After an intense couple of months of working with my art portfolio and a couple of months doing a hodge podge of things, I decided to get back to my picture book illustrations. Here's the first cover. I say this knowing full well, I'll keep adding and taking away from the drawing until the book is published.
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| Medium: pencil and digital art |
When I finished illustration #1, I asked the writers and illustrators of my 12x12 in 2012 group what they thought would need fixing. They came up with a lot of great ideas. Draft #2 has incorporated some of those.
Can you see the slight changes?
I apologize for the unsolicited comment, but I believe it would improve the image greatly to concentrate on illicitting a quick response. If this were my cover I would make the red 'no' heavier, thicker, and also put a hand-drawn red line through the word 'Time" (red marker/crayon in his hand), because I don't see the boy's intention quickly enough with the red ribbon. A bit of background color might help the boy stand out better too, a graduated blue to white maybe? More detailed illos are what I believe belong inside. Only SECONDS to sell!
ReplyDeleteGreat input. Do you think it's okay to make the "no" thicker than what a fat marker in his hands could do? I was going to make it thicker but chickened out. I had also added a hand drawned line across "Time For" and I thought it was too much. Your idea of just crossing out "Time" sounds better. I'll give it a try. Only seconds... Is right! Thanks Julie. :)
ReplyDeleteI wish I could remember the saying, and who said it, correctly but it goes something like this: the moment you catch yourself 'lying' you become an artist! So do what looks good to you (some of us go back and forth to make a thicker line, don't we?). I have this exercise I do with book covers: I get out about 100 per week from the library (not kidding) and when I have a pile, about 20 or so, I sort them into judged-by-the-cover piles: 1-this doesn't look like much, 2-maybe, 3-this should be good, 4-bet I'm gonna like this one! And I really look over what it is that makes me want to put a book into pile 4. I review all the ones I like (I used to do a quick-review of all, but that takes too much time!) and in the end I ask, 'but would I BUY it?'. Mind you, I am super-frugal so that last question carries a lot of weight!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing such awesome insight. Great new way for me to see things. I'm also excited to try looking at bookcovers with a much more critical eye. There's a small library about 1/4 mile from my house so I'll do some pensive thinking there. God bless you, Julie. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm late visiting your blog on this one. I enjoyed the input/conversation taking place in the #12x group. Glad I stopped by to see Julie's points too.
ReplyDeleteI thought the input was great, too. I'm tempted to copy it all down and make it part of this post. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog, Brenda. I like the revised version, and the concept of having no time for a bath!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jarm. I enjoyed your blog post. Now, I wish I could just buckle down and finish this book.
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