May 4, 2010

Beguiling Cover Bunnies

The mailman brought along the nicest surprise. Opening a large envelope, I was discovered the new May cover to High Five Magazine.

It came out very nicely in print. I think an artist usually fusses over a cover. In fact it's entirely possible to over-fuss.

Being a cover bunny can do that to an artiste.
I'd guess cover girls must go through all the same things. I've always wondered, but I imagine it's true.

When I lived in Manhattan, I used to do work for 17 Magazine. I always liked dropping off sketches there... where I imagined all things fabulous might well become real.

No doubt being on the cover of any sort of magazine probably carries with it many of the same artistic quibbles.

Nerves, insecurities, nagging doubts and second thoughts....
Should I have worn a different swimsuit? (bunnies don't swim!)
Should I have worn a different sweater? (bunnies have fur, they don't need sweaters!)

Should I have shot my profile to the right instead of the left?
Do I look fat?

It's the same thing with artists and creating cover illustrations.


An artist will wonder: Are the colors too strong?
Is there too much background?
Should I have worked on the silhouette more... and redesigned the figures?
Did I use too many opaque highlights?
Are the figures the wrong size?
Did I overdo the shading?
Is there enough character...
Should I have gone for a more demure jollity overall?

These are the things that try a bunny's soul... but it's all character building in the long run. Like Popeye said, "I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam!"

6 comments:

Diandra Mae said...

We subscribed to High Five and Ladybug in part for my son (who is 3) and in part for me. I'm also an illustrator and I consider reading magazines as part of my research. :)

I know it doesn't relieve any of your worries, but I thought the cover was fabulous. (And it's always nice to see the art of fellow kidlit bloggers in person.)

Sharon said...

The cover looks GREAT John!

J. E. Morris said...

Congrats on the cover. It's very cute. We saw the new issue in a store the other day and my daughter was impressed that I recognized your work before we looked inside.

Paula said...

Ah! You did the cover! Beautiful as usual, John! I look forward to seeing it closeup and in person (when my copy gets here)!

And, yesyesyes...The artist wonders all those things--and then some!

June said...

Ooh! Bunny worries... I can so relate!

John Nez said...

Thanks everyone! I'm amazed that anyone would 'recognize' my style. That's a nice thought... so thanks for sharing.

:0)