Really Silly Commissions are the best.

[EliaMurrayArt]

So I recently got the best kind of illustration commissions.

My client reached out to me with this silly request - An illustration based off of a joke that he and his friends tell - only they tell it wrong... Sort of.

Anyways this is what he sent me as the concept:
"My idea is silly

• It's based on a joke about two penguins paddling in a canoe in the desert
• I would like the roles of the penguins and paddles to be swapped
• It's silly. My friends are silly.
• I am flexible with timing"

now at first, I sort of rolled my eyes, because I didn't think this would be something that I would add to my portfolio. This would just be something I would draw... and then put away. Until I started drawing. and then it was just SO MUCH FUN!

Here were my initial thumbnails:

Then I adjusted the composition and did a color rough:

Which I pretty abruptly changed... After spending some time looking at Looney Tunes backgrounds I started rethinking the colors...

So here's what I have so far, with my reference images, still SUPER rough but working on it:

So now I'm absolutely having a blast with this commission, and I'm pretty excited with where it's heading. Let me know your thoughts and if you have any recommendations/things that I'm missing!

[ArtofAleksey]

Looney toons colors are a great choice.
I’d very much like to know what the joke is

[EliaMurrayArt]

@ArtofAleksey hahaha so would I!! he said it wouldn't make sense typed out.

[Debra Garcia]

Hahahahaha. That's awesome.

[Nyrryl Cadiz]

@EliaMurrayArt lolz!!!

[EliaMurrayArt]

Update - Changed the canoe, I think it is working better now.

My favorite part is the turtle - I want every part of it to look like the turtle - it's like the perfect level of loose for me:

[NessIllustration]

@EliaMurrayArt That is really fun! I'd love to see a compilation of everyone's weirdest, silliest things they have ever been asked to draw!

[Debra Garcia]

@NessIllustration That's a great idea.

[Laurasketches]

This. is. awesome. I want commissions like this...

[EliaMurrayArt]

@NessIllustration yes!!!! Starting new thread!

[EliaMurrayArt]

@Laurasketches I hope you get one