Highlights Puzzler -March 08

For the March 08 issue of Highlights Magazine, I was asked to illustrate a "picture puzzler".This was probably the most challenging assignment and the most rewarding.
Before tackling the 3-D elements,  I had several go rounds before I got the sketch right.

Sketch # 1


Not busy enough and too young.

Sketch # 2

Better but the bugs look too generic. They need to be more recognizable and anatomically correct.
Ants climbing leaf are not proportional to the rest of the design.

Sketch # 3

Ladybugs still don't look enough like ladybugs and composition needs to be busier in the background. Remove the wing-like arms from catepillar.

Sketch # 4

ACCEPTED!  The only change was to remove the spider hanging off the fishing pole and add more flies.

Here is the finished art. I ended up using a lot of fabric to help incorporate all the details.

I hope I get to do another one!

* I have had a heck of a time with typepad lately. All of my images come out disproportioned and when you click on the thumbnail the enlarged version is blurry. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong.

Comments

[Nikki]

Roz,

This is really neat the way you showed this to us!
And the finished piece is really remarkable... I love seeing how you layered all the fabrics, with as busy a piece as this is!
The textures in the leaves really grabbed my attention too! I really like this piece...
My favorite bug is the mosquito!

[laura]

FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love the finished art, but the pencil sketches are pretty awesome too!!

[alicia Padrón]

Wow Roz! This is awesome!
It does seem like a lot of work and it ended up just great! Love the spider on the "tight rope" and the lifeguard mosquito! Ha, ha.. its perfect. Congratulations Roz!!! :o)

[Anette Heiberg]

This looks fantastic Roz! You've done a great job and really challenged yourself - and it was so worth it!

[chickengirl]

Roz, This is super cute! Thanks for sharing the process...its good to know that others experience the same thing- with several rounds of revisions to come to the final. This turned out to be one awesome illo, great job!

[Carol Baicker-McKee]

Wow, Roz! What a lot of pieces and steps and sewing! It's very cute and I think you solved all the problems along the way. Fun to see your revision process (and comforting that other people go through multiple revisions too!). I like the little bead flies (gnats?). Very creative.

[PaMdora]

What a great assignment! I love puzzles, and you did a great job. Nice to see the step through process. Thanks!

[deb johnson]

Roz...this is amazing...you have really set a style and name for yourself in children's publishing! Very cool and unique!

[teri]

This is wonderful! What a fun project--and it turned out GREAT! thanks for sharing the revision process with us...
xoxo
teri

[roz]

Thanks so much everyone, I'm so happy you like it.
I hope they ask me to do another one.
It's nice to do something really "busy". Usually I'm told to edit stuff out because I add too much and don't give the eye somewhere to rest.

[Roberta Baird]

Wow!
How fun is that!
The detail is incredible.

[Steph]

These works come to life with the felt- really nice!

[Phyllis Harris]

I really love your attitude about having to make all the changes! It just shows what a sweetheart you are. I could only hope I'd be as patient but the out come is perfect!

It's also very helpful to show others that we really do work as illustrators on making a client happy and in the end hopefully coming out with a better product.

[Paige Keiser]

WOW Roz! This has got to be one of your best pieces ever! Beautiful!