Book: Lucy & Mother maple
Collaborating with Dustin James and Emily James on their jointly crafted story was a true pleasure. Their captivating narrative effectively exposes the harmful effects of certain business practices, emphasizing the urgent need to preserve our natural world. It's a project I am honored to have played a part in and one that carries significant value.
Design and Layout
In addition to creating the illustrations for the book, I had the opportunity to design the layout as well. My goal was clear: to ensure that the illustrations would effectively enhance and support the story's message. While this may seem like a straightforward task, it can be a bit challenging to strike the right balance. On one hand, you don't want too many illustrations clustered together, but on the other hand, you want to capture the most significant parts of the story in the visuals. I'm pleased to share that the end result is a successful synergy of illustrations and text.
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Cover
For the cover I wanted color combination that strikes and also bold shapes and fonts that highlights among other cover books. I made the test like the one below and I was really happy with the result. Can you find the book among the others?
For the cover I wanted color combination that strikes and also bold shapes and fonts that highlights among other cover books. I made the test like the one below and I was really happy with the result. Can you find the book among the others?
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Illustration Process
Lucy and her Grandfather.
In Lucy's story, the bond between the main character and her grandfather, a skilled farmer, is a pivotal element. To bring this relationship to life, I sought the expertise of talented character design artists who could help me capture the essence of the scene I envisioned. Here some references. Sorry I don't named the artist it I just randomly picked the images.
Presented here are both the initial sketch and the final rendering of the illustration. While the client was satisfied with the final result, I felt that there was room for improvement. Being my own toughest critic, I opted to revisit the piece and make further refinements.
The revised version of the illustration was a significant improvement, and the client was pleased with my persistence and dedication to the project. When undertaking any project, it's essential to keep in mind that it will ultimately reflect on your abilities and professionalism. It's natural to feel uncertain or critical of your work when is finished and time has passed. However, it's important to certain that you did your best at the time, and that effort should instill a sense of pride in your work. Here is the final version and the color process. Also the palette I used.
The Business man arriving.
I am thrilled with how this illustration turned out. The character portrayed in the image is a cold-hearted businessman who is solely driven by his desire for wealth, regardless of the consequences. Initially, I found myself falling into familiar stereotypes, but I made a conscious effort to think outside the box and create a villain that defied typical conventions. The end result was a handsome antagonist that still radiated a menacing aura, effectively communicating his malevolent intentions.
Here is the process of the business man. I also thought the angle was the appropriate if I wanted to give certain connotation of power to the character
Here is the process of the business man. I also thought the angle was the appropriate if I wanted to give certain connotation of power to the character
I separated the landscape and the character during the process to allow me more flexibility in composing the final piece.
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There are plenty of beautiful illustrations on the book but I don't want to spoil them. If you want to buy it, here is the link:
Lucy and the Mother Maple
Lucy and the Mother Maple
THANK YOU
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