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Ilenora
09-14-2009, 03:55 AM
Hello there ^_^

Late last month (August) I began work on an image that would be a birthday present for my mother. The image isn't a 'surprise' and she has seen and given her thoughts on it every step of the way, because it will eventually be hung in her bedroom so it is being tailored to her exact wants.

When I asked her what she wanted for her birthday, she quite soon decided she wanted an image in the style of Mucha's work (her favourite artist), with an elegant pose, a dress like the one in his Moet and Chandon Champagne image, long, wavy strawberry blond hair, with water, reeds and dragonflies in the background along with lilies in the borders.

So far I have drawn the woman, and have started the background. The water is done, along with the basic shapes for the rocks and borders. At this point I can't make drastic changes to the woman, however I would appreciate feedback and critique on things such as the dress folds, colouring, etc. These are some things to keep in mind:

The lighting is supposed to be very washed out.
There is no particular story to the image, it's simply a 'pretty picture' to hang on the wall :)
I was not aiming for perfect realism - things such as the shape of the hair and how dress twists around her legs are not things that would appear in reality, but they are not things I wish to change.

Thoughts on the composition and how the image flows would be appreciated, though I may not necessarily make any changes, since a lot of it depends on my mother's thoughts.

Changes and things that will be added:

Dragonflies and reeds at the edge of the water
More shadows on the woman (under the hair, at the edges of the clothes etc)
Possibly more contrast on the dress
Lilies and other flowers in the top corner pieces
Detail and shading in the borders

The actual image size is 7500x10000 - the biggest image I have ever worked on! This is also the first time I will be drawing a proper, detailed background. I used a 3D rendered model as reference for the body and a photo reference for the face and colours in the hair. The water is a combination of textures (photo and hand painted) and painting. I included a close up of the face at full size. The images are big because I wanted to make sure the detail was visible :)

http://www.serpentinemoon.com/eternitydreams/Muchawip3.jpg
http://www.serpentinemoon.com/eternitydreams/mucha-facewip.jpg

So, feel free to give your thoughts and suggestions! I will update this thread with WIPs as I continue painting.

Thank you
Ilenora
Ilenora
09-17-2009, 02:55 AM
Hey, just to let everyone know I'm currently working on the rocks and reeds in the water, I'll be posting another WIP soon :)
Ilenora
09-21-2009, 02:12 AM
I've drawn the rocks, reeds and have just begun to add some detail to the borders. I still need to add shadows on the rocks from the reeds, but otherwise they're mostly done. I need to do the dragonflies as well.

Any critique, comments or opinions are highly appreciated! I'd really like some input on the folds of the dress!

http://www.serpentinemoon.com/eternitydreams/Muchawip4.jpg
PhoenixFlame
09-25-2009, 07:38 PM
Hey Ilenora

I really like this piece! My only comment is that I think her hair line is too low (her forehead being too covered).

Is looking good though!
Ilenora
09-26-2009, 03:38 AM
Hey Ilenora

I really like this piece! My only comment is that I think her hair line is too low (her forehead being too covered).

Is looking good though!

Thanks very much, PhoenixFlame! I'm glad you like it :D

Here's the current stage http://www.serpentinemoon.com/eternitydreams/Muchawip5.jpg
It's pretty much done unless I get some suggestions for changes. Basically all I need to do now is add my signature ^_^

Thanks for the suggestion on the hairline... I'll see about fixing that!
I think I could still do some work on the folds of her dress, but I'm not really sure where they should go, so for now I'm leaving it as it is. If anyone could do a paintover, or redlines, I would really appreciate it!

Ilenora
felicitymoore
09-27-2009, 09:31 AM
Heyo

Hey this looks really good, nice work!

I like your color palette and the ethereal quality. I'll have a think about the folds....

One small thing I'd maybe think about is the right hand dragon fly is creating a tangent with the circle on the background - as the tip of it's head is touching the edge of the circle. You maybe might want to think about moving it away from that; imho it appears that the 'fly is part of the circle rather than flying free between us and that circle....just a thought!

Does that make any sense?! (I've just eaten too many pancakes and had a sugar buzz I think!).
felicitymoore
09-27-2009, 09:45 AM
Heyo again

Folds! I've been trying to find a painting which I can vaguely remember, I can't track it down just now. I thought it was Titian? Anyhow, it's of a girl holding a wine jug I think, and she wears a dress which flows down - sorry it's not much use without the image to show you - but I would check out the 'net and see if you can find classical paintings just to see how the folds are painted, unless there's a Mucha which can help you?

Yours feel pretty good to me but maybe look at

1. The way the dress folds over the breast area
2. Where the waist band sits - and how the folds work around that area especially below it.

If you can't find a painting, I'd pop material on yourself and look in a mirror. Its a quick and fairly easy way to figure things out imho!

It's pretty much there....

Can't wait to see the final version, nice job!
:thumbsup:
Ilenora
09-27-2009, 12:21 PM
Hello Felicity and thanks very much for the comments!
I'm very glad you like the image.

First of all, the dragonfly - many of Mucha's works feature parts of the background or figures coming out over the borders, which is why I left the dragonfly over the border as it is. My reasons are also for the artistic value of having something other than the woman overlapping the background. If I were to move the dragonfly down off the border, it would be too even with the other dragonfly and thus I would have to move that one down too, which would cause it to be on a level with the water. I had this problem when I first drew them, when I originally had them over the water, and they were almost invisible. So I wouldn't want to move that one down any further for that reason. So though I appreciate the suggest greatly (other's insight is always handy!), I personally think it better to keep the dragonflies in their current positions.

As regards to the folds of the dress, thank you again for the suggestions and tomorrow I'm going to get out a big piece of material and get someone to pose so I can take a photo of the folds ^_^
I was using this Mucha painting as reference for the dress http://www.oceansbridge.com/paintings/artists/m/Mucha_Alphonse/oil-big/Moet_and_Chandon_White_Star_1899.jpg
I have seen that image you spoke of, however I can't remember it's name either...
My biggest problem with the dress isn't actually the bust or even the waist area, but everything below the waist in the skirt area from where she is holding the dress up. I know the folds should be different, however I had no reference so I just went with my imagination. I couldn't find any images of someone holding a skirt up as she is :( And I didn't think of doing a test with my own material.

Thanks again, I appreciate the help!

Now, does anyone know of a good name for this piece? :D

Ilenora
felicitymoore
09-28-2009, 09:04 AM
Hello Felicity and thanks very much for the comments!
I'm very glad you like the image.
First of all, the dragonfly - many of Mucha's works feature parts of the background or figures coming out over the borders, which is why I left the dragonfly over the border as it is.
Ilenora

Heyo!
Sorry I didn't explain properly, I didn't mean the actual overlapping, just the tip of the dragonfly touching the actual line of the circle - that very specific point creates a "tangent" - it would only need moving a very small amount to rectify and wouldn't unbalance it. BUT....just my opinion and the whole piece looks fantastic anyway!

I'm really keen to see the finished piece, and thanks for sharing! :thumbsup:
Ilenora
10-01-2009, 02:32 AM
Heyo!
just the tip of the dragonfly touching the actual line of the circle - that very specific point creates a "tangent" - it would only need moving a very small amount to rectify and wouldn't unbalance it.

Ah yes, I see what you mean! I moved it down a little :D

It was my mother's birthday yesterday, she absolutely loves it. I still plan to do more work on the folds of the dress in the next week or so because we're going to buy a print to hang in her bedroom.
Ilenora
10-28-2009, 07:02 AM
Hi everyone, it's been a while since I posted here.

I got a bit distracted and didn't do the repaint of the dress as I had wanted to for a while, but I spent the last couple of days working on it and it's finished ^_^ I took photos as reference and I'm much happier with it now. The print has been ordered so it will soon be hanging in my mother's room :)

I hope those who were following the progress - particularly felicitymoore, who helped out a lot - are pleased with it!

You can view it here - be sure to click the image to fullview it. It will also be available in many different print formats if you're interested!

http://ilenora.deviantart.com/art/Lady-Dragonfly-141701606

Ilenora
felicitymoore
10-29-2009, 02:24 AM
Greetings!

Pleased to see your finished work - thanks for sharing, and yes it looks fantastic!
Great job :bounce:
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