Ray's Day
Personal Project
Tag along with Ray as she zooms through the solar system at the speed of light. She is the fastest there is but she learns that space is vast.
Author & Illustrator Josh Lewis
Designer Josh Lewis
BOOK DEVELOPMENT
These initial tests explored the character design with a flat yet accurate look.
After the initial tests, I explored expression through different types of faces. Because there are no arms and feet to create a full expression, the emotion needed to be carried solely in the face. I also wanted each character to have a distinct face.
This test for Jupiter helped balance the complexity of Jupiter's cloudy surface with a simple style. It worked so well, I dropped it into the final painting.
THUMBNAIL SKETCHES
Before diving into sketches, I create these rough sketches. While things change naturally along the way, this lays out the plan for the book.
For Ray's Day I added back matter, the facts at the end of educational picture books. So I explored a few options for how to show the times it would take Ray to reach each of the planets.
SKETCHES
Both value and text are added to the sketches to make sure everything is working well together.