Initial Style Research...

I really wanted to establish a strong visual style early on, not only because Val the client wanted an indication of style- but also because I want to cement this so I can spend more time animating. I ended up turning to pinterest to try and find some inspirational designs. 

The painting above is very retro, I like the how the shading is very textural which breaks up the face and provides a sense of depth. The mass of hair would be very dominating but it has been softened by thin strokes that integrate a sense of detail. The eyes have a great deal of impact due to the black outline and the long eyelashes, and I love how the mass of black is broken up by vibrant colours that give it a very 60's feel. I plan on using this style as a basis for a flat and sleek interpretation of a girl on a moped since I really like the softness and the quirkiness that it would allow me to include.

I have been requested by Val to produce a visual theme that it is quirky and smooth so I was really looking into images that weren't as fussy as I have in previous projects. Searching for moped and motorcycles seemed like a logical step since it is a main aspect of my theme. I found this paper collage below and was struck by the boldness of the figure and the simplicity of the shapes within it. I also really liked the soft blue background and the contrasting red moped which is a colour scheme that I plan on using. The blue helps to integrate a soft background colour and highlighted the red aspects. I liked the paper/collage texture and I plan on investigating this.

The image above has a very modish feel to it- I actually really like the one tone colour palette- which I could also replicate in red (the latest Tv palette). There is a nice sense of texture that separates foreground from background and I love the 60's style to the illustration. Thin lines and block colours provide detail and theres a fun quirkiness to the scene. The background line art provides contrast without overpowering the main focal point and I especially like how the raindrops draw the eye across frame from the text to the face. There is a great sense of movement to the illustration and I like the sophisticated cartoon concept which mirrors the mod theme.