Need some illo exercise?

I have been busy beavering with Sprouts, the NJ magazine... phew! Lots going on this month - anyway, here are two sketches for a "Happy Holidays" piece that I am toying with.

This is the challenge/project to help motivate some new work:

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Two best friends celebrate the holidays in very different and unique ways.
THE ASSIGNMENT
Week 1 by Dec 7: Post a single page sketch of a scene of one friend figuring out a gift for the other. (Second character need not be present).
Week 2 by Dec 15: Use feedback and create revision. Post final color of scene.
Week 3: Enjoy the holidays!
Week 4 by Dec 31: Create a second double-page illo in color, of the main character giving the gift to the friend.

Tip to challenge yourself: Don't illustrate the first thing that comes to mind, push yourself to go with something less obvious.

AND if you want to add an extra layer to this assignment, take the month to think about those two characters, their gifts and their cultures and then generate an illustration for the cover of a book that would be about them. The book title is Happy Holidays!

Here's what I have so far:


The first is a double page spread of a 8x10" vertical book. Madam Chook is trying to figure out a gift for pal Phileas Foxx. Phileas will be back just in time for the holidays after his round-the-world trip ....




The second is maybe a scene or the cover, I don't know, but I still haven't worked out the actual 'gift' yet ... hmmm?

What do you think of these two pieces? Does the hugging one look like the characters are very young, in which case, maybe Madam Chook is NOT the BFF to Phileas?