Changes:
Originally the word "Adventure" started with a lowercase "a." The only reason I left it like that was because the font was all one case. The capital a I created in illustrator. Also I added the clips from the movie on the back cover. These are repeated again in the booklet but we decided this wasn't a problem. On the disk I removed the white background from the "TV Y7 FV" but I think I may have preferred it before but that's splitting hairs I think. The booklet remains unchanged.
I like the white background for "TV Y7 FV".
ReplyDeleteSam, as I look at this I find a few questions coming to mind:
ReplyDelete1. Is your intention to re-illustrate a very successful cartoon series? What are you showing us with this work? I'm really unclear whether you want me to look at these drawings and say "wow, he did a close copy of Watterson's characters" or should I think that you are re-interpreting them? In which case, they are not different enough to show that you have rethought them in your own illustration style. These are close to the original characters, but not exact - and we can see that.
Because your characters appear to be copies of another illustrator's work, does this mean that the layout design of the CD cover is also a "copy" - or is the composition completely your own? It makes us wonder.
So - I really am not sure what I, as a viewer, should learn about you as a designer/illustrator with this project. And I wonder if other reviewers could also be confused.
What can you do with this project to bring it more clearly under your purview? Under your direction?
It seems like you have (at least) 2 options:
1. Decide to make this a parody of Watterson's work using a title close to "Calvin & Hobbs" but not quite. Something that will allow us to see your humor as you make fun of his humor? If it's good, it will show your cleverness and your illustrations will be judged within this framework... and not thought of as just "copies" of the originals.
2. Use his original artwork, and not yours. That way you can be the "layout designer" of a project that uses a famous cartoonist's work.
I'm in favor of #1, and encourage you to develop the concept that will pull this off. In this approach, you also can't use Disney's logo as is... but will need to shift/change it just enough for us to see that you've made a difference. So, in the end... this piece will be a close parody of a famous cartoon and we will appreciate your work on its own merit, and not because it's trying to simply copy an already successful series.
Does this make sense? I feel strongly that you need to conceptually push this beyond what I see here or you'll be the subject of someone saying "well, he tried but he didn't really quite get the faces right". You are asking someone to compare you to Watterson as it stands now... don't do that, there is no winning that comparison at this point in your career. So... push it into another type of approach and make us laugh at your clever parody.
Looking forward to seeing what you do!
PS. Do you even need the "18 stupendous..."? I don't think so - just the CD cover and CD itself would be enough.
The assignment was to redesign an already existing DVD cover, or make up our own. I went with the latter but the idea was to create a film adaption of the comic strip, not a parody. Naturally the faces would look different if they're going from newspaper comics to Disney style animation. I'm not saying I totally nailed them, and agree they could use improvement. I see your point but I'm hoping there might be a way for the characters to look different but still remain recognizable as their more off-beat style comic counterparts.
DeleteAnd yes, I agree that I don't need the booklet ("18 stupendous ..."). It was also a part of the assignment but I can happily ditch it now.
I like the design and layout of your cover and DVD art. I also like the changes you made. As for the questions Coni addresses above, I will leave that to the two of you to discuss. Best of luck with this! :)
ReplyDelete