Menu cover - Finished

thirdeyeh · Post by **thirdeyeh** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:59 pm

My parents own an Italian restaurant here in Jax, FL and they asked me to do a menu for them. I created this pencil idea for the cover that I plan on coloring over the next week and thought I'd share. The final piece is going to have a chalk style look to the overall colors. I was really inspired looking through the art for Ratatouille. It's been really difficult to try and blend a classy design look with a more cartoony illustrative look. I hope this comes out the way I intended.

tpiro · Post by **tpiro** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:19 pm

Wow, that looks like a lot of work. I guess I'm just lazy that way....

I'll be really interested in seeing how this looks colored. There are so many ways you could go with this.

thirdeyeh · Post by **thirdeyeh** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 5:08 pm

man you aint kidding! It is gonna be a lot of work with that city in the background. I'm really looking forward to it though. It'll be a good opportunity to flex my photoshop coloring skills.

Frank Stockton · Post by **Frank Stockton** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 8:06 pm

look at the work of nicolas de crecy. Also, the vertical lines of the building slant a lot to the right. With all the lines already leading in that direction from everywhere else plus the dude over on the right side, they would be better off leaning a bit to the left I think.

but look at De Crecy.

f.

dark77778 · Post by **dark77778** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 9:37 pm

Frank Stockton wrote: Also, the vertical lines of the building slant a lot to the right.

Yeah, so does the leaning tower of Pisa and my Italian friend's basketball net....so it's perfect! Very Italian!

Seriously though, I think it's a great idea: menu design, and I'd love to see it when it's colored and touched up.

thirdeyeh · Post by **thirdeyeh** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 9:47 pm

Frank Stockton wrote:look at the work of nicolas de crecy.

Thanks Frank! His style is in an odd way very much what I am thinking. Thanks so much for making me aware of him.

Thanks Dark, I will definitely be posting this image in all of its phases! I'm excited, it's kind of my first design/illustration gig outside of my own things. Even if its for the folks! But hey, other people will see it as well.

Anteater · Post by **Anteater** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 9:52 am

Oh, I'm late to join in here. But anyway, I think the piece is looking really good so far, excellent job! But now it is in the coloring that you will face your next obstacle. DON'T OVERDO IT! Or rather don't overdo the contrast of the colors. This has the potential of becoming really warm and nice and cosy.

Keep posting, we'll be with you every step of the way.

Scott Hallett · Post by **Scott Hallett** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:15 am

I think art these days doesn't have enough wicked mustaches in it. Fight the good fight!

dark77778 · Post by **dark77778** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 1:51 pm

Scott Hallett wrote:I think art these days doesn't have enough wicked mustaches in it. Fight the good fight!

Save for this guy ^_^

thirdeyeh · Post by **thirdeyeh** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 5:13 pm

lol Nice! Yeah that mustache is the awesome.

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. I just finished a pass at the inks. I just noticed I missed a few things in the passing, but in general it is complete. After Frank's suggestion I really felt like the kind of sketchy ink look, mixed with color, might be a good path to go down. So I did this quick one today. What do you all think of this approach? I am going back and forth between this look and a straight up painterly look without ink outlines. There's also some line work on the chef's apron that needs to be cleaned up. I didn't do a great job with those right lines that were brought up though. I dunno, I'm just sorta in an idea building phase.

dark77778 · Post by **dark77778** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 6:45 pm

Wow, I didn't even notice the steam in the first draft until I saw this one, nice touch. It's looking good, I'd really like to see it with colour though. Maybe watercolour in the background on browned paper...but what do I know? Do what you think would look nice. I think the line decision is great though!

Anteater · Post by **Anteater** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 12:55 pm

Does it have to be one or te other? If you have the linework on its own layer in photoshop you can downplay it where it is needed, shift the color of it and even erase it on places. Just an idea.

Oh, and dark's idea about some nice old browned paper as a background pattern was nice. I can imagine it looking really good.

thirdeyeh · Post by **thirdeyeh** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 1:33 pm

Oh I agree, I think that look can go along way towards building up the look. I will def. look into intigrating that. Thanks!

thirdeyeh · Post by **thirdeyeh** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 1:37 pm

Here's the cover with flat colors. I've basically just separated all of the important elements into their own layers in Photoshop for easy selection and change. Overall though this is the sort of rustic feel that I want, but everything is the middle range so as I continue I'll come out of the half tone to work more on contrast and making things pop.

thirdeyeh · Post by **thirdeyeh** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:01 pm

UPDATE:

I just toyed around with some things and I came up with this look that I like a LOT. The colors need some attention, but overall I love the look. I used the brown bag idea mixed with an old book cover to give it an aged look.

FLIGHT FORUMS

Menu cover - Finished

Menu cover - Finished

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