Saturday, February 11, 2006

The Beast :: a Scholastic Book Cover

tomer :: this book by Walter Dean Myers is about a Harlem high-school senior who goes off to a prep school in Connecticut while he's Dominican girl friend Gabby, whom he intend to marry, stays behind. when he returns on Christmas break he's heartbroken to discover that she has begun to use "the beast": drugs. the AD felt we should concentrate on the couple's relationships- they are very much in love but the ties that hold them together are under a threat. I wanted to show him 'through' her, so she is hiding a part of him but they are one shape protected from it's environment.


16 comments:

  1. wow thats really nice. great choice on the comp.

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  2. The other end of the spectrum from "the Cell." Love the muted background and how you rendered the girl's hair and turned her head. Again, great attention to the female posterior. The T loves the A.

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  3. realy amazing stuff very inspired
    greetings from mexico
    http://lacuevadelalebrije.blogspot.com
    http://www.alebrije-online.com

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  4. Anonymous1:14 PM

    I couldn't quite tell they were in love but it's beautifully composed and wonderfully colored.

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  5. Anonymous8:18 PM

    This blog is awesome. It's great that you're taking the time to do this. Did the "Placebo Man" collection arrive in stores already? I remember reading about it but I haven't seen it around.
    - Dash

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  6. You picked the strongest one of the comps I think. That accusatory building is just pointing the heck out of her...Is it me or does that building on the left have some loose perspective in the windows? Maybe it's intentional or a trick of the eye.

    Since the perspective almost becomes a character itself i.e. the building mass...perhaps a strong choice one way or the other is worth considering.

    Regardless...nice palette.

    =s=

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  7. Your'e blog is great. Magnificent stuff. We're adding you to our links! We'll be back again to soak up more of your excellent work.

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  8. hey everybody, thanks for writing. on a very general level, i was trying to express a heavy, somewhat sad and static moment. yes, they are in love but love can be like a really bad stomach ache. about the perspective, i never really measure it, just eye ball it and if it's distorted it's just bad craft. skinshark sharp eye can't be fooled, and the work on his site express a great deal of knowledge and confidence in solving spaces, i think it's a great skill. just the other day i signed off the blue print mock-up of the placebo man, it felt nice to see 5 years under one cover. i should post some of the new art here soon, maybe when it gets back from the printer in a week or two.

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  9. Anonymous1:37 AM

    For just eyeballing it, more often then not, the perspective in you images looks dead on--a testament to how well you observe, and your ability to gauge spatial relationships.

    I'd never be able to to get away with it.

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  10. I'm just blow away with the kind of artwork you have here...I love the way you choose the colors...and the way you explore them...keep it up friend...really I MEAN IT...

    Are you using a tablet to color fill in? or using a mouse?

    seriously you should post some tutorials for us to learn few tricks from you...hats off friend...

    Going back to see some other artworks of yours...

    cheers
    Gulzar :) :) :) :)

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  11. But where did the bicycle go?

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  12. Another strong piece. Love the color palette.

    Will you be collecting BiPolar into a trade anytime soon?

    Cheers, Dom

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  13. Hey you are great artist!Your blog is very nice!.

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  14. Anonymous9:32 AM

    your illustrations are brilliant. can you give a tutorial on how you color?

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  15. thanks y'all! I am using a tablet for the coloring, and eventually will get a coloring tutorial up here. the bicycle had to be edited out as they brought a certain lightness to the general atmosphere. sorry. and The Placebo Man (my collected bipolar shorts) is actually already out in this weekend Comics Con in NY! I saw a picture of it and it looks nice and pink. I'll post some photos when i get my copies.

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