A Small Dice Helped Me Create This Composition: Tricksters Process/File!

Hey everyone!

I just wanted to say that the first hour of the process video is filled with failed attempts, so if you want to skip this part, feel free. Basically, I was struggling with the gestures of the three characters, didn't know how to capture the shapes of the fox and ravens, but eventually, I think I did a decent job building some personality through the gesture. However, I don't think I nailed the calmness of the original reference.

Anyways! Today let's talk a bit about this process and how I managed to use props to add some meaning behind this piece.

Reference
This peculiar picture I used as a reference portrays something that seems to be unusual, but according to some info, foxes and ravens tend to collaborate in nature when pursuing food. I'm not familiar with the details, but I wanted to capture this collaborative nature, perhaps in something related to the popular reputation both animals have for being smart and tricksters. This trickster concept also aligns with the idea of games, more like adult games (blackjack, poker, etc).

In principle, I only knew I needed three characters, and all three of them are very smart and agile with games.

Execution
So I guess I got a tough time envisioning this dinamic composition. Process are not always the same, as I mentioned in the "Friend" article a few weeks ago, sometimes the picture is a bit suggested in my head but this time the concept was the one clear.

What the shape helps me to figure it out is not only the anatomy on characters but how the posture suggest intention, I like to create my characters in the middle of something, not just posing with no motivation. I guess you can say this is more illustration than a character design presentation. Since you can see a big part of their bodies, but is not technically well desplayed key aspects of the costume. But I guess that's a sacrify I'm whiling to take in exchange of some energy. If you want to try something like this is good to have first the character design in a more standar pose and then proceed to add some actitude making that character design again in a similar approach to mine.

After one hour of switching different gestures in the three positions I finally came with a "weird" enough pose I tought felt right. By making the "fox" character inclined, the idea of her blowing some dices make click. From that point I figure the rest. This small object, the dice, would be the main protagonist of the composition, connecting the three of them in someway and justifiying the nature of the narrative.

Props!
I often don't mention this, but I do appreciate compositions that involve small props, like this one with the dice. Here are some reasons why:

• They serve as a focal point. In complex compositions, centering them around an object simplifies the reading experience, making it more harmonious. Plus, props are excellent for telling miniature stories, especially if they're distinct and not generic.
• Colors and shapes can act as references. In this instance, I kept the colors and shapes true to those in the reference, but I could easily integrate the white and red dots from the dice, adding an intriguing layer.
• Concepts are easy to understand, associate, and remember. Everyday objects resonate with your audience, offering familiarity in your concepts—it's like fan art, but using common props.

After sketching the shapes of the three characters, I proceed to clean up the anatomy using lines. I like how different characters inclined look, but when half of their bodies have some kind of perspective, it's easy to make it look weird, like they have no belly or something. So it's useful to use curves to suggest the perspective; for instance, you can try to define a bit the belly rolls as an indication, or maybe bends.

The process after this is pretty straightforward. In the video, you will find the treatment in terms of colors and values, as well as the adjustments and layer treatment in the PSD file. I'm trying to keep these articles only with what's necessary, like the specific problems I solved during this application, to avoid repetitive content. But if you have any particular question, please let me know via DMs or in our Discord Q&A section.

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