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I had been working on an illustration for my weekly post at the PBJ’s. I really liked how it was coming along, so I started compiling ideas of ways to improve the picture. I implemented these changes and I think they have really improved the piece aesthetically as well as from a narrative standpoint. I’d love to hear what you think!
Version 1
Revised version
Check out these updates that just went live on our site:
- Brand new portfolio page for Don Tate, one of T2’s newbies – http://www.tugeau2.com/dtatmain.html
- Art update by Kathy Weller – http://www.tugeau2.com/kwelmain.html
- New portfolio page for Natalia Vasquez – http://www.tugeau2.com/nvas02.html
- Books by CA Nobens – http://www.tugeau2.com/cnobbook12.html
- Books by Terri Murphy – http://www.tugeau2.com/tmurbook04.html
- Art update by David Lowe – http://www.tugeau2.com/dlowmain.html
Lately, I’ve had color studies on the brain. In the long run, I know that doing them before setting to work on a piece is a necessary step to take, especially when working in traditional media. But I always worry that over-thinking a piece, (which includes over-thinking the color study) leeches life and energy from my work. As a safe compromise, what I usually end up doing is just one quick color study, before setting to work. This can often tell me just as much about where I don’t want to go with the color, as where I do want to go with it.
One quick scribble can inform a lot. In terms of the color study part of the process, I don’t generally over-think them, because they’re not my favorite part. Quick color studies are, for me, like ‘eating your vegetables’ (although in real life, I do like vegetables… but the equivalent as a figure of speech!) I enjoy the immediacy of choosing colors on-the-fly, the thrill of having to ‘make it work’ if I need to quickly switch gears and revise a color choice that may not be working with the rest of the piece. Fun stuff! That is part of what I love about being an artist — that immediacy, the unknown, the ‘make it work’ aspect (sometimes against all odds)! But that’s the “color-rebel thrill-seeker” in me talking, and these days, that ‘thrill-seeker color rebel” only comes out to play when I’m working on non-client work. So, I still like to walk the tightrope, but I don’t do it without a net!
At the end of the day, one 5-minute color study can save hours of illustration “first aid”!
Hello, everyone! The T2 artists have been great colleagues, and I’ve enjoyed being a part of this “team.”
This is set to be a great blog, and I can’t wait to see what you fellow artists have to say – check out some of the T2 artists that are already blogging:
- Cale Atkinson: http://caleatkinson.blogspot.com/
- Damian Ward: http://ddraws.blogspot.com/
- Dani Jones: http://danijonesillustration.blogspot.com/
- Deb Johnson: http://deborahcjohnson.blogspot.com/
- Don Tate: http://devast.blogspot.com/
- Erin Kono: http://eekono.blogspot.com/
- Kathy Weller: http://wellerwishes.blogspot.com/
- Merrill Rainey: http://littlerainey.blogspot.com/
Great stuff!
T2 artists: If I’ve missed your link, send it in and I’ll add you to the list!
