The One Where They Pick

Brief:
To create a set of literal illustrations for the children's story 'The Cat that Walked by Himself' by Rudyard Kipling

I listened to the story as an audiobook, and it felt a lot like the prologue to the animated film Watership down, in which the creatures are flat

The creatures Designs are heavily influenced by African patterns and designs.
This was interesting when designing my own creatures, could they have a cultural influence?
Yes, Scottish.

This became the plan.

Cartoon Saloon

I think Cartoon Saloon is an obvious influence on the work of this project. Their Irish centred films feature characters abstracted in the style of Ancient Celtic art.

Secret of Kells

Wolfwalkers

Song of the Sea

To the right is a digital drawing from 2021 that has clear influences from Cartoon Saloon's films.

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Pictish Artwork: The Ancient Scots

The Rodney Stone also known as “The Beast”, Brodie in Moray, Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland

Pictish warriors, male and female, with painted bodies and curved swords; artwork by John White, circa 1585-1593, The British Museum

Not in the scud
Unlike what is shown above, Picts did not fight in the nude.
The Picts wore hooded cloaks, tunics, short hooded capes, and even trousers. The hem of some garments is even decorated with patterns. In addition to clothing, Pictish aristocrats wore silver brooches, chains, and weapons.

www.thecollector.com/picts-mysterious-people-scotland/

Trial design (Triskelion) on a lead disc, with incised spirals, Pictish, from the Brough of Birsay, Orkney, 700 – 900 AD, National Museums Scotland

Scottish Wild Cat

I was heavily inspired by the book to the right, a favourite from my childhood that features painted pages, and uses a bright limited colour palate. I think it influenced me in using gauche for this project.

Hilton of Cadboll stone

The Burghead Bull, The British Museum

Late 9th-century Pictish sandstone slab from Invergowrie Church, Angus, showcasing three figures on one side and a ringed cross on the reverse, National Museums Scotland

Found on Google

The princess & the white bear king, Illustrated by Batt, Tanya Robyn, Ceccoli, Nicoletta

Visual Research and single/double page thumbnailing

Watercolour and coloured pencil

Digital colour over the pencil drawing

The illustration to the left wasn't very visually clear and the text on the illustration to the right was too squished and conflicted with the composition. The mockup below aims to rectify these problems.

Final Double Page Spread

Initial Mocked up Single Page

After feedback it was noted that my wild creatures had become too attracted to the point they weren't readable and so I went back and developed another idea.

I again wasn't happy with the illustration above and so I created another that aimed to combine what I liked from the previous two designs. I feel this new illustration fits more with the cover and double page spread.
The cat for this single page illustration is influenced by this cat ornament.