© copyright Alicia Padrón 2012
(front)
Hello there! Long time no see, huh? ;o)
Here is the finished postcard as promised (click
here if you'd like to see the previous posts). I decided to simplify and kept only three characters on the boat. My initial idea had two more kids but I realized they would be lost in the format of a postcard and felt too crowded.
I like how it turned out. It's an adventure and certainly raises questions. Why are they on a boat? An elephant is with them, maybe they come from far away places... and that little penguin, where is he going? Why is he packed? He looks very determined doesn't he? Like he has a plan.
Hmm.. maybe he does... ;o)
© copyright Alicia Padrón 2012
(back)
The truth is I don't have an answer to all those questions since this is not a story I wrote but more like an image that popped in my head. But I don't think it matters for a postcard. The idea is that it
feels like a whole story, sparks an interest and makes you want to know more, well at least I think it does.
Kids' minds are like this. There are no rules or explanations. Everything goes..
That's one of my favorite things about this field.. anything can happen in children's books! :o)
© copyright Alicia Padrón 2012
Hi there! I have been so bad at posting lately..
Here is a little snippet of an illustration I've been finally working on. If it looks familiar maybe is because you saw him
here.
I'll share the rest very soon! :o)
© copyright Alicia Padrón
After giving some serious thought to my penguin dilemma, I decided to go with option 2. And that is to leave penguin expressionless and looking up at his new group of friends.
Even though I liked the first one where penguin was sad and unaware of what was about to happen to him, I thought that this one said more about him. All characters can be sad at one point or another but not all characters can react the way he is reacting. This option says a lot more about his personality than the first one.
I know I am not writing a book here and this is just a postcard but in my opinion, illustrations should speak more than what is at the surface. They should say something not only about the story and what is happening, but also about the characters themselves.
I began to play a bit more with the composition. I want my postcard to be horizontal so I started thinking where my name and title would go. I still have to play with the type and see which one I like best.
I will leave this for now and start doodling a few sketches for the back of the postcard. Hopefully I will post those soon.
It's important for me to have the idea of the whole postcard nailed down first before going any further.
If you like to read the rest of the posts regarding the making of a postcard, here they are:
© copyright Alicia Padron
After taking a few days to think, I finally started doodling.
I really think in pictures most of the time. I can't help it. Even when I'm writing a story I am seeing the pictures as I go along. And it's usually a picture that pops in my mind out of nowhere and then I think about the story behind it. How is it with you?
Anyway, from the few ideas that came to me, this is the one I liked the most. Please don't ask me why I thought of a girl on top of an elephant's trunk offering ice cream to a lost penguin, because I have no idea.
There is definitely a story on this. I want the postcard to first raise a question, followed by the person understanding what's going on and hopefully ending everything with a smile. :o)
I first sketched random parts of the idea on a piece of paper. I really don't think much of it. I am not trying to loose time making the perfect setting. I just try to translate the basic idea of what I had in my mind on the paper.
After I sketch some of the most important elements, I scan it and then I play with it in Photoshop. I vary the sizes. I change positions. I look and think if it's working. The sketch is not really done yet I only want to be able to set down on paper the composition.
© copyright Alicia Padron
Right now I know there will be a little boy in the boat for sure and he is going to be holding his ice cream minding his own business and the polar bear is going to be paying more attention to him than anything else and will have his tongue sticking out and paw over the edge of the boat.
The bigger boy next to him will be holding his glasses with one hand and the other will stay as is, as if he is very intrigued by what's happening.
The main girl will be leaning towards the penguin and her expression will be more of wonder, happiness and excitement.
I haven't done any of this yet, that's fine. This will come later. I really don't like to overwork a sketch until I am sure of what I am doing. I love sketches and treat them like small treasures, so I avoid going over them too much.
There are more important things to think about right now and that is what position should the run-away penguin be in?
Should I make him sad, lonely and unaware of what's going on like on this sketch?
© copyright Alicia Padron
Or should a make him standing tall with confidence, looking up with wonder at what's coming to him?
8 Comments on The Making of a Postcard- Part Two, last added: 11/22/2011
Such a beautiful postcard... I love the image and the colours, and the flip side is a nice contrast :o)
I hope it brings you lots of lovely clients.
Beautiful and cute !!!
Utterly charming and fun!