Angel and the Rose - Rock n Rule
A recreation more than a paint-over, this is my reimagining of a favorite shot from "Rock & Rule," an underrated Canadian animated masterpiece, from 1983. If you haven't seen it, it's now officially available on Youtube and Amazon Prime.
My idea here was to increase the tension of this moment, with a visual I felt would have added to the eeriness, even though we see Mok appear in several other strange places and ways. His eyes are perhaps his most sinister feature, while his lips are his most grotesque.
Upon finishing this piece, I also chose to take it an extra few steps to make it look like a fake screenshot. So I utilized some blurring and 35mm camera grain to tie the piece together.
Getting the composition right was tricky at first. I sketched out this one, but realized Angel was too large in frame, so not enough room for the eyes.
Then I pulled back to fit in the eyes and added several more roses on the edges.
Oddly enough, I set this sketch aside for a few years before picking it up again.
This sketch, done over 2 years later, not only exemplifies my growing skill in that time, but also makes some marked changes to the details. Angels eyes are a little brighter, expression less forlorn, her lips are fuller, and Mok's eyes now have lashes.
Color Flats.