Mock Up Creation - The Little Mermaid; Fri 13th May

This post documents the process I took to produce my mock up for the Little Mermaid illustration.

As with the last image, I began with a copy of my design sketch and began to build on top with a variety of images. I am very pleased with the red trees and blue bush; I think they work really well in the composition, they just need a little work to make them less stiff and they will be ideal. However, the coral in the foreground may need changing; it looks a little strange, perhaps seaweed will work better.

I think the castle is going to be a very important part of this illustration, and I want to make sure it looks right. I began with creating a digital linear copy of my design and then filling in each section as I thought most appropriate. I have used the opalescent inside of a shell I collected for the windows; and the shell of a large clam for the roof tops. I think these work really well, as they help to create a sense of depth and link to the original narrative which described the castle as being made of various shells. Although I currently like this castle design, I am going to experiment with creating a castle made entirely from shells soon.

Above are the final touches I put to the image, including a brief surrounding sea and some light rays. I think these are quite effective for this stage in the design process. Below is the final mock up for this illustration. There are a few things that will need to be altered in the next stage, but I am certainly pleased with the outcome so far.