could do them all..haha..can't wait to see your piece !

@Chip-Valecek you are never late to the party Chip! B & E do look pretty interesting..thanks!

However guys,

As I was working on it, I had a different idea. What if instead of being crowned, she is being bought back to life?

A work in progress..

you-are-worthy--04-@darian-.jpg

Is the idea coming across? I wanted to avoid showing the cracking of the statue to reveal the mermaid (i.e keeping the statue intact) to add more drama, but wasn't not sure if it would convey the concept..

MichaelaH

@Darian I love the new idea, what I would change, eyes in this grey color like the face or the white of the eyes, letting only the stroke stay, so that she looks like stone statue. Now the darker eyes is giving bit feeling of looking.
After that I would make the "alive" part till one eye (half of it) so that you see the color of the eye.

Whitney Simms

How fun is that! Super cute idea. Love it.

shinjifujioka

Love the concept. That statue design is really awesome. I'd consider putting a couple of fractures/chips in the statue to sell the idea of stone more. Like an old, weathered statue you find in old, weathered gardens.

ShannonBiondi

l like B and E the best!

ShannonBiondi

@ShannonBiondi But you've updated it now! Love the new concept. I love how the warm colour at the top of her head really makes it seem like she's being brought back to life...

Kevin Longueil

@Darian This is very cool! I do think the original concept is excellent though - the concept comes across clearly to me and i really like the diaphanous part of the mermaid design.... the new concept would need text i think for it to come across but the original does not - thumbnail A with mermaid from B would be my favorite of all of these - it will be great whichever way you go though - really nice!

Nyrryl Cadiz

@Darian my best bet is on B/C

Nyrryl Cadiz

@Darian nevermind, this new concept of yours is way cooler. I love it.

Darian

@MichaelaH very interesting inputs! thanks! The pupils of the eyes were the same color of the rest of the statue initially..I made them darker for readability :smiling_face_with_open_mouth_cold_sweat: The visible eye would be in the area of the shadow?

@Whitney-Simms thanks!

@shinjifujioka Will be adding grunge textures on top for the statue..would adding deterioration help if she's being brought back to life maybe a little? thank you!

@ShannonBiondi Glad that's coming across! that is the focus of the illustration!

@Kevin-Longueil Ah yes. I have been feeling the same about the clarity. If only we could submit two entries! @Lisa-F

@nyrrylcadiz awesome!