I had to sit through a couple of hours of meetings this week, so of course that means I sketched (I do listen. Really. I even take notes. I just also draw). My agents are asking us to submit a holiday self-promo piece, the theme is "Caroling".
For my children's-illustration-genre-prone brain, that could mean young angels...
...or Victorian mice?
..or how about something that could potentially cross-over into the fantasy market?
..but my brain seems to stall out here. Boring, boring compositions....
... and the contents get younger the more variations I attempt... alas...Let's brain-storm from here, shall we? Taking suggestions.....
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11 comments:
Maybe you go backward and show the people at the door watching and listening to the carolers. Not the standard anyway.
What do you really want to draw?
Maybe all dragons with no kid at all...? Or a "kid" dragon? I dunno, I got nuthin'.
you know tara, what i love about your work is the fantasy element. what i am seeing here is you trying to conform (not sure if that is the word) but i'm hoping you know what i mean. while caroling is a holiday tradition, you don't need to stick with the 'traditional carolers'. if it is a promo for you and your work then you should represent the characters you love to draw and paint... caroling. i say start over and just have fun going crazy.. you can always reel it back in or combine elements that worked. :)
If you want to go the route of the dragon what if you were to make the dragon directly behind the kid. Have it take up the whole composition. The head could be bent over the child's shoulder as if they are singing from the same sheet music. Maybe the neck is creating a nice loop shape that carries you from the middle to the top back to the middle. The kid could be closing his eyes with his head back as if he's singing in wild abandon. I can see the dragon all snowy, with little bits of fluffiness and sparkles that look like glistening snow.
Just an idea.
Does this mean you are doing something like a Christmas card? (yes, yes!!??)
I agree with Christine Mercer-Vernon. First and for most it should be what you love. This is a representation of you. That being said, it feels like you're trying to fit the dragon into your style and it doesn't seem to want to go. If you truly want to do a dragon, I think the setting will have to change as well. Maybe, a little steampunk. Just remember it is promoting you and chances are if it doesn't look how "they" think it should look, well? I do like the rough drafts though.
Do you want it to look like children's illustration? How about something a little more grown up? Elena
Steam punk mice. the dragon is quite nice too. What do YOU wan your image to be?
My thoughts are a frog chorus, but that's what I would want to draw! Draw what you enjoy drawing the most!x
dragons seem to be a theme, so would probably stick to them. maybe singing in the air? but having said that the mice are really nice.
I very much like the idea of an adult bard with his companion dragon... I'll second the idea of centering the composition so the human figure appears in the foreground with the bulk of the dragon directly behind him, craning his long neck over the bard's shoulder in curiosity or to read the lyrics of the carol (depending on how intelligent you want your dragon to be).
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