Jack and the Beanstalk
By John Shelley
My current work-in-progress is a picture book of Jack and the Beanstalk for Fukuinkan Shoten publishers in Japan.
I was specifically asked to approach this in a very traditional 'English' style, which you can probably tell! These are unfinished images of the line work before painting in watercolour. Inevitably a lot of the pen work will blend in when the spreads are painted, a problem I often face, but I'm hoping a lot will still be clear. Anyway, so far so good!
My current work-in-progress is a picture book of Jack and the Beanstalk for Fukuinkan Shoten publishers in Japan.
Beautiful, John. I particularly like the detail in the picture of Jack climbing the shelves in the giant's kitchen. Great stuff.
ReplyDeleteLovely line work. I like the shelves especially - so intricate. They stand alone well as black and white pieces. It's funny how painting alters a picture and it's difficult when you've become attached to the line only version. Good luck with adding the colour.
ReplyDeleteLovely John, thanks for showing them pre painting!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lot of pen work! I really love the last image of Jack on the shelves.
ReplyDeleteGreat line work in all of them.
It is good to scan the line work just in case you need a new version! You can always print off a fresh linework on watercolour paper to re-paint, or colour digitally, or to use for colouring activities to promote the book!
Beautiful, John. Thanks so much for posting and also linking through to G+ so that oddbods like me get to see this.
ReplyDeleteI too love the last image of Jack scrambling up the shelves. Lovely line work! Do you use a rapidograph drawing pen or a more traditional nib drawing pen to get the lovely variation of line in this work?
ReplyDeleteI love your linework, and particulary the last image with Jack nimbly climbing up towards those menacing meathooks..
ReplyDeleteThese are lovely illustrations which remind me of Rackham's style. I too love the line work and wish there were more line drawings like this in our children's books.
ReplyDeleteGreat detailing John.
ReplyDeleteThank you everyone! The book is finished now, some of the coloured spreads are on my blog. I'll post coloured versions of these images closer to the release date in September.
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