I've finished the drawing for this illustration. I've tried to solve as many problems as possible at this stage rather than leaving it for the painting stage: light, perspective, objects in the background.
If this were going to become real published artwork, I see it as a full-page opposite a page of text. Probably not a cover, since I didn't leave any room for a title.
On to painting now. I'm going to try to project it onto my painting surface. We'll see....
Everything behind the girl (I'm calling her Cecelia) is actually a topiary form including the hedge wall with a scroll top and urn. Everything, except the Sinister Gardener (no offense JMH, the eternal mulcher), that is. I think I also want to add a real bird poking out of that pointy bush.
Before leaving this, I'll give you one of my problem-solving techniques: we are viewing this scene from below, which means a very low horizon line—like at Cecelia's waist. This makes us see the underneath side of the elements that are taller than she is and creates a sense of largeness and even foreboding. Also, the horizon is tipped, which seems to befuddle me while I'm drawing. So, I produced this guide which I taped behind my drawing to remind myself where the vanishing point for all these lines should be headed.
3 comments:
Hey I have one of those shears! Might I be a sinister gardener?
Fascinating process.
I just like the idea of something as innocuous as gardening somehow becoming sinister.
I like how you've given the point of view some emotion. You've explained well how it can affect the picture's mood. Great insights.
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