Right now i need a project that is structured and has a clear dreadline to help me recover from a bought of illness , i also need to motivate myself to keep going and so posting to Behance will help with this. 

The Folio Society have an annual book illustration competition, this year it is the fantasy book, 'Howls Moving Castle' what a perfect choice, i am a big fan of fantasy novels, but fairly critical of how the illustrations can be less imaginative than the writing. limited by tropes that have begun to hang rather heavily over the sub-conscious little drawing engine in our heads.

Initial thumbs just doodling while listening to the audio book. It took me two chapter to realise that John sessions the narrator was reading it too fast, always wondered what that feature in Audible was for. Far easier to process and you get a bit more grit into it by slowing it down. Does lovely things to the narrators excellent welsh accent. 

Here is my first attempt at Sophie once she is enchanted and turned into a witch

This is the first snap shot of Wizard Howl, so delicate he is hardly there and its hard to spoil this little drawing by working into it, tome is achieved by using graphite powder and you can clearly see my finger prints creating tone. Also quite pleased as i never usually attempt a big nose and with 'Howl' its big nose city, so that was one wee challenge starting to feel more doable.

Often in my mind i will break a drawing down into smaller challenges, so with this small drawing just getting that nose so spot on, makes me back away, challenge achieved. Rather than try and solve all the other tasks, the hair, the costume, the setting and lighting. I didn't always do this, its a refinement.