"Little Red Ridinghood" Concept Development

[Its Sami-o]

Hi there!
So I'm currently working out a take on Little Red Ridinghood. I know it's not the most original content but I'm really just shooting for getting used to drawing sequential art and completing a short project before I move on to other more ambitious ones.

The story is going to be just a retelling of the Grimm version with a focus on design and character acting. But i REALLY wanted to get some feedback on the designs i've been working out.

LittleRed: she came along pretty fast and i think this is the direction i'll be taking with her.


BigWolf: this is where i'm struggling sweatdrop i'm trying just to get down the essence of him. A lot of these doodles come of foxy, and more of a trickster (prolly because of the resemblance to a fox.... i was shooting for angular/sharp designs... didnt work out haha) i think a lot of the faces on the left are more in the right direction. So thoughts on him would be great smile


I appreciate your time! Thanks!

[Kyousouka]

I really like the Red design, and I like where you're going with the Wolf, angular to contrast her round bubbliness.

Will this comic be in colour or B&W? I ask because the grey appearance of the wolf looks good to me, but the colouring on Red does not. If you're going to do this in colour, I recommend giving the Wolf an overall grey appearance, and focusing Red's redness in her clothes rather than her face. Maybe give her freckles if you want an overall redder look, but shading the whole face like that doesn't look good, in my opinion.

I think the faces on the left, though appealing, read too much as foxes and not as wolves (some of the designs on the right have the same problem). The small, light-coloured one on the left reads as the most wolf-like so me.

Consider using the Wolf's fur to make him look prickly, rather than just the years and nose. It's not the streamlined, sneaky design you're looking for, but I'm afraid the pointed shape is inherently unwolflike, since wolves have broad features.

Edit: How about making the wolf's body thin instead of bulky? That way you can have both wolf-life features, and an overall thin, sneaky, almost snake-like look. It's less imposing, but it can still be scary. It could also "explain" why he's going out of his way to do the things he does - he wouldn't need to bother with people if he was a well-fed wolf, would he?

[Its Sami-o]

Thank you so much for putting the time and thought into that response! I'm thinking black & white for the actual comic (I just like playing around with color sometimes haha) But will definitely try out some of your suggestions with the wolf design! I REALLY appreciate the input! smile

[Xiam]

Its Sami-o

Thank you so much for putting the time and thought into that response! I'm thinking black & white for the actual comic (I just like playing around with color sometimes haha) But will definitely try out some of your suggestions with the wolf design! I REALLY appreciate the input! smile

Stupid suggestion, feel free to ignore it, especially since I keep trying to make this work in my own comics with varying results: What if the red hood was the only thing in color?

[Kyousouka]

Xiam

Its Sami-o

Thank you so much for putting the time and thought into that response! I'm thinking black & white for the actual comic (I just like playing around with color sometimes haha) But will definitely try out some of your suggestions with the wolf design! I REALLY appreciate the input! smile

Stupid suggestion, feel free to ignore it, especially since I keep trying to make this work in my own comics with varying results: What if the red hood was the only thing in color?

I think this is an idea worth trying, especially if the rest of the comic is dark/ink-heavy. It'd be too out of place if the comic is mostly lines and white.

[Xiam]

Kyousouka

Xiam

Its Sami-o

Thank you so much for putting the time and thought into that response! I'm thinking black & white for the actual comic (I just like playing around with color sometimes haha) But will definitely try out some of your suggestions with the wolf design! I REALLY appreciate the input! smile

Stupid suggestion, feel free to ignore it, especially since I keep trying to make this work in my own comics with varying results: What if the red hood was the only thing in color?

I think this is an idea worth trying, especially if the rest of the comic is dark/ink-heavy. It'd be too out of place if the comic is mostly lines and white.

Hm, fair point.

[celestrialdarkmoon]

I personally like the wolf's bulkiness. The silhouette of Red and the wolf show that the bulkiness is a good contrast to Red's smaller stick-like form. It also brings interest to his spindly legs and tail, making the thin angles very striking. On the face, perhaps you can try making it a blockier shape, mimicking the body, that way the points of his ears and muzzle stand out more. With the poofy angled cheeks, it not only makes him fox-like, but makes the design busy, and draws away from his ears and muzzle which are two defining features for him later on (if you're going with the whole "what big ears" and "what a big nose you have" approach.

[Ophelia Phantom]

I'm a huge sucker for Grimm fairytales and I absolutely adore your style. I'm so jelly >.< I look forward to reading it biggrin

I also think the idea of it being in B&W and the hood being red is a really fun idea.

[yeahdotdot]

The design for little red looks incredible, and the direction you are going with wolf seems good too but I agree- too foxy. I think the top right sketch looks most similar to a wolf.

In my opinion wolves look more threatening when their snout is heavily defined from their jaw. Also deep-set eyes and large brow structure do well for the evil appearance. Rough hair drawn in angular lines can add to this.

Hoped this helped and good luck, it looks amazing.

[Amoebic]

Great design work!

I think the issue with the wolf is partly his thin limbs and sharp snout are reminiscent of the wily, nimble character of foxes. On the other hand, I think your wolf's coloration will help distinguish it too. What I'd find helpful is googling reference of wolves and then doing a page or two of realistic studies. This helps get a handle on what features might define a wolf, and it'll develop a temporary bit of muscle memory.

Good luck! Looking forward to seeing what you come up with. 8]

[Jin_of_the_thunder]

I see what you mean about your wolf looking like a fox. though I feel I should say I do like the angles you've used. I would suggest making is face look more like an upside down 5 point star as apposed to an upside down triangle. I hope that makes sense.