IMC Report - The Assignment

Wednesday, my daughter and her son returned to faraway and with heavy heart, I ventured down to the studio to unearth all my IMC trappings. As Fate would have it, the day before she left, an email from Rebecca Guay announced that our assignments from IMC were due at midnight on Thursday if we wanted to be considered for ImagineFx's article. (Each year, they select 5-10 IMC students to be highlighted in their awesome magazine). Needless to say, I was facing an all-nighter if I was going to finish. As I have posted before, the assignments were divided into three catagories: fantasy, comics, and children's books. I picked the latter. I chose to do a page from an idea I've had floating around about children's blankets and all the things kids do with them with their imagination. My illustration is about the blanket becoming butterfly wings.

I began with thumbnails and selected this one.

Developed it further and reversed it.

Here's the development of the little piggie.

Reworked some more, especially the little girl and here is my final sketch. I darken it here but when I printed it out on watercolor paper, I put a ghost layer over it in Photoshop to lighten the pencil.

First and second wash of watercolor.

Third and final pass on assignment. This was as far as I got at IMC. I felt like I was losing something in her expression (especially her eyes). The initial color on her wings was too dark and I discovered that Lanaquelle wc paper doesn't allow for the lifting of color too well. I figured I would start over at home, although I was fairly pleased with the flowers.

But I didn't get a chance to begin again. I tried to fix the major problems. Added more watercolor throughout and then started with the colored pencils on top of that.

And, the final piece.

IMC 2011 - Day 3

Well, I'm not too sure where day 2 went, but it's gone and it's almost day 4. So let me squeeze day 3 in before I forget what my name is. Yesterday was spent making the corrections on our sketches after the critique. The teachers are available to offer guidance on your piece. Sometimes, you get conflicting comments from the teachers but it's all good advise. In the end, it's up to you but I've usually gone with most of the suggestions since, well... they are the professionals. Here is my revised sketch.
I printed it out on 140 lb. Lana watercolor paper. Have wet it down and stretched and taped it. It will be ready come the morning.
Mo Willem gave a hilarious lecture today, plus he had some fantastic advise on writing children's books. This man understands the mind of a child. James Gurney delivered his fantastic lecture on Color and Light. But the highlight for me was Peter de Seve. Great speaker. So funny. His art truly speaks to me. I got the giggles so badly looking at his process and work. Tomorrow, James Gurney will deliver a lecture on composition. I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

IMC 2011- Day 1

UGH! This hasn't started out ideally. Having delayed flights throughout the day put me at the hotel in Hartford about 3:00 am. Got up and shuttled to Amherst with a fine group of fellow students with Steph at the wheel. Checked in early then walked and explored stores in the area. Ate a wonderful Beet Salad at Jodie's. Been working on this assignment in preparation for the critique tomorrow...well, technically, today. (My body has no idea what time it is).
I didn't allow enough room on my vellum and need to allow for more space around the girl. But you get the idea. I also put in a little sidekick...a stuffed pig for her to share adventures with and for children to find on each page. I'm done for now....come here fluffy pillow. Time for Dreamland.

IMC 2011

Do you ever feel like you are trying to spin too many plates? How I wish I had another week to work on this but such is life.

I reworked this to face the other direction. I read that with children's books you should try to keep the movement within the page working toward the right so that the viewer will want to keep turning the pages. I've worked on the study for the little girl and think I have her the way I want. I've also posted her wrapped as the cocoon.

And Yet Another Try

I keep going from page to page, hoping something will feel "right" to develop more throughly for my assignment for IMC. I'm liking this one the best so far. I've included the text from the page.

This is just a very rough work up of her wings. I will continue adding the fabric patterns and colors throughout her wings to match her Doo-dah.

Taken out of context, it probably doesn't make much sense. On the preceding page, the little girl in the story has taken a nap wrapped up tight in her "Doo-dah" which becomes a cocoon in her imagination.

I must have slept a little bit.

I wake from caterpillar dreams.

Doo-dah's magic has worked it's spell;

I now have butterfly wings!

Another Angle

This children's book concept for IMC is about a little girl and her special blanket and all the wonderful things it becomes to her in her imagination. Here is another angle with her looking into a mirror and seeing herself with long flowing locks. What we see is her with the blanket over her shoulder but in the mirror I will portray her how she sees herself in her imagination....a princess in a castle sitting on a throne.

Magic Doo-dah Carpet

Still working.

Another Attempt

Trying to get her younger looking. Added bigger bows. Switched a few things up. Will keep at it.

IMC 2011

This will be my 4th return to the Illustration Master Class held on the Amherst College campus in MA. This year, it has been organized slightly different from previous years. Like in the past, we are given the choice of assignments but this time we have to let them know which one so that the studios and faculty can be organized accordingly. This year, along with the fantastic lineup of core faculty, they have added Adam Rex and Jeff Mack as children's book instructors, as well as the return of James Gurney for a day, plus Mo Willem and Peter de Seve. Of course, along with these greats, Iain Mc Caig and Scott Allie will top off the fantasy/comic book instructors.

I've chosen the children's book assignment...in a way. I won't be using the title they suggested but bring a project I've had on the back burner for about 5 years. It's a perfect opportunity to develop the idea further and get professional advise on both the artwork and the story. I've been trying to develop a style for this book....somewhere between realistic and illustrative, captivating life and energy of my subject. Here is my first attempt. I think I need to work on making her look younger, but I'm somewhat happy with her character. I think I might leave the oils home this time too and use my trusty watercolors and colored pencils. My title for the book is:

"My Magic Doo-dah"