My Current projects

So, here's what I'm working on at the moment for my classes.

First off is our Alice in Wonderland illustration. Apparently there's a very wealthy business man in the Cleveland area who's a BIG fan of the book and all related art. Our instructors figured it would be a good idea for the program and the school if we put together a book of AiW art for this guy to entice him to donate some money to the illustration program, and as promo for prospective students.

I haven't read the book, or seen the films for that matter. I tried to get through the book, but i'm a little to preoccupied to really delve into it properly. So i tried to address the story from an outside perspective. I wanted to portray an Alice who is capable of imagining such vivid nonsense, essentially, a disturbed, crazy child. At least i thought that would be funny and or interesting. This is what i came up with. Just an idea for now...

Next up is the creature concept project. I was kinda stalling on this project so i wanted to nail down a composition today. I have one fully fleshed out, perhaps not the best, but it's something that i can work with.
I think i may be trying to cover too many bases with this illustration as is I wanted to address it's environment as a whole, it's diet, and the fact that it's amphibious. Of course the most difficult part of the illustration i have yet to address. I am still unsure of how i want to create the bioluminescent look of the creature. and whether i want it's skin to be see through. It may look cool bit it's yet another element that my clutter up the illustration. I can make it work, but it just feels a little busy to me right now.

Then we have my sketches for the University Circle traffic boxes. If i haven't mentioned this project yet, it's a series of 20 or so illustrations the class is doing for University Circle that will be used to decorate the traffic boxes in the area. The illustrations are to represent the neighborhood of University Circle throughout it's history. The periods i chose were the turn of the century and the 50's. As you can see, i depicted scenes in little Italy and the local parks.

My only concern on this project has been achieving the look that the client wants. On the first round, the UC guys thought my sketches were too cartoony. So, this is my first edit trying to create a more serious look. It's a difficult process for me because i'm so used to having direct contact with my clients. In this class we have to wait a week to hear from our Professor and receive the critique second hand. I guess in a way this can be more accurate to a real studio, but i like to have a direct link to the folks i'm working for.

Drop in on the comments section if you have any thoughts, critiques or whatever.