Alice, roughs 6/14

Note : I am posting the progression of these Alice pieces, start to finish. This stage is the rough + color study.

From Alice in Wonderland, Chapter 5, Advice from a Caterpillar :

The Caterpillar and Alice looked at each other for some time in silence: at last the Caterpillar took the hookah out of its mouth, and addressed her in a languid, sleepy voice.

'Who are you?' said the Caterpillar.

This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, 'I--I hardly know, sir, just at present-- at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.'

'What do you mean by that?' said the Caterpillar sternly. 'Explain yourself!'

'I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, sir' said Alice, 'because I'm not myself, you see.'

'I don't see,' said the Caterpillar.

'I'm afraid I can't put it more clearly,' Alice replied very politely, 'for I can't understand it myself to begin with; and being so many different sizes in a day is very confusing.'

'It isn't,' said the Caterpillar.

'Well, perhaps you haven't found it so yet,' said Alice; 'but when you have to turn into a chrysalis--you will some day, you know--and then after that into a butterfly, I should think you'll feel it a little queer, won't you?'

'Not a bit,' said the Caterpillar.

'Well, perhaps your feelings may be different,' said Alice; 'all I know is, it would feel very queer to me.'

'You!' said the Caterpillar contemptuously. 'Who are you?'

Which brought them back again to the beginning of the conversation. Alice felt a little irritated at the Caterpillar's making such very short remarks, and she drew herself up and said, very gravely, 'I think, you ought to tell me who you are, first.'

'Why?' said the Caterpillar.

Here was another puzzling question; and as Alice could not think of any good reason, and as the Caterpillar seemed to be in a very unpleasant state of mind, she turned away.

'Come back!' the Caterpillar called after her. 'I've something important to say!'

This sounded promising, certainly: Alice turned and came back again.

'Keep your temper,' said the Caterpillar.

'Is that all?' said Alice, swallowing down her anger as well as she could.

'No,' said the Caterpillar.

This is one of the pieces I've most looked forward to making. I'm pretty pleased with the idea.

In real time update : Since this is an on-going project, building on stage after stage, I'll update you guys from time-to-time with where I'm at in real time. Last night I finished my "blue pencil drawings" for the first 6 final drawings. Typically I work in roughs/color studies (like above) from there I begin the final drawings with a lightly rendered blue pencil drawing. I get down all my shapes and everything and from there move on to the final drawing.

I always wonder how much preproduction, development work people would actually be interested to see, specifically whether or not it's even worth posting these little roughs/color studies. Does anybody get anything out of them? Is it aggravating to be on a weeks long journey, getting little snippets of pieces but not the payoff of a finished piece for weeks?

I occasionally get comments, ones that really confirm yes, this is helpful and possibly worthwhile for people. I'd like to post one in it's entirety from the previous week :

Rafael Kokiri said...

Corey, I'm seing your rough sketches, and crazy lines with some througts hidden, and it's all just awesome, really.
I'm kinda of an artist-wannabe ang get amazed by your works. just keep on posting it, please.
Maybe it's not much for you, but every single day I open your blog, see rough sketches or finisher masterpieces, it gives enough motivation to keep drawing and learning the rest of the week.
Congrats man.

Thanks, Rafael.

I post all that to say, I hope these are helpful for you in someway, to get a glimpse into the process I typically work with. Maybe it would work for you too.

Next post, Tuesday : The Cheshire Cat