I started this one yesterday. I spent a a good many hours today on the beginnings of the blooms and the branches. Essentially I painted 8 different views of the cherry blossoms and then cut and pasted until I was throughly sick of it. 
Sigh I wish Photoshop had full color brushes! I know things are still kinda rough around the edges. Have you guessed what this is (another) attempt at?
Someone’s not too sure about their cloud layout? xP
Great work here, your knowledge of child proportions amazes me. Kids scare me so I can never paint them right.
My only suggestions are to add some reflections from the pink and blue on her hair (the hair looks like it should be very tight and smooth around her head), and to make some of the larger blossoms smaller. Sakura blossoms aren’t quite as large in real life as they are in the Japanese woodcuts, anime, and especially fanart. Sme anime fanart makes them HUGE xD;
eishiya: Well I’m not saying I am and I’m not saying I’m not, but… ;p Kids scare me too, that is why I’m making myself paint so many. Yes, I will bounce a bit more light around ) on her hair among other things) as I progress. Point taken on the size of the flowers. I guess I ended up exaggerating the size so that they were easier too see when I zoomed out. I’ve still got to figure out how to give it all more depth.
Hey Laura, I like how your latest pic is going! Very pretty, great colors. I think removing the two branches behind the girl’s head would free up that space around there and enable us to focus more clearly on her- right now that entire area is too busy and it’s hard to focus on any one area.
Also, I like the close up more than the full version. Are you going to put something in the bottom of the full version though?
I think the blossoms should cast some shadows on other blossoms, and since there are no blossoms in front of the girl, you could show depth by varying the shading colors, leaving the front-most ones as they are now.
Below is the progression of the book cover I showed thumbnails for a few days back 
paperclip: I think you’re right on with the branches. I may just cut it at 1024x768 and make it stationary on the page, in which case the bottom would go bye bye.
eishiya: Good suggestions. I’ll see what I can do when I work some more on it tomorrow.
Well the detail-image is very very very beautiful but I’m not so surea bout the whole composition of the ‘larger’ version. Of course, I need to see what you want to put in the sky
The starting sketch rocks!
CyborgJA: The sky’s for boring ol’ title text and a by-line I’m afraid The fact that the whole left side will be on the back doesn’t exactly lend itself to brilliant composition as a while either.
After a frustrating monitor search (my 21" Viewsonic CRT died on me Friday), I’m finally back. The replacement monitor is a 24" Gateway LCD, which is nice in a way but it has its quirks too
Looks like it’s an interesting story! I’m curious as to what it’s about. As always, some excellent use of colors in the WIP, Laura…as I would expect. My only concerns at the moment (and since you’re in the middle of working on the art, a good time to mention) are:
t
tatiana: It was actually a very interesting read. The story is about a young scholar who gets involved with a powerful bishop who is trying to steal the “small magics” within people who are born with the gift.
As for the shoulders, that is intentional. The author doesn’t want him to read as a buff stoic hero guy, but rather a skinny scholar who is in over his head. I do think you’re on to something as far as the legs go. Hmmm…
Hi!
I enjoyed looking at your thread since the last time I did it (approx the last summer!)
Your artwork has something very relaxing and special (I mean fantasy) in the same time…
And non-violent, that’s a good point.
Keep it up and enjoy your new LCD screen:)
Bye
I decided today felt a bit like cherry blossoms
arnocob: Glad you enjoyed looking around I just stopped by your WIP thread. I’m loving those concept sketches!
Beautiful work. You managed it in a great way, especially in its complexity.
How about a golden title?
CyborgJA: Thanks I was using white for the title primarily because it lent itself to a “colder” feel. In a way I think it makes the cover more eerie. But gold is an idea…
I personally thought the narrower shoulders looked better… The only real crit I have is to either shorten or cut off the shadow cast by his foot, it seems way too large and shapeless.
For the title… maybe you can make it the colors of the orb he has and give it the same glow as the orb? But that might look kinda tacky, unless you handpaint the glow with swirls or something.
