Finished drawings - The Shadow & Free

Hi lovely people, 

Today was a heavy inking day and I managed to complete 2 out of the 4 drawings left in the series. 

Here are The Shadow and Free!

The composition for this piece was tricky, as I felt like the character's shadow could easily be mistaken for a pool of water, so I added the rocks and tree to create context, contrast and a comparison point for the eye. 

In addition, leaving the landscape bare behind the character helps project the feeling of blinding light being cast from behind the subject. 

I used a variety of pen thicknesses to distinguish the various elements in the piece, and kept the lines of the ricks very rough and choppy to express texture and accentuate the harshness of the material in contract with the softness of the character. 

I also chose to use my grey pens to shade the character itself, as it helps the eye understand that the person would be a different colour to its surroundings even though it is all in shades black and white. 

I personally love the inquisitiveness of this piece, and I myself am not entirely sure of the intentions of the hand coming out of the darkness.
The environment and the lighting are harsh and unforgiving, and the darkness of the pool of shadow almost looks invitingly cool and refreshing, while also feeling a little unnerving and ominous. 

I was worried I wouldn't be able to convey what I envisioned for this piece, but I think it worked out better than I was daring to hope. :)

I hope you will like it too!

And then in stark contrast to the dry and bare landscape of the previous piece, Free is lush and full of detail!

The biggest challenge with this drawing was the juxtaposition of so many different textures.
It was an interesting exercise in choices and stylisation.  

I love the gesture in this one, and you may notice that I changed the character's expression in this final version.
I didn't want this piece to feel too sad, and for the character's face to feel too trapped, as I want there to be an element of questioning, of wondering how much of this situation is the character's own choice. They could easily reach down and free themselves, but they are instead choosing to chase after the fleeting symbols of freedom that are butterflies.
They have nowhere to put them, their net is not really functional. So the exercise seems both like an expression of childlike whimsy, and hopeless futility.
I think having the eyes look up to the butterfly and be less mournful than in the initial sketch helps bring levity and brightness to the piece rather than making it as dark as it could otherwise be. 

So there we have it, Day 09 and Day 10 are all done! 

I hope you like them ^^

I will be working on Days 11 and 12 tomorrow and then I can hopefully move on to designing the calendar!

My partner and I are going to the cinema tomorrow, for the first time in over...oof...3 years I think (cinemas are so damn expensive in London T_T). We are going to see Dune! Have any of you seen it yet? If you have, what did you think of it?
I remember daring myself to read the first book when I was 14. I think I did complete it, as I remember my pride at reading a book that had over 1000 pages. But that is pretty much all I can actually recall of it, so we are virtually going into this without knowing much more than "sand" and "Spice". XD
Should be fun :) 

Anyway. I'll see you tomorrow for hopefully the last 2 pieces for this Inktober series, and in the meantime, take good care of yourselves lovely people.
Have a good day/evening,
All my love, M