Project Three: The Witches

Initial Thumbnails 

The parameters I set myself for this project were
The cover x1
Full bleed illustration x1
Spot illustration x4

While I was reading the story I sketched some ideas, there was a few I decided to develop further, I looked at vintage goth models like Elvira, Maila Nurmi, Carrol Borland and Carolyn Jones. I wanted the grand high witch to look very glam and beautiful.

Thumbnails

For my double spread I decided that using the full two pages to illustrate the RSPCC meeting could be interesting. I was split between illustrating when the GHW met the narrator or illustrating GHW when she's onstage. 

For the single page illustration I thought of drawing a scared narrator as he was found by the witches, i thought it would be a good way to depict how terrified he was. 

I also made a few spot illustrations of the features of a witch, noticeably their big noses, pointy shoes, gloves and curved nails. 

I had seen a painting in the National Gallery that really inspired my idea for the cover, "The Rokeby of Venus" painted by Diego Velazquez. The painting has a strange composition in which the subject, a young woman has her back to the audience. However she makes direct eye contact with us through a mirror, being held up by a cherub. I thought it was hauntingly beautiful, the way her blurred face still penetrates us through her glare. I was inspired by the concept and had the idea of the Grand high witch looking at herself in the mirror while her true form glares back, with the idea that this form would be seen multiple times in the story. 

The Grand High Witch

The Grand High Witch is an iconic character, while it takes a long part of the story to actually meet her she is one of the biggest characters. I wanted to reference a vintage Gothic style, I imagined the story maybe being set in the 1970s, so I thought the Grand High Witch would have an older style. I initially though a head of wild long hair would be interesting as a style, however i decided a micro bob suited her sharper character traits. 

I wanted The Grand High Witches actual form to look completely inhuman, i actually started looking at ostriches as a character reference. I liked the idea of the contrast between her disguise and her real form. I wanted it to be fear inducing.

Testing 

I decided to used a strictly black and white colour scheme in this project, I wanted to emphasize the contrasts in colours as best as I could. I also think it added to the gloomy tone of the story. 

The cover

Full bleed

The cover took inspiration from The Rockeby of Venus painted by Diego Valesquez. I mostly took inspiration from the composition of the subjects face being revealed by her reflection. I imagined the Grand High Witch is the only one who see's her real form full time. I liked this idea for the cover, it feels a little more intimate and a bit grown up which is what I got from the original book. 

The full bleed depicts the narrator as he he is discovered whilst hiding in the ballroom. This takes place when the witches evil plan to kill all the children is revealed. This explains the narrators scared facial expression. 

Spot illustrations 

For the spot illustrations I thought it would be an interesting idea to show a few of the items from grandmas list on how to tell if someone is a witch. I illustrated long curly fingernails, always wearing gloves, a larger nose and exaggerated pointy shoes (to hide their square feet). 

Mock-ups 

This was cool to see, I haven't seen many book covers that are grey illustrations so it was honestly really interesting to imagine this one on a book shelf. 

Finals page