Playing Pretend Pirates
This fun piece was done with guidance from Emily, the founder of The Illustration Initiative, during our portfolio 1-1 consultation. She really pushed me out of my comfort zone by suggesting a drawing that features humans as well as the use of three different light sources. From initial sketch to this final stage, her feedback helped transform this piece so much. I learned that using different expressions for each little characters can add much detail to a piece and that lighting can really set a mood.
The Process
The idea behind this piece was to children playing pretend. After sketching out a bunch of rough poses, I liked the idea of a girl pretending to be a pirate, and the rug would have a pattern that resembles waves.
This first draft needed a lot of work in terms of perspective and the interaction between the children. Notice that both girls and the animals all look happy. There is no variation in expression.
Emily suggested that there be a boy with a dog, rather than just a dog, outside the bedroom window. She also gave input on having the fish dive and splash into the carpet to incorporate that magical element.
As this will be a a night scene, the initial colors picked are predominantly cool colors. This was where Emily suggested the use of three light sources and making the carpet more dramatic. I love getting feedback like this because it helped take my work to the next level.
The light sources and dramatic flooring totally transformed this piece. Breaking up the map poster into children's drawings and making the bookshelf more messy helped to make the room look as if it would belong to a child who is not yet old enough to always be tidy. The result is much more playful and cheerful illustration than what I had initially envisioned.
