A couple of new illustrations for you, and framed too! Both were given away as gifts but I’ve been prompted to move the idea into more of a series than just these couple of one-offs so I need to hone the imagery down a little.
Prototype 10: Year 2087
Learning to Fly
The concept for both are a little futuristic [would you expect anything less?], but also rather than robots they are more mechanical in their form. The caribou is clearly mostly ornate metal while its antlers are carved from wood. The bird wasn’t originally born [created] as a bird, but in its efforts to learn to fly it has fashioned some wings from organic materials and strapped them on. I feel like both could be improved in their own ways and I’m not sure I really want to settle for working in graphite and ink for a full series but I might move into acrylics from here on. Of course I also realise the title on the caribou isn’t straight with the edge of the page, but by the time I’d trimmed the Bristol Board I’d already fixed the graphite and it was too late! It pains me greatly to see it sitting there wonky alongside the frame.
Both pieces are 8.5 x 11in but in my infinite wisdom I went far too close to my bounding edges and the frame openings are a shade less than 8.5×11. All is a learning experience, no? If I’d given myself more time I’d have gone in for some custom frames, but as always everything was very last minute of me.
Still, I’m quite pleased with the final results for two little illustrations that grew from a very simple concept into the shape that was intended for their new owners. Below I’ve included a couple of in progress shots and scans for detail. Oh and I also did some full detail crops of the scans. I just love how my scanner is able to get the paper texture and pressure points in my lines and shading! There aren’t many in progress shots because I seem to often forget to stop for them, but I keep getting more and more requests for a look into how it all comes about so I’ll do my best to remember in the future.
One Comment
Learning to Fly is really lovely.