This graphic may be one of my most complex ones yet. I didn't use that many resources and I admit the lighting isn't spectacular, but gosh darn the clouds, oh my gosh the CLOUDS were a piece of work!
Anyways, moving back to the topic, I saw this graphic contest by one of my favorite graphic designers, and despite my nervous jitters, I entered! The prompt was a cover based on one of the four elements (air, water, fire, and earth).
Well I chose air because I am a unique mochu with unique talents like messing up lighting, and I probably invited the cloud thing on myself now that I think about it.
MOVING ON
Here is the graphic!
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whoosh comes the LINK ----->
whoosh comes the RESOURCES ----->
Are you ready folks? Sit down for a deep breakdown of this graphic.
First, the process.
I think I spent maybe half the time on this graphic just searching for a model stock. Like I was furiously scrolling the internet for something that wasn't, like, one pixel. Eventually, I find this lady, absolute gem, and I was so grateful, I didn't even change the face!
Then I had to spend some time setting up the resources of what I was going to do. The curtain was the first thing I added. Then I started thinking about the back, and that was when I decided on the greek-like archway in the back. It's kind of triangular, pointing upward, symbolizing the sky.
After that, I found a cloud image. Let me tell you kids, editing clouds is a piece of work. I had to make them look natural, difficult, considering that it's a png with no background. After adding a little lightning zapping everywhere and some nice wings, I was done with the photographic base!
There were also some fall leaves representing the wind blowing in the autumn.
But the real struggle was never the base. It was the LIGHTING.
😩🤌
So first I worked on the details of the face. The highlights, the contours, the nonexistent eyes and the lips, which I had to paint golden.After that, I got to work creating sun rays and artificial light, as well as coloring on the hair, and I even painted a rainbow in there to represent happiness.
Finally, I chose a nice sounding word as my title, and voila, I present to zee ze coverzzzz.
Secondly, the symbolism.
WELLLLLL
The colors that represent air, or the sky, are blue and yellow and possibly grey/white. All three were properly incorporated into this piece. Air can be a gentle, calm breeze, or it can be a ferocious cyclone that tears apart houses. I chose this element because of its duality, and I thought the sunlight vs the lightning would properly convey that.
Blue and Yellow are also complementary colors (I think), so that represents opposites.Gold also is kind of prevalent in this cover, symbolizing the natural wisdom of the air element. Air also makes me think of curiosity, so that's why she's moving the curtain, as if curious about what's behind it. Air is also an ancient element, to me.
It's always been there, and will always be there, blowing in the background. That is the reason for the font and the ancient looking archway.
Zephyr, my title, means a gentle breeze. It's just such a beautiful word, I feel like the piece is too mediocre for it. But ah. You know the drill.
It's amazing. I'm amazing. You're amazing.
Thank you for the opportunity, and have I hope you were blown away by my work.
