The work of Ron Gross - Anatomy of an Illustration

The graphics on these pages depict the development of an illustration by Ron Gross, the artist who also did the original box art for the Polar Lights Jupiter 2 model kit.
This specific piece was submitted by Ron to Polar Lights in the Summer of '99 for possible use with their new Robby the Robot model kit. As is now commonly known, the company elected to go with the classic lobby poster from the original film "Forbidden Planet" instead. Rather than merely relegating Ron's work to relative obscurity as part of his personal portfolio, we thought that this rendering would provide an excellent opportunity to share some of the techniques which are commonly used in the execution of such projects.

"Virtually all illustrations must begin with some kind of credible reference material. Since I was in possession of the 16-inch toy replica of Robby from Masudaya, I simply decided to shoot a roll of film in my own back yard. I then chose two different angles for development into small "thumbnail" line drawings. Unfortunately, the bright sunlight had the effect of washing out much of the detail in these photos, which, of course, would be up to me to restore later."

"The downward-angle shot is perhaps the more common of the two, as far as imagery from the movie is concerned. After recreating the linear contour from the photograph, I experimented with placement, and eventually sketched in a suitable background."

"The upward-angle shot is a little unorthodox, but it provided the best opportunity for a dynamic representation. Once again, I added relevant background elements, as I worked this drawing into my general composition of choice."

"A rather quick value study, done with a single black wax pencil. There are times when I may actually skip the step and proceed directly to a rough 'color sketch.' It all depends on the subject matter and the circumstances involved."

"Beginning anew with the color rendering, using the black-and-white value study as a guide. Several detail changes would eventually be made in the interest of composition and harmony. Initial color layering is somewhat pastel, and is intensified as the composition develops as a whole."

"The completed rendering in this case is really not what one would normally consider to be a 'finished' work. Since this was a proposition and not a work-for-hire with specific expectations, I elected to execute a quicker, yet tightly detailed piece in blended colored pencil. The image on your screen is undoubtedly larger than the original, which measures only about 4" X 7"! If the work had been under a formal contract, I would have rendered it twice that size or even larger, which would have yielded even more detail and a 'tighter' overall look upon reduction."

All images and artwork depicted on this page are the property of Ron Gross. You can contact him at ronartist@sprintmail.com. Use of these images and artwork is prohibited without his written permission. Individuals may download and view these images for personal, non-commercial purposes.