Monday, May 19, 2014

The Making of "Party of Two"


This was actually an idea I'd started drawing around this time last year. This was about as far as I got. 


Wanting to see it through to the end, I started over by drawing about thirty different variations of the scene. I was also influenced by my then recent hobby of collecting movie stills for my inspiration files to go for a horizontal composition instead of vertical. 

Since I was trying resume my weekly postings to let people know that I was still alive and was in need of material to post I quickly threw some color onto these rough ideas. The response was both unexpected and overwhelmingly positive, so I decided that this is what I would be doing next. 



From there, I had my nose to the grindstone:





So, what have I learned?

Plotting out the composition by drawing over thirty different thumbnails really helped pull this project together, in retrospect, I wonder why I didn't hold to that pattern. Once I had figured out which sketch was going to form the basis for the final I think I was a bit quick to scan it in, blow it up and start working on the final. 

Drawing some slightly bigger scale versions after deciding on might have helped work out a number of the lighting and background details that I was struggling to develop towards the end. 

See the finished product and the story behind it here.






6 comments:

  1. I so love a peek into the creative process. Hope this is the start of something great for you, my brother.

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    1. Thanks Kal. I love to share.

      If nothing else I now know how to make videos in Photoshop.

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  2. The video was a nice addition. I don't think most people realize how much goes into such things.

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    1. Thanks. The video seemed like an easier way of showing a glimpse of the process rather than create a huge shot-by-shot timeline like I was originally planning.

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  3. Yeah the video was a nice touch! It really puts the work you have done in perspective. I am just in awe of what you have created. Especially with what I read before about the story behind this piece. I am really glad you were able to go out to that party and though it wasn't exactly your cup of tea, having that person guide you outside for a moment that was a joyful one for you, I mean, my goodness! That is just really nice. A great storyteller you are! (That's my Yoda speak, in case you were wondering.)

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    Replies
    1. Haha Thanks! It may say "Illustrator" but I always consider myself a "storyteller" first and foremost.

      It really was a wonderful time. Something like that comes only once in a long while.

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