21-Draw-Illustrators-Guidebook-vol-2-ebook-(2021)

Running from
ghost/monster
’90s
Clothing
’90s?
Setting?
Stairs? Attic?
Outside/
inside?
Young
teens
9–13?
Meeting a ghost/
monster for the
first time
THE STORY
MOMENT!
CONFLICT!
Group
of Kids
A pet?
Dog?
Mixed age,
gender, etc.
CHARACTERS
Varied
Personalities/
reactions
Entering
the
house?
A face
at the
window?
THE IDEA:
A GROUP OF KIDS
EXPLORING A
HAUNTED HOUSE
Lighthearted
+ Fun
TONE +
MOOD
Spooky
not scary
Stephen King
(Loser’s Club)
INSPIRATION
Saturday
Morning TV
show vibe
Stylized
The
Three
Investigators
Ray
Bradbury
’80s/’90s
film +
TV
KIDS
BOOKS
The
Hardy
Boys
Famous
Five
The
Goonies
Buffy the
Vampire
Slayer
LESSON 1: FIND YOUR STORY MOMENT
Come up with an illustration idea of your
own! If you get stuck, think about what
inspires you or things you enjoyed in
childhood. Maybe a favorite movie or book?
What excites you and sounds like a fun idea
for you to draw? What kind of story moment
or key conflict can you create and build a
concept around? Who will become your cast
of characters?
RESEARCH—FLESHING OUT YOUR IDEA!
Research is an important phase of design
and a good opportunity to solve problems
identified when thinking through a concept.
It helps to fill any gaps in knowledge,
adding a layer of authenticity to illustrations
while also opening us up to new ideas or
approaches.
Now that my idea is established, I know my
illustration needs these key elements:
• An old abandoned house.
• A ghost or monster of some kind.
• A group of kids, 9 to 13 years of age.
• A high conflict story moment.
• A creepy but fun atmosphere and vibe.
Having a clear checklist in mind makes
gathering references much easier!
Where is the best place to gather
references? I like to use a variety of sources:
books, museums, movies, photographs, the
library, and of course the internet. Whenever
I am out and about I take photos or buy
random postcards. I’m continually building
up a file of useful information. Inspiration
can come from almost anywhere!
For this lesson I am a bit more restricted. I
want to share the references I use with you,
but to do so my images need to be free
CHARACTER DRIVEN ILLUSTRATIONS
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