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Illustrating Complex Composition from 'Simple Shapes': Nightmare? - Video Process + File
🕑 Added 2023-09-09 16:10:00 +0000 UTCHey everyone!
In today's process, you'll find a very old idea I had in mind but didn't find an interesting way to portray until yesterday: The Ballerina. Let's dive briefly into this piece.
Concept/Reference
A few months ago, I thought about making something related to ballet, but I wasn't sure about trying it. These last months, I've been painting a lot of characters with complex fabric characteristics, specifically volume, and I found the outfit of the ballerinas lacking in fabric detail. So, making a character dressed this way might be too simple. I just kept that concept for later. Ideas are often like a dish; they take time to get properly cooked.
Last week, while searching for references, I found an interesting picture of a group of swans. I'll pin it on the reference board. This picture, although pretty, wasn't the one I ultimately used. Nevertheless, it was the spark that led to the idea I'm sharing today. The initial picture was nice, but I couldn't build any story around it.
So, while thinking about how to make something interesting out of that image, I remembered the old story called The Ugly Duckling. If you're not familiar, it's a story about a little duck that had a rough time because it was too ugly. Turns out, it was a swan, and that's why it was different. Instead of using the first reference I saved, I looked for a picture that fit this narrative. At first, I searched for ducks and little swans, but a little swan isn't that ugly, in my opinion. I ended up searching for a stronger contrast, like white swans and a black swan. This last one was more in tune with the visual tone of my recent pieces and the 'ugly duckling' narrative. After all, a big part of the story is about being different.
Execution
I knew this would be a nightmare. A few weeks ago, I did a piece called 'Gang Gang' with four characters in one composition, and it was tough. This time, I needed to make at least five to create the feeling of a 'crowd.' But I thought it wouldn't be that bad, given that the ballerinas' outfit is relatively simple; often, the skirt is the most complex part. I think it's called the 'tutu.' So, this was a good balance between a simple outfit and a complex composition.
The main focus was the 'gesture,' basically the anatomy. I spent quite a few minutes exploring interesting poses with big shapes and lines, which you'll find more about in the video. If you've seen any of the previous process videos, you'll know that defining a character's anatomy is usually part of the process. This time, I was glad to know I wouldn't have to cover this phase with cloth; instead, this anatomy sketch would be useful for guidance and the final look as well.
While doing quick research on tutus, to my ignorant surprise, ballerina outfits were not as simple as I thought. There are quite a lot of fascinating designs, full of beautiful details and shapes. So, it was nice to be wrong this time. Extra information is good as long as it makes sense, and this time it did.
Down the line, I remembered the 'Black Swan' story as well, which helped me shape some interesting ideas for the main character, the different one. Aside from the obvious black tutu, I mixed some unfamiliar ideas into the concept, like a leather strap with metal spikes on the ankles (from a pair of boots I'll pin on our ref board), bandages, and scars suggesting someone with a rough background. Plus, a series of knives tell you she's more than just a simple ballerina. Basically, several layers of information to tell more about the character's background.
Around the black ballerina, there's a group of ballet dancers, slightly different from each other but similar at first glance. All of them look at the black swan with a mix of envy, curiosity, and maybe even fear. All are full of tattoos. I think I ended up mixing a series of ideas I've found interesting in the past into a single concept, like the assassin ballet team and the 'different' and 'new' girl in the group situation.
Conclusion
The more I dive into personal ideas, the more I realize how strongly influenced I am by existing stories. Putting some thought behind those ideas shows they are all connected in some way or another. It makes me think that more than a creator, I'm also a 'remixer.' I mix existing concepts to come up with my own. But it's interesting to see people's reaction, trying to guess what 'fan art' this is, which it isn't. I think that's a good start.
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