Illustrated book sketches

It has been few weeks, and I haven't put in any sketches of my work in this post..I guess there's a lot to talk here but I'll keep it short, lets get straight to the point. I'm creating my own story together with few idea and concept from David and Goliath story. My story would be a little random and humor, something like Adventure time! My will apply some moral values inside, so that it won't be out of context where at least there's something meaningful other wise no point reading it, right?

My first attempt of creating a main character with water colours
the blue reminds me of Avatar, Lilo & Stitch. I didn't choose it for my project.
My colour scheme for this project (top left)

This is the chosen one, the colour is mild and it help me to bring out the main character's personality

The human father

Evan's best friend Lucy the floral

The frog, the colour results are no I want, it's part of my journal

My story would be quite a long script, our tutor expects us no to focus too much on the writing because we're not the writer. Summary of the story will do, I'll send my script to my friend which her writing is very good and I'll post up here so do stay tune :)

Here's part of the story, the main character called Evan and his whole family is actually mutants. Their species are cold reptiles, they can breath in the water so the air. His parents has the ability to transform into human form so that they could blend into the human world and that's what they are hoping for. Evan born in a mutants form because he hasn't learn how to transform into human form yet.The father gave him a kiss of talent which is the wisdom of saliva where in the future he could use it to protect himself and help the world. Where else Lucy; Evan's best friend, they meet each other since they were young. Lucy grows at the forest fulls of floral, she is very attachable to Evan because he could give her the moisture and she'll grows flowers on her body. When old enough she has to take care of the whole forest on the earth. I'll continue the story later on. The medium that I'm using is water color later on I'll scan in and edit in the computer. Well, I prefer traditional medium this could help me to balance up with digital editing. I suppose to say that it's actually fun to do this kind of project and I'm able to improve my skills at the same time :)

My current illustration journey

Once, I open up the new post sometimes a lot of things go through my mind and I don't know where to start. One of my concern is that my writing isn't good, you may find my grammar or sentence constructions are not properly written. Well, bare in mind that I'm still improving my English writing and actually I like readings just the writing part I guess I have to keep writing. I'm glad that my friends around will correct me sometimes :)
Speaking of illustration, you could see my blog name is Susanne's Bare hand Creation which means I've got to share what I've got in this blog. Sorry if I didn't talk about myself at first cause I'm just too excited to look around illustrator's work and they gave me motivation. I've to say that no rush for here, everything can be build slowly. I don't think I mention about my illustration style and so on, but I did mention about my struggles while in the progress of building confidence on drawing. Well, this time I'm not going to complain about my illustration skills anymore cause there's no point to angry or disappointing about it. Emotion doesn't cure anything only cover our eyes on looking at the bright side. At least, I'm not too late to realize that, until now I always seeking possibilities to solve the problems that I have. For example, I'm struggling with illustrating human beings with a pencil. Maybe the strokes or the shapes didn't show the results that I want so I try to sketch a little messier and more curvy lines.

Few sketches that I did when I'm having semester break or free time

 Exploring itself can help me find ways to improve, you may find out that I use words like explore, exploration a lot. The term itself may represent me, because I'm just curios things around me. I realized some of illustrators works are very children-ish which some how I think realistic subjects couldn't replace those kind of illustration even realistic paintings. For instance, Mogu Takashi : her works are "pop-zen", her style is simple, clean, childish and pop colors. It's not realistic anymore, it's more like a new era or solution for kids and her works attracted numbers of kids, I think it's worth to show kids how illustration can be done in variety ways.

Children were attended her workshop

Illustration is part of my motivation

How could I be so sure that illustration is part of my motivation? Even before entering college life, I have a little knowledge about illustration. Sometimes get a little misunderstood of it, while going through the path way, I get to know illustration is not what I think. Somehow, my perception of it get changes a lot and I started to search more and more unique illustration from the world. I open my mind up to receive incredible works from the industry, I could say that everything is possible if we keep the spirit of passion. However, I've been struggle with my own drawings or illustration because I couldn't get it right sometimes I think that I lack of skills. My lecturer mentioned before it takes years to really get the effect of what we want or I could say what it could really stand out in the industry. I remember when I was drawing or sketching for one of my project. I couldn't get the illustration right, slowly it drags my time and I get frustrated..if I can't get it right then I wouldn't be able to get things done properly. And that's the moment I've a thought of putting it aside BUT I research on different kind of illustrator's work they give me motivation or hope I guess. Which all things are possible, no matter how worst my work is I should continue to practice myself on drawing out the passion. It's tired and exhausted but stopping the progress ain't solve the problem. So far, every semester our lecturers have no problem with our submission..they have confident that we can handle with our workloads but the thing is the quality of our work need to improve a lot. I'm glad that my lecturer understand how we works thing out and continue to give us advise. Bless them all!

Anxiety: My Monster, My Self by Eleanor Davis

Eleanor Davis's illustrated comic: In our Eden

My current inspiration illustrators, Eleanor Davis is one of them. Lately, I found her updated work which take my breath. Her style looks clean, simple and easy but to do something like her takes a lot more passion.  Each of her character design gesture and silhouette brings out the aesthetic of humor. How the way she draw the line of the characters are flexible, free, curvy, organic. Personally, I would prefer those if to put things simple and I'm comfortable with drawing flexible lines too, now I'm training myself to illustrate more than before. Knowing that every illustrators draw forever in their life..never ending until they die.

Marta Dlugolecka's illustration on clay work: Perfect Man Guide

Public Peeping by Marta Dlugolecka

Marta Dlugolecka brings out different approach of illustration. Most of her works created by clay, and using her unique illustration skill to apply on the clay to create texture. Even characters that she build up, each of their face expression has the humor style. The most important part is photography, lighting as well could show the whole mood setting. Sometimes I thought it was hand drawn with some collage on paper but it's done by photography and Photoshop editing. Most probably I'll try to mold my own characters when I'm free, I can imagine it brings a lot of fun.

More works to go

Back in progress again! Actually I'm in progress from the start, find time to write blog post is challenging for me too. I guess I have to be flexible with all things around me. I know there's a lot more I have to work, have to double up the workload and work harder are always challenge me til the end. What I've been done for the past few days? well absolutely working out my projects, lots of brainstorming need to solve. What about the video that I shared past few days ago? Here's my explanation, one of our project requirement is to produced illustrated book any kind, for instance, children's book, comic, graphic novel and so on. The first thing came into my mind while having introduction class back to last 2 weeks was bible story. I think it's my opportunity to produce something different from the bible and I'm glad that they have this section. Well, in the end I chose David and Goliath from the book of 1 Samuel. Why?? there are so many stories why must David and Goliath? Exactly! the point is I realized that most of the illustration concept quite similar from the net. It becomes more common especially for children book. (Images below)

                                                           References found on Google



I would like to create something different using my own illustration and targeted to general youth/teenagers who likes to read graphic novels, visual books. Doesn't has to be Christian youth but something unusual and gain interest from them.  Our lecture suggested that we are unnecessary use the same title or the same original book. We could actually, twist the chosen story into whole new dimension but always remember that it contains the same idea from the original book. There are few example, Franken Weenie by Tim Burton is similar idea with Frankenstein but the whole concept has turn over and likewise more targeted to kids.

So, I decided to create a graphic novel base on my own story contains some of the idea from David and Goliath. The purpose of doing this is to aid the teenager to receive the visual quick and simple. At the same time they can get the idea easily instead of reading in words. The most important thing is to ensure the teens understand and realize the functionality of illustration.
p/s, sketches and doodling will up soon :)


I found a website for my journal research, Juxtapoz  I've hear the name quite sometime but I don't really check it out. Once I found out, it's quite helpful for me to explore and follow up those new and passionate illustrator's work. Well, I could say another new level of learning from the professionals haha :)

DAVID AND GOLIATH 1960

                           
A little sneak peak of the week and also update. I'm watching David and Goliath from year 1960, I will update more about it with explanation and discussion.

The illustrated book

I'm looking for suitable platform for my story, before creating our own illustration book. We have to understand the brief and history of narrative storytelling. Beatrix Potter was one of the well known storyteller.  She illustrated rabbits as one of her inspiration from her pet, Peter. The tale of Peter Rabbit was her first time to send out the picture letter to publisher. However, Dr Seuss another storyteller until today the children would not miss it. Some of his work are related to the politics yet at the same time he is one of the artist who has been the era of World War II. Maybe that's one of the reason he would not stop pushing out of boundary to give influence to the children. Slowly, we could see from the exploration that the growth of illustration itself has never stop passing generation through generation.    

                                  

                           






  
 
Kyle Platts is a freelance illustrator.His very first graphic novel is Megaskull, he got the opportunity from Serial Box project as he could bring out his own illustrated character to share the fun narrative storytelling to the young people.


                                        


I've found a website It's Nice That, definitely it is new for me to explore. They contains a lot of updated news, interviews with young designers and artists. They do have their own magazine publications. I spot a lot of illustrators' work and of course I found what I want for my journal reference. Aidan Koch; illustrator (illustrations below) who does her illustrations and comics as her main priorities. I do admire her creativity of creating different stories every time she picks up pencil and draw. It sounds like her story creation would never ends but I think its worth for her passion, it's a good thing. People like me, I mean young adults or younger should keep the spirit of creation no matter success or failure
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A place to steal ideas and inspirations

It's my second time to Bok Tjuv, it's a mini library at The Strand Kota Damansara. For some reason I feel like looking some resources at the library. Friday to Sunday from 10 a.m - 6 p.m. is their opening hour. I've talked with the staff from the library, they might stop for opening the library one thing is that they wanted to spend more time looking ways to promote Bok Tjuv. I wish they could bring more books in the library together with a big environment, it's best for college student like me to go in the library on weekend to seek for resources. Anyways, I hope that they'll be success in this path and get to see them in the future.



Meanwhile, I spotted few interesting illustration from Anorak Kids Magazines. Tom Edwards illustrated the story; "Yesterday, when we were cats". Simple line stroke and pop colours could bring out his own imagination towards the story that he's working. Check out more of his work Tom Edwards

 

Bunpey Ginza's promotional video for "Welcome to the milk century"book

Little knowledge from a pictorial book

Last few months I've researched few reference for my final project and I found books that help me to understand about inforgraphics. Bunpei Yorifuji; illustrator from Japan who has work with scientist or doctor to illustrate the knowledge that he received. He's unique, fine illustration has inspired a lot. I've bought 3 different hard copies of his publication book. Since then, this year my project requirement need to produce promotional materials (digital & physical) I found out that Yorifuji did the same thing which he produced a video to promote his book. I could consider it is part of my idea reference.

A new blog again for the future usage.

Here's my brand new blog with new account. I guess I have to take time and explore again. So now is the few sentence that I have right now. It would be great if all things are settle I will post up my progress :)