Back again for another exciting round of the Doodle Magic drawing challenge the 308th run. For this run, the reference shape is a really unique, bold carnation pink silhouette with some sharp angles and a very distinct triangular cutout right in the center (this tripped me off). Usually, these abstract shapes take a minute to click, but the moment I saw this one, I knew exactly what I need to do.
Looking at the way the top of the shape curved and then dipped into that sharp point at the bottom, I did not see an animal or a landscape maybe?. Instead, I was immediately struck by the movement of it. It looked like the sleeve and the side of a jacket caught in a sudden movement and or of wind swinging forward during a heavy sprint. I have always been intrigued by function and movement especially on athletic outerwear that has a lot of structure and movement so I decided to lean into that vibe. The specific "V" shape in the middle of the reference felt exactly like the space under an arm when someone is pumping their elbows while running, and the outer curve felt like the fabric of a high performance windbreaker being pushed back by the air.
I used that original pink shape as the foundation for the character's torso. To make it look like a functional piece of clothing, I added those three crisp white buttons down the front, which immediately transformed the abstract curve into a recognizable jacket also those buttons are consistent with my previous other drawings for this week. I love how the deep, slightly muted red of the coat works against the other elements. To balance out the warmth of the jacket, I chose a forest green for the pants and a soft, earthy skin tone for the face. The little pop of orange in the scarf was a last minute decision to add a bit of interest and warmth and break up the transition between the jacket and the head. I was yellow at first but it did not look right so orange it is.
It really perfectly showcases my love for clean lines and flat, simple color blocks. Even without any complex gradients or realistic shadows, you can feel the speed of the runner just by how I positioned the shapes. The challenge was definitely in building a whole human figure around one specific sleeve like curve, but keeping it stylized and clean helped the final story come together quite well. It is all about finding the rhythm in the original shape and letting it dictate the rest of the fashion. The eyes are cute and are sending some message don't you think?
Have you ever looked at a random shape and immediately seen a specific piece of clothing or an outfit, or do you usually see something more organic?