First Colour Illustration

I've done illustrations before, but they've always been for 'zines or activist groups with low budgets, so I've never had the pleasure of working in colour, nor have I had the pleasure of *ahem* payment. Hence the excitement over landing the cover of Vue Weekly and getting to illustrate one of Edmonton's most well-known rock bands, Les Tabernacles. Some might say it's small potatoes, but everyone has to start somewhere, and I'm pretty stoked with how everything turned out. In fact, I had such a great time illustrating this that it's making me wonder if painting is really the path I should be pursuing.

As far as illustration goes, though: do I ever feel like I have a lot to learn! It was difficult choosing a particular style to go with. In the end I chose the strategy of following my heart; for example, since the project called for 6 portraits to be drawn from fairly low-quality photos, I had this great idea to draw the guys heads coming out of one of those whack-a-mole games. I still think it would have made a killer illustration, especially with an ominous shadow towering over them, but I realized that I would die of boredom if I had to draw every last detail of a whack-a-mole machine.

I ended up going with a pretty abstract arrangement, and am really happy with what Vikki (graphic artiste extraordinaire) put together for the inside spread:
Below are some work-in-progress shots, with colour choices being made. Choices!!