Gestural Thumbnails!

We are working on animal caricatures. Part of the development process is developing thumbnail drawings. Artist, Peter De Seve, has published extensively his process work. His examples give good instruction on how we should proceed on our approach for animal caricatures.

Every picture that looks like this has a start from somewhere. This image was built from thumbnails many concepts. Here is an example that helped De Seve get to his final illustration, but has an idea he didn't ultimately use. 

Thumbnail drawings are about exploration. Allowing yourself to make mistakes and make discoveries. What doesn't work can be as informative as what does work. It is through this process that we artists have those eureka moments like a scientist discovering something new. 

I want at least 10 thumbnails for us to explore with and examine for possible outcomes. However, it may take many more to make something worthwhile. You will know when you are on to something great because you will find yourself emotionally responding to it. 

As you explore a character and how it develops, ask yourself these three questions...

1. How do you relate to this character? 
2. What is this character supposed to be for the audience? 
3. How does this character relate back to what you are trying to say?