New Book Illustration WIP (And Accompanying Text!)

[CaishaRose]

I've been walking around with the vision of this scene in my head for about a year now but have been hesitant to tackle it. Finally, I got over my fear and just started with studies. This is a very uninteresting composition, very straight up, but I had to start somewhere. This is a very preliminary stage as far as shading goes but I'm still working out the location and intensity of the light sources.

It's about 5.5"x7" on Bristol Vellum. Light lines are pencilled measurements, the rest is 0.18 Rotring Rapidograph.

Here's the link to the drawing: http://n.domaindlx.com/jkramer/DSCF0008.JPG

And for those of you who are interested in what this is illustrating, here's some excerpted text; it's a much more maudlin than the rest of the book, but it sets the mood for the drawing:

The cemetery grass was still wet from the day’s rain and ground was soft under Josef’s shoes. The night was rather cool for a September in Indianapolis but the ground remained warm, creating a faint veil of mist billowing above the newly mowed grass as Josef walked to his wife’s tomb… After several minutes of silent prayer, Josef crossed himself then eased himself down, sitting on the second step of the tomb. He sat for several seconds, listening to the crickets chitter and the occasional low call of an owl that sounded to be perched high in a nearby tree…

“I think I’m in some real trouble, Herzen,” he said softly. This was why he came at night when no one was around, so he could talk. He didn’t know who or what he was talking to, he knew his wife wasn’t in that tomb. He could’ve addressed her anywhere and if she were somewhere where she could hear his communications, she would’ve heard him no matter where he was. But being at the tomb made Josef feel more rooted in reality. He felt more like he was actually speaking to her rather than some abstract concept.
The owl hooted as Josef’s words hung in the misty air then faded away. He exhaled and wiped at his tired eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb before letting his hand fall away.

Every time he visited, Josef’s senses seemed to play tricks on him. He was sure he smelled the faint scent of baking bread on the breeze; the rich aroma that had emanated from the kitchen, waking him up every morning, drawing him out fo bed and to the kitchen where Christine would be fixing breakfast. It was funny because in all the time they’d been married and that ritual had gone on, Josef never once remembered being awakened by Christine getting out of bed.

Josef took another breath, trying to catch that scent again but it was gone. He sighed and looked down at the grass with a bittersweet smile...

[Ravenfire]

Great illustration. It's wonderfully moody and fits very well with the text.

[UpsideDownSarah]

I always admire people who can draw architecture well as it is not something I am at all good at. It is instructive to see your pencil work underlying the ink; the WIP pictures on this forum in general, and this one in particular, are wonderfully educational. Thank you so much for posting this striking drawing.

[MonicaB]

Wonderful. I've often wanted to do ink illustrations of cemeteries.

[valchina612]

Excellent work Jennifer. The Architecture is wonderful and the pose of the figure really tells the story of his feelings.

Val.

[VineeD]

Looks great Jennifer. Fits well with the text and I believe it will accomplish what you have in your minds eye.

[CaishaRose]

Thanks, guys!

Here's the link to an update (if the photo is too large, feel free to save and resize for your own viewing needs) :

http://n.domaindlx.com/jkramer/DSCF0003.JPG

I feel a little like it's getting too dark and losing depth, but it is supposed to be at night. Let me know what you think.