Thursday 14 November 2013

Finding my inner 'gator

I'm currently working on a series of book illustrations which show an American alligator. The project requires delivery of the cover art in a week or so and shows the gator swimming menacingly toward the protagonist. There's only a limited amount visible above water, but what happens on the cover pins down the style of the characters for the rest of the book. The remainder of the art will slide over the next four months. The problem was, I wasn't totally happy with my 'gator.
As is often the case when I'm going to depict a character or creature in a variety of situations, I need to 'know' it - to own it if you like. So, yesterday I sat and sketched to find 'my' gator so I could carry him happily through the book.
I'm more comfortable with the way he's developing facially, I can explore the anatomy later.
The important part is done.