This month, I started a mentorship with
Rebecca Guay, along with 5 other students. We meet online every Tuesday for a couple of hours and receive instruction from her on our assignments. I am taking advantage of her expertise by pulling out some projects that frankly have sat in my studio because I didn't know how to move forward on them. I was either lacking skill or confidence or both to take them to completion.
Here is the first one on the pile. I won't go into the background on this one. It is beyond embarrassing how long it has taken. The study above is a combination of sketches I have drawn for it (notice the fairies from an earlier post).
Rebecca took it and moved the moon, made it bigger, taking advantage of its strong design element and pop! For me, that made all the difference. The picture has taken on a more magical feeling already. She tilted the girl back so she doesn't look like she's going to slide down the branch.
She added wings but they were changed to look more subtle. Added some
Spanish moss instead of my clunky leaves. Rearranged the fairies.
This is the second week. Mine is above. Rebecca's below. I love how she treated the Spanish moss. Very Kay Nielsen-ish. I also really like how the moon comes through the branches behind her. Worked on value, trying to keep the focus on the girl's face. That's been a challenge with all the little lights and fairies and fireflies.
I'm almost ready to transfer it to the board. Next post.....PAINT! Scary. No, Kim....paint is your friend.
3 comments:
Oh good for you Kim. I thought about taking advantage of Rebecca's mentorship program, but it seems to me it required photoshop expertise that I don't have. Anyway, it is clear from this first one that it was a good move for you. Your original piece is lovely, but the work that you have done on it with Rebecca makes it sing.
Can you identify what she is showing you about putting together an illustration, so that the next time you will see it yourself more easily?
You know Vicki, sometimes having fresh, professional eyes look at your work can be all it takes to move forward. I tend to be too realistic. Too literal. I never would have tried to enlarge the moon because that's not how it is in "reality" in relationship to her. I need to learn to let go and strive for a more illustrative style. That's what pulls me to other work. So, have I learned to see it for myself? A little. By giving me permission to experiment, I have tried other things that actually work. Just have to keep doing it. Thanks for stopping by.
I tend to be too realistic and literal also. That's something I am learning this year, but every piece I do, I have to relearn it...
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