I had the pleasure of taking Kelly Light’s Character design class at the Illustration Department online for the month of February, and I learned a lot.
What I learned the most from her was that you really need to take the time to get to know your characters you are developing. Something that I have not done in the past.
Usually if I fall into something through sketching, and if I like it enough, then that’s it. I move on.
These characters were fun to do but I don’t think they’re ready quite yet.
I’m developing a book dummy for the story I wrote with the tentative title of “Dim-Eyed and Skimpy-Tailed.” Based off the idiom, Bright eyed and Bushy tailed.
Turn arounds were some of the home work which I had a blast doing. Not perfect but getting there…
Scrunchie (or Scrunchi) the Squirrel is a bit of an Oscar the grouch, and constantly sleepy. She keeps her hair and tail outta the way with her green scrunchies. She doesn’t have the energy for hair dos or even being presentable!
Grassy the Grasshopper is her cheerful pet and is her favorite companion in the whole world.
The goal was to put these two in scenes and to get the best emotion, and pose to capture the mood of a moment that could be in your book.
I tend to put carts in front of horses a lot. February was a time of slowing down and hashing out these characters. Getting to know Scrunchie and Grassy has made me more excited than that of the satisfaction of a finished manuscript.
Look for posts of “moments of moods” from these two on the ‘gram!
Until next time-TRA
