Panel Card assignment

Robert,

Until we hear from John, your next assignment will be to create a panel card (see attached for examples.) I will provide the copy, or writing to work with, along with some very simple direction (how the sentences break, simple planning/lettering styles for the design, even a color palette) below, but you can use the planning as a stepping off point in terms of layout, color, lettering and illustration style. We usually do 4-5 sketches and submit to the art director for review, then go ahead with a final illustration. Take a look at these.

The overall card size will be 9.5 x 7.25. so the Panel can be whatever size works withing that space.

This is an assignment that I am actually working on now. We work on Christmas is June, believe it or not, because it needs to be done well in advanced for printing/getting it to the retailers. I will show you my illustration when I am finished. This is Here is the copy:

(Within panel illustration, in a word baloon) "I can't really be sure it's him. I mean, it looks like his carrot..."

(The copy to go under the panel is this:) "C.S.I. North Pole: Special Victim's Unit"
(You don't need to use the quotation marks.)

It's a humorous version of a snow woman identifying her snow husband, who probably perished due to melting. :o)  All that's left is maybe his carrot and some coal in the morgue drawer. It's obviously a spin on the whole CSI TV shows combined with Christmas. Provided is a very quick sketch with color palette. Not necessary to follow. Come up with your own POV. Use whatever colors needed, but it's nice to start with a simple color palette first. We try to use red and greens, traditional colors, where we can. Maybe the border is one of those colors, or they are sprinkled in throughout the illustration where it makes sense. You can do outline and color fill. Sometimes I like to do illustrations that look like paintings, so I will not use an outline. If you would like to see examples let me know. I will leave the approach up to you.

SO....

Start with reference gathering, and rough sketches for composition. Maybe spend today on that and show me sketches and a reference board tomorrow.

Food for thought:
Who are the characters? Is the snow woman the wife of the melted "victim?" Is it the mother? A girlfriend? Is there a police man or a detective? An examiner? Are they all snowmen/Women? Or are they a mix of Snow woman, elf, reindeer, or Santa?  In terms of your characters "attitude" and "personality," how are they each reacting or "acting?" What is their body language? Expression? In terms of the setting,  is the morgue a typical human morgue, or is there something about the morgue that is unique to a snowman's world?

Good luck, have fun, and call/email/post on blog with any questions!