Building a Concept
Mistakes & Learnings
I made a rookie mistake with one of these, can you point it out?
Alright I’ll just tell you, and please tell me I’m not alone in this — I set my canvas for a full spread — 2500 px × 5000 px — and completely forgot about our friend… the gutter!
My plan was to lead the reader’s eye through the sweeping movement of the fabric. I was thinking about flow, background, and how to carry over details from my thumbnails. But the gutter? It ended up running right through the child’s shoulder, with her face sitting uncomfortably close. Depending on the book’s binding, that could warp the art in ways I didn’t intend.
How I fixed it:
Layers to the rescue. Past Suri had painted in full details — braid, ghaghra (skirt), dupatta — even in areas that would be partly hidden. That gave me options.
Kept it for my site. I animated the dupatta’s dots and border, plus highlights on the shadowy dancers, to add movement and keep the composition engaging.
Wrote myself a note: Always check the gutter before you start painting.
Takeaway
When you set up a spread, build in your gutter space before you start. Even better — keep important faces and focal points away from the centre line. Your future self will thank you.
