This project is based on two actors and characters from the theatre show Caro.
I have been a fan of this show for a year now and have wanted to design something for them and for the show, as i find most of the merchandise available for it now very limited and I felt like the characters derserved some spotlight.
The costumes and details for Meneer Tijd and Mevrouw Tijd are very vibrant and inspiring to me as a creative.

My proces started with rough sketches based on several different reference images.
This was a challege because there is no recording allowed during most of the show, only the start and curtain call can be recorded.
Luckily press images for openings, re-openings and anniversaries as well as pictures posted by the actors themselves provided enough reference.
The fist sketches are shown below.

I ended up changing the outfit and the sketch for Meneer Tijd a lot, because i wanted the designs for th duo to be balanced. It was important to me because I was designing them as a set

After a few iterations of his outfit based on several more references i was finaly satisfied and started on the linework for both.
I ended up having to change relatively little about the sketch for her to get into the final linework for her.

Some other iterations of the face while i was in the process of  digitally inking.
I kept running into the issue where i felt the actor wasn't properly recognisable or did not fit the proportions of my references well.
After some changes I was happy and continued on from there.

With Mevrouw tijd the transition to linework went a lot more smoothly.
I was happy pretty quickly with it and mostly just had to change some things about the eyes and the eyebrows.

From here i did a rough colouring for both, and included more costune details for Mevrouw Tijd as well.
For her I had more references in proper, neutral lighting - so it took a little longer to get the colours for Meneer tijd right from here.

The process for the shadows for both pieces is shown below.
I spread it out throughout several layers to try to create more depth and allow me to make changes more flexibly as i was working.

From here i finalized the illustrations, evened out the linework thickness and started putting them into my manufacturers templates to send them off for production.

These were the set up files i sent over to my manufacturer.
From here they would sent me a digital proof of them for me to approve of before they start production.

The first proofs I was sent are shown below.
The size difference between the two was kind of odd to me as i had speficied in my communication with them they were a set.
I also decided i wanted to change where the loop for the keychain for Mevrouw tijd was set and asked for it to be moved slightly more to the left so it could be closer to the centre of the design.

These were the final proofs I got sent after the final changes to size and the loop were made.
I approved their production based on this proof.