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I hope you all had a lovely holiday (if you celebrate) and are having a happy Last Tuesday of the Year! I myself have enjoyed a luxuriously long week filled with several Christmas celebrations, Minecraft-playing, movie-watching, and book/comic reading.
Presently, my family is waiting with bated breath for any developments on my very pregnant sister, due to give birth to my second niece any day now. While I wait anxiously for any news of contractions and water breaking, I will distract myself by continuing my "Two-Question Tuesday"series, the final installment of 2014!
Presently, my family is waiting with bated breath for any developments on my very pregnant sister, due to give birth to my second niece any day now. While I wait anxiously for any news of contractions and water breaking, I will distract myself by continuing my "Two-Question Tuesday"series, the final installment of 2014!
If you have a question you'd like to ask me, post it as a comment below and I will answer it in a future post.
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Can you describe your illustration process?
When I am working on a freelance project, the first thing I do is read the provided text thoroughly to get a firm grasp on the story. Then I read through the illustration notes (if any) provided by the publisher. Some publishers even provide very loose sketches along and the design layout of the project. I consider their sketches and begin thinking of how I can add my own ideas to what is required. Then comes the RRR Stage: I gather appropriate visual references, resources and research. As an illustrator I need to be adequately informed. This part is critical to my process, especially as I am often drawing things I've never drawn before and may know nothing about.
Once RRR is done, I start sketching. Very scribbly thumbnail compositions first. Once I get an idea I want to follow through, I may have to go back and seek out more specific references. This often includes taking my own photos of figures in the poses I need. Then I use the references to create a cleaner sketch that I can send to the publisher for approval. Most of the time these sketches are black and white line drawings. If I have enough time before submitting the sketches, I might do a black and white value study to suggest how the final rendering will look. And if I have a good feel for where I'm going with the images, I might submit full color sketches in place of black and white. I like figuring out color and value as soon as possible in the sketch phase as it quickens the pace for the final images which are usually (sadly) always under a time crunch from the publisher.
Once feedback is received, I make any necessary changes to the sketches and proceed to final images. In an ideal world, I would have enough time to work on the finals relatively leisurely, say 4 hours a day until they are all finished. Usually this is more like 12+ hours of work a day. This is frustrating because the quality of my work goes down after about 6 hours of painting. So in the rush to finish, I actually take much longer.
I don't have the ability to slow down the process to better work in a way that I find enjoyable. I'd love to have the time to paint each illustration in black and white first so that I can sort out my drawing and rendering without also having to figure out color at the same time. But since rarely do I get that extra time, I have to figure it all out AS I'm working on the finals. It's hasty, it's stressful, and usually results in a finished product that does not meet my expectations.
As for the illustrating process itself, first I scan the pencil sketch or refined drawing and set that layer to "multiply" in my Photoshop file. On a second layer ordered underneath the pencil layer, I block out the overall values (or colors) of the illustration. I also add a third layer on top of the pencil sketch on which I paint over the drawing as needed. I paint using a custom brush textured like chalk. It keeps me from getting too detailed, so I will also use a separate brush for line work and any smaller details.
Once the images are finished, I place them in the layout the publisher provided to see how they fit with the text and make any small changes if need be. Then I send the flattened TIFF files to the publisher and hope they get approved. Working digitally, it's easy to accommodate last minute adjustments but it's always a relief when they approve them as they are!
By the end of 2015, I'd love to have done these things:
• Complete the rough draft of the first installment of my planned YA sci-fi trilogy
• Have three of my own picture book ideas in development
• Have a contract for a freelance illustrated a picture book
• Hold a baby lamb
Well, that's all for now. See you next year!
What do you hope to achieve by this time next year?
Hmmm! An appropriate question to close out what has been a lovely year overall.By the end of 2015, I'd love to have done these things:
• Complete the rough draft of the first installment of my planned YA sci-fi trilogy
• Have three of my own picture book ideas in development
• Have a contract for a freelance illustrated a picture book
• Hold a baby lamb
Well, that's all for now. See you next year!
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