- THE NIGHTINGALE -
The Brief: To create at least one interior illustration and a cover at A4 scale for "The Nightingale" written by Hans Christian Andersen.
- This project was designed to be a side project that ran alongside "The Dream Weaver" main project. As such it is a smaller and less in depth project -
- This project was designed to be a side project that ran alongside "The Dream Weaver" main project. As such it is a smaller and less in depth project -
Research
Fabric Book Covers
For the front cover of this book I knew that I wanted it to be fabric with metallic additions, therefore researching this era of book covers was very helpful.
Chinese Fabrics
I decided to research Chinese fabrics as inspiration for the colour palette of this projects illustrations. As I like the jewel toned quality of the colours.
I decided to research Chinese fabrics as inspiration for the colour palette of this projects illustrations. As I like the jewel toned quality of the colours.
Previous Versions of "The Nightingale"
Here are some examples of illustrations from previous versions of "The Nightingale", I enjoy the colour use in each of these illustrations, however the right image is by far my favourite.
Here are some examples of illustrations from previous versions of "The Nightingale", I enjoy the colour use in each of these illustrations, however the right image is by far my favourite.
Thumbnails
Initially to start the Nightingale project I created some very quick thumbnails these were created with a black pen and some colour.
This just gave me a run this gave me a rough idea of what kind of concept I was going for and in turn I was able to pick a design to move forward with.
Initially to start the Nightingale project I created some very quick thumbnails these were created with a black pen and some colour.
This just gave me a run this gave me a rough idea of what kind of concept I was going for and in turn I was able to pick a design to move forward with.
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Coloured Thumbnails
I'm always partial to some expressive watercolour paintings as thumbnails, these thumbnails may not make sense to anyone else.
However I was using them to look at tone, colour and composition in a way that was fast but also very informative to me in my own process.
I'm always partial to some expressive watercolour paintings as thumbnails, these thumbnails may not make sense to anyone else.
However I was using them to look at tone, colour and composition in a way that was fast but also very informative to me in my own process.
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Development
Here you can see me getting an idea of style and the feel that I wanted to go for within these illustrations.
I then moved on to sketching a more finite version of the designs including a cover and 4 interior spreads
Here you can see me getting an idea of style and the feel that I wanted to go for within these illustrations.
I then moved on to sketching a more finite version of the designs including a cover and 4 interior spreads
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Style Testing
Here I was experimenting with pencil and water colour overlaid digitally, I am still looking out for anyway I can combine digital and traditional so I have
more movement and changeable options within my practice. However I didn't like this style as much as I thought I would, I'm still attached to the
spontaneity of watercolour and I don't feel but I can get that within Photoshop or any other digital software.
Here I was experimenting with pencil and water colour overlaid digitally, I am still looking out for anyway I can combine digital and traditional so I have
more movement and changeable options within my practice. However I didn't like this style as much as I thought I would, I'm still attached to the
spontaneity of watercolour and I don't feel but I can get that within Photoshop or any other digital software.
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The Nightingale
This is a painting of a Nightingale and some patterns, pattern is very important within Chinese culture and I wanted to include this somehow.
This is a painting of a Nightingale and some patterns, pattern is very important within Chinese culture and I wanted to include this somehow.
Sketched Designs
Here are the illustrations that I ended up sketching out as you can see I have a cover and three interior pages as
I found that the fourth didn't work and I would have to go back and develop more for that to be pursued.
Here are the illustrations that I ended up sketching out as you can see I have a cover and three interior pages as
I found that the fourth didn't work and I would have to go back and develop more for that to be pursued.
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Final Outcomes
These are the outcomes of this project one cover and one interior page ideally I would have liked to do more. However this is a miniature project and the aim was always to do what I could just so I could escape and put my brain on something else for a little bit of time. I am quite pleased with how these designs turned out I always like gold and fabric on covers. I also found it I also found it interesting to draw a pose where a man was looking through a magnifying glass because it is a difficult pose to do and I don't think I've got it perfectly. But there's always time next time as I feel in my future I will actually come back to this project and build upon what I have.
These are the outcomes of this project one cover and one interior page ideally I would have liked to do more. However this is a miniature project and the aim was always to do what I could just so I could escape and put my brain on something else for a little bit of time. I am quite pleased with how these designs turned out I always like gold and fabric on covers. I also found it I also found it interesting to draw a pose where a man was looking through a magnifying glass because it is a difficult pose to do and I don't think I've got it perfectly. But there's always time next time as I feel in my future I will actually come back to this project and build upon what I have.
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