Summerbelle Crate Sketch

I'm working on a new project with John Ball at BDG. This one will be for a fruit crate. It's always fun to work with John. This one went pretty smoothly. I rented a costume and took pictures of a few options. I created once version with a hat and one with the umbrella, which we eventually went with.

I think either would have worked, which is a testament to how well the photo shoot went. It also goes to show how much easier things progress when you have great reference material.

In the past, I have shortchanged the reference gathering process and almost without fail, there is some aspect of the final rendering that does not go as well as planned. Some of these obstacles can be overcome easily by drawing upon years of experience or other creative means. Other times I am forced to go back to the drawing board and either find better reference or shoot new reference to solve the problem. This one is going well so far. I will post the final art as soon as I finish.