Character Maps

The Artist

The Little Boy

The Mother

More Environment Concepts!

This is the roof top of the building that the story takes place. The shed is where a large amount of time is spent in by the little boy. It is a make shift art space where the little boy creates fun doodles and playful but detailed pictures. After a period of time the artist joins the little boy in creating art in this space. 

This concept is for the fire escape on the backside of the building. The little boy likes to sit here and watch the artist work in his studio. 

Refined Little Boy and Mother Sketch

I’ve included a profile shot that way I can start considering the 3D qualities of these characters and start making them a little more believable! 

Building Sketches

So I’ve been trying to figure out what this building is going to look like (the one the Artist works in and the Little boy and Mother live.) And what the shed might look like as well. This is what I’ve come up with.

Building Concept #1

Building Concept #2

Building Concept #3

Building Concept #4

Here is what the shed looks like..

Lots of character studies!!

I’ve been working on a lot of kraft paper and I’m really enjoying the mid-toned paper. It doesn’t feel as intimidating as a blank piece of white paper starring you square in the face! I’ve started working on expressions in the characters and some are successful and others need a little more work. One thing that I continue to remind myself when I’m working on expressions is this: K.I.S.S (which stands for Keep It Simple Stupid.) It’s pretty effective when you write it on every page before you start drawing. I know it has helped me a lot.

The order of the sketches are pretty self-explanatory but here you go.
Artist (images 1-3) Little boy (images 4 & 5) Little boy’s Mother (images 6 & 7)

That is all for tonight!

Describing the environment features

The apartment building where majority of my story takes place is a multi-purpose building. There are one and two bedroom apartments on the top four floors of the building and medium size studios that are  for artists and business owners on the first three floors. The artist’s studio is on the third floor on the back side of the building that has the fire escape just outside his back windows. The little boy and mother live on the sixth floor on the back side of the building as well. I will be highlighting three of the main environments and the traits and characteristics of them.

Artist’s studio - Minimal and bland (this is strictly the artists working space, he doesn’t live here but will stay the night if he feels like it.)

• No plants

• Metal trash can

• Paint tarps draped all over

• Painting easel

• Dozens of canvas’ (painted and unpainted)

• Table with all the paint supplies on it

Little boy & mother’s apartment - Feels like home (Despite their financial situation, the mother does her best to keep everything in their apartment looking nice. Some items are beginning to show signs of wear.)

Living room

• Old warn down sofa

• Mass-produced clock on wall

• Large radio/speakers/record player (entertainment center)

• Rug

• Pool-shaped coffee table

• Random plants

Kitchen/Dining room

• Small table with two chairs

• Light blue-green range

• Pans hanging on hooks behind range

• Sink

• Refrigerator 

• Toaster

• Fruit on counter top in a bowl with fruit design on it

• Telephone

• Lots of cabinets

The Shed on the rooftop - Utility shed converted into an artist studio by the little boy (This shed has become a make shit studio for the little boy to work in and he puts up all of his doodles on the walls.)

• Made out of random scraps of wood and dry wall

• Roof is constructed out of random sheets of metal, mostly corrugated aluminum

• Has three windows

• Awkward/Misfit looking 

• Weathered

• Pigeon’s love to sit on roof of shed

• One wall has an air vent built in

• Small vegetable planter next to door

• Little boy’s drawing table constructed out of  plastic milk crates and a checker board mounted on top of them (How he learns to draw straight lines by using the black and white squares.)

• Light secured to sheds roof using a coat hanger and twist ties

That’s all I’ve got for right now! Be back later. 

Describing my character features

Wow… Just call me a slacker! It’s been a couple of weeks since my last post. So after the last couple of classes I’ve been working on a lot of character studies and different environments. But first I really needed to understand the physical traits and personality characteristics of the environments and the characters themselves. In this post I will list off the features of the three main characters that I am focusing on in my story.

Artist Traits & Characteristics

Age: 67 years-old

Personality Characteristics: Rigid, well spoken, egotistic, pompous, opinionated, rude, hypocritical, narcissistic, dry sense of humor, explosive, easily irritable, passionate (in artistic expression and devotion to his talents)

Physical Traits: Large nose, saggy eyes, bald, hardly smiles but laughs at his own comments and his self-absorbed brilliance, wrinkly hands are callused from years and years of use, somewhat lanky but average height, 'Steve Jobs' look (black turtle neck and Levi 501 jeans), high polished black wing tip shoes

Little Boy Traits & Characteristics

Age: 6 years-old

Personality Characteristics: Unconditionally loving, obnoxiously adorable, extremely outgoing, curious,playful, forgiving, big dreamer, obedient (but continually pushes the boundaries of what his mom considers obedience), honest

Physical Traits: Large head, wavy/somewhat unkept side-parted hair, button nose, small pear shape body, Converse hightop Chuck Taylor's (well worn), Levi 501 jeans (cuffed)

Little Boys Mom Traits & Characteristics

Age: 32 years-old

Personality Characteristics: Independent, protective, best intentions(not always received well or understood), sweet voice (but can be extremely stern when angry), thoughtful, hard-working

Physical Traits: Big hair, kind eyes, round face, brunette, big accessories(earrings, necklaces, etc.), hour glass figure, short height, well groomed(despite financial situation)

I’ll be posting studies hopefully by tomorrow sometime.