Schoolism: Pictorial Composition Week 03

Pictorial Composition Week 03 Assignment:“Create 10 original studies using value only. Your studies should be designed for a bold, clear statement. This exercise will help your work pack a punch as you strive to manage complex subject matter.”

 

After listening to Nathan Fowkes’ third lecture, I’ve begun to develop a insecurity complex.

He shares with us all of these wonderful artworks in truly interesting lectures. I go on to listen to his commentary of other student’s work, just to make sure I know what I’m doing. Everything seems manageable. Then, I begin to draw my assignment… and I’m lost.

I never know how much detail I should include. What is enough? What is too much? Does it even matter?

Questions keep swirling around my mind, because I have this obsession of pleasing my teachers that I’ve been carrying since Grade 6. In Grade 6 I immigrated to Canada, and somehow I thought: “If I was a perfect student, people would like me more!”

…

Regardless, here I am: an adult and still desperate to please people.

I’m drawing these lessons second guessing everything I’m doing. I berate myself for not taking the colour and light course first, because it seems there is a need for extensive color and light foreknowledge for me to create the assignment as my teacher would wish me to.

Then, Life, that cursed flowing thing that cares not for any woman’s plans, decides to mess with me and here I am: three weeks later still working on the Week 03 assignment.

I just can’t take the stress anymore!

So what do I do?

I give myself a mental slap.

Nathan Fowkes is a knowledgeable artist. I like his lectures, but he is not my God. Why should I please him? I’m taking these lessons to possibly improve my own work. No one is grading me on these assignments. Heck, I barely get any commentary on these assignments. So, I’ve decided to take it easy and enjoy myself. If I want to add in more detail, I’ll add in more detail. If I can create something with less detail, I’ll create with less detail. Am I doing these assignments correctly? Not quite sure, but I am getting my story telling point across and having fun. Since I’m not looking for work in a studio, that is all that matters.

Today, I have finally finished my assignment for week three. I think in took four days of work and three weeks.

All of these images are sketches of illustrations I’m thinking of creating for my novel, Warriors of Virtue. (Except the one of Legolas standing on top of the tree, that one was for FANtasy Character Designs project I abandoned due to time constraints.)

The image of Storm Rock surrounded by lightning and storms is my favourite of the bunch. I’ll use it as basis for one of the cover paintings for sure.

Without further ado, Assignment 03:

I’ve tried to create moods. Some have less detail, some have more. I tried to make some images graphic, some less so. The style may not be quite as cohesive, because I have not developed it yet, but these images get the story points across… At least I believe so. Also, the font I use for the cover page is just a mock up. Mili Fay will also be lower for the Kindle version. The image here illustrates the possible positon for the print version of the book.

Let me know which of the 10 you like best!

Cheers!

Mili