The Crumbs Project: Makeoverssss

I think I'm starting to get to grips on this whole 'organising my work and life' thing. Here's hoping it takes.

After I finished my commissions (which I might share on a later date if I get permission from the commissioners), I had more time to plan 'The Crumbs Project' a lot more seriously, from story lines and notes to finalising character designs. I hadn't drawn or coloured the pigeons in Photoshop before now and used the opportunity to sort out colours and lineart techniques. I used to use Illustrator but while the lineart looks nice and crisp, I think it loses a bit of personality that the original sketch had. More often than not, I've found myself preferring my sketches to my finished work whenever I used Illustrator.

So hopefully I'll be able to train my wrist to master freehand lineart. I mean hey, a big reason I'm working on the comic is to experiment with storytelling, character design, art methods and so on.

Anyway, here is our colourful cast of main birbs:

And allow me to introduce (or rather RE-introduce, to anyone who read the previous comics) the turtle dove twins, Lilac and Pink!

You can thank the super spectacular Tor for the inspiration behind their redesigns. Lilac is her favourite and I was trying to think of a new pigeon breed that both she and Pink could be (with them being twins, they'd need to look the same, especially since I'd made them different breeds originally) before I remembered Tor suggesting I draw a turtle dove sometime due to them being her favourite pigeon.

So I decided to kill two birds with one stone (If you'll pardon the expression. Awkwaaard) and make Best Pigeon her favourite breed! Albeit rather simplified. You ever seen a turtle dove? Google those mothers, their plumage is nuts.

Now that the introductions are out of the way, I've got a little favour to ask of you guys.

While I was colouring all the pigeons, an error with layers gave me the idea to turn the whites of the pigeon's eyes red, similar to how pigeon eyes usually look. I'm half tempted and I think it looks especially god on Lilac personally but there might be people who are put off by the look, or think it makes them look too sinister. I MIGHT give the look to a certain mysterious pigeon either way though… perhaps...

So I've got a comparison of the white eyes and red eyes for people to look over. I'd appreciate it mightily if you could let me know of any preference you have! You should be able to click the pictures to get a closer look.

Red Eyes
(Drugs are bad, mmkay?)

White Eyes
 

Hurrhurr stoner birbs~

I'm leaning towards the white personally but if I'm able to shape the eyes a certain way, I could probably pull off the red if people preferred it.

I'm going to begin work on the human and dog characters from tomorrow. Hopefully I'll have them to share with you next week! I also want to play about with poses and expressions of the characters. I've only got the pigeons in similar poses for now to show off their design more than anything.

Tune in next week (maybe)!