Gimme Just a Little More Time

So, I’m a neurotic and self-doubting pile of organs. I can’t help it, many artists fall into this category and I’m just one of the lemmings I guess. It’s probably a bit healthy to feel you’ve always got to “up your game”, it keeps you striving. The reason I bring this up is because I just got my latest copy of MAD and have been ogling all the wonderful art within. I always look at my stuff and feel I should have spent more time on this or that or “How did I think this was finished??”. Oh well. The truth is, I’m usually under the gun and not making enough on it to spend too much time on a particular piece. That said, it’s MAD dammit!  I want the stuff to look great.

This issue features 10 small spots in its “50 Worst Things About Food”. I’m pretty happy with most (I cringe at the fortune cookie drawing) but…if there’s one thing I’d do, it’s spend more time on the color. Magazine work is much different from newspaper work and the colors are so much more rich that, if you don’t add a bunch of tones, it looks awfully flat. That’s what I feel happened this time around.

I’m going to try to spend more time on my colors in the future. There. I made the vow. Here’s a version with just 10 more minutes devoted to coloring. It’s not perfect, but it’s better!

powell_prisoner

Rich Powell

I'm an artist/illustrator residing in a small, North Carolina town. I worked for a few years as a conceptual artist and art director in the computer game industry but set off on my own to freelance. I currently do humorous illustration and cartoons for publications such as MAD Magazine and Highlights for Children.

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