Below is somewhat of a step by step on how I went about making this piece. I say somewhat because there were steps I forgot to take screenshots of. Maybe I shouldn't be giving out my secrets, huh? I may be putting myself out of work.
Below is the hand drawn line art. I use a 05 micron with some touch up done with a 03. I find it gives good clean line weight.
Flat colors are added via Photoshop. I knew I would be drawing the stuff outside the windows with my tablet so there was no need to ink it.
I turn off the colors layer and add a gradient layer knocking out the light with my tablet.
Finished shadows and some of the outside started.
I was given the fun task of creating the What's Wrong? illustration for Highlights' 65th Birthday issue! It was a lot of fun to have my hand at the Highlights' regulars: the Timbertoes, Arizona (as well as her little brother and sister Tex and Mindi), Goofus and Gallant, the little mouse web dude (does he have a name? he definitely needs one), and the Bear Family. The 65th Birthday issue should be on news stands now. It really is a great issue with a lot of fun surprises. Be sure to pick up a copy!
My apologies for being so long between posts. My wife has been traveling a lot for work so I have had my hands full taking care of our daughter, dog, fish, house, laundry, dishes, etc, all the while teaching and freelancing. This week I officially finished teaching (until autumn that is) so I will have more time to post stuff I have been working on. Speaking of our daughter, you can see her and I on the left side of the illustration. I made myself taller so no one would notice me but it didn't fool anyone at Highlights. I think they're on to me...
This
What's Wrong? is on the back cover of September's
Highlights for Children that should be available now on newsstands. Once again I drew inspiration from my life in Philadelphia and the many sports we would play together. I think street hockey was everyone's favorite which was usually played in alley ways such as this one here. Alleys can be kind of magical places if the lighting is right - you get the sun bouncing all over the place from the reflections in the windows and the shafts of light pour down much like they would in a narrow canyon in the southwest.
By far my favorite thing in this piece is the break dancing mice in the right corner. Sometimes it's the little things, you know? In this case, hairy little things in track suits.
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By: Chuck Dillon,
on 4/16/2013
Chuck, you're brilliant my friend. Thank you for the ability to always make me laugh.
Thanks, dude.