Needing to photograph more portfolio work has become so difficult without proper equipment so I'm leaving out a couple of proud, finished pieces for now and revealing some works:
A couple character concepts, and revisiting a piece(originally from Vermont) that I never chose to tackle while in school.
I've been transitioning departments at Rue into the Imaging Specialists area which has kept me happily going with experience, and I continue to toss my work out into the market with many reply's for work...just nothing satisfyingly profitable. The interview at Maxim Toys(think Lincoln Logs and magnetic connected wood trains when you were little)went well even though I wasn't offered the spot due to lack of a years worth of packaging experience that the second candidate happened to have over me. I received an email less then 5 days after meeting with the Art Director and VP stating these details, including tons of positive feedback regarding my ethics, conceptual aesthetics, and portfolio of traditional and digital art.
From Roderick the Art Director, I was told that paying my dues is still important no matter how strong or versatile a portfolio is and that an extra year of time can actually matter throughout the entire learning experience. He told me a story that came as a surprised in the end of the email too; Roderick's first Illustration positions for hire within large companies were primarily from his sketchbook ideas that evolved throughout numerous pages. Thing's like notes, quotes, readings, simple forms or even color studies and plain gibberish give light to a quickly evolving sketch process which builds fresh and engaging ideas.
Rod was pretty insightful with this feedback and it's awesome how he took the time to write back in as much detail as he had. I was grateful to say the least and somewhat surprised as well.
A sketchbook (or sketch process) is truly the backbone of any communication artists content and I know I can carry this experience with me far into the future.
oh, and guys....Keep your sketchbooks at your side when out on a walk :)
I feel as though the sky and house could be darker, like the colors are still at a base and could be make even more grim in lighting. Think about how dark it gets during a thunderstorm or a squall. You could also play around with different colors for the sky and how they reflect on the grass, the orange shirt is fine but what comes to me is a sepia greenish mix. The dead guy doesn't look dead to me but more as though he's staring at the pig and helping it lift a log. He works to make the comp dynamic but you could go back in and change his pose where he's recumbent at some other angle and isn't engaging anything. I like how he appears out of the grass though and you could still pull that off. I love the detail in the pig and I think you could push it even more in some places, white spots in the black-bead eyes and glistenig teeth and some pocket-marks in the skin, just a pick and choose stage.
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